The Random Plat

2008-06-18T21:14:00.002-04:00

Long time no post - just a reminder that most of my goodies can now be found over on Facebook. Two new albums are up: Overall Run Falls and a trip to Philadelphia!

2008-05-10T08:48:00.002-04:00

Well, long time & nothing much new to say. I forgot to take pictures from last week's cycling trip between Georgetown and Great Falls on the C&O Canal - sorry 'bout that. For the last several weeks now I've had this kind of low-grade grumpiness, which isn't helping my loneliness any. I've started up a new study over the past few weeks: "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby. It's great stuff, and fits perfectly into my ever-present struggle to trust God more, but I haven't been able to get past the first few chapters.

...Hmm. I'm having a tough time writing this struggle out, so I'll let it be for now. Hopefully, it'll come to me later.

Duncan Knob

2008-04-11T07:57:00.000-04:00

New photos are up on Facebook from my hiking trip yesterday. Enjoy!

Check-In

2008-04-04T18:51:00.002-04:00

Well, the good news is that I'm looking forward to taking a few days off next week for vacation. The bad news is... my plans changed this week. I was booted from the Microstation class that I was going to attend in Richmond. Apparently, preference is given to VDOT employees to attend the class, and they were able to fill up the roster, so there you have it. The original plan was to take several days after the class and run around the Virginia countryside on the way home. Now, however... I'll have to take some time this weekend and figure it out. One way or another, more pictures will be forthcoming by the end of next weekend.

I'm trying to fix up Dan's old mountain bike. He mentioned taking the C&O Canal Trail in sections with me, and I'd love to have the excuse to see him a bit more often.

I've been frustrated lately with waiting on God's timing for my life. My job is getting a little shaky with the housing decline, and I don't have the first idea where/who/whom to begin a relationship. I know it'll happen in His timing, but I'm still unconfident and impatient too often.

Briefly

2008-03-16T21:43:00.001-04:00

I've gotta go to bed, but I posted a few pictures from the church activities on Facebook this afternoon. Check it out.

Summer Scheduling

2008-03-07T19:08:00.003-05:00

Wow - things have really come together in the past week regarding my now rapidly filling summer.

1) I've a few friends meeting me at Douthat in early April, now that my schedule for that short trip is pretty set. I'm going to try swinging through Appomattox and Natural Bridge along the way, too.

2) I'm trying to convince Dan to take one last weekend in May off for a bachelors-only trip with Nate and myself before he gets married in late June. My little brother is getting married... wow boy. Quit making me feel old.

3) I got in touch with Dale to ask about another possible big trip this summer to follow up the Montana expedition. The current plan: to bike up the C&O Canal towpath. 185 miles, from DC to Cumberland. I guess I need to fix up my bike. Anybody else interested? I could always fix up Dan's old bike too...

Needless to say, I'm feeling pretty amazed right now. Now, if you'll pardon me, I have a rainy, 40-degree weekend to slog through. I mean, Longview gets snow, but I get rain? What is that all about?

Checkup

2008-02-18T17:47:00.003-05:00

I've finally set a few days aside for vacation in early April, right after another drafting seminar down in Richmond. I don't know what to do with my time off just yet - a lot will depend on the weather and if anyone else comes with me. I'd like to spend a day down near Grayson Highlands in the southern part of the state. Maybe I'll head the opposite direction and lookup old friends in Newport News. Maybe I'll just spend 4 days sleeping - who knows!

The last time I tried vacationing by myself didn't work out too well - loneliness set in after about 2 days, and I spent the rest of the week taking day trips close to home. We'll see about it this time.

I spent Saturday afternoon hiking near Signal Knob, just outside Strasburg. There weren't too many spots for pictures, but I'll post what I took later on tonight.

Good news - I'm meeting my both parents for dinner here in town in less than an hour. My mom has spent the last week in Honolulu (lucky bugger...) with Dad, who has been working in Pearl Harbor for the past few weeks. Dad worked all week, and Mom's not too adventurous, so she spent most of her time in Waikiki. They flew back together, and I'm interested to see how it went! (Looking back at the past few paragraphs, you can tell that I've got a bad case of cabin fever...)

Despite all the stuff I did this past week, loneliness and boredom are still my greatest struggles. I wish I knew what God has in store for me in the future. Keep me in prayer.

The Law of Liberty

2008-02-11T23:20:00.000-05:00

Obedient hearing springs from the moral and spiritual beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ deeply impacting us. A Christian can rejoice at the realization that such inward beauty is his by new birth. He can be inspired to express this beauty through obedience. But, of course, this "captivation" of the heart by the "beauty of Jesus" is the work of God's Holy Spirit through God's Word.
However, a moment's reflection will show that obedient hearing cannot be the result of guilt or an intolerable load of obligation. If such responsiveness does not arise from our innermost self as a deeply felt desire, it remains a work of the flesh. The spirit of the legalist is far removed from what we are talking about here. That is why James goes on to say this:

"But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:25)

It is striking that in this statement James now refers to God's Word at "the perfect law of liberty." So far from being a burden, the law of liberty frees us from above (see 1:18). When Christian living becomes a burden which we must "grind out," we have forgotten what we truly are. Life in Christ is true liberty.

~Zane Hodges, "Six Secrets of the Christian Life", pg. 36-37.

I think I'm starting to get it...

Letting go of the extremes

2008-02-01T22:09:00.000-05:00

Thanks you both for the comments from a few weeks ago. While I can't say that I've gotten to be a better Christian in the past few weeks, I feel like I'm a little closer to finally "getting it". What I mean is, finding that balance between (1) always relying on my own willpower to obey God's will, and (2) using zero will power and just hoping that God will nudge slap me with instant, miraculous sanctification. I know that both extremes are wrong - I've tried them both within the past few months and failed horribly. However, I also know that I do need a certain measure of both willpower and faith, working together, to become a better Christian. I guess all that's left is for me to keep trying.

Non Sequitur: I had Indian food for dinner today. That green chicken was awesome. Seriously - green chicken kabobs. Yum.

Also Non Sequitur: I am getting REALLY stir-crazy. Anybody out there going camping sometime in the next month or two?

Nuthin' to Report

2008-01-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

It's been a quiet week up here. I've spoken with several people about what I posted here last weekend, but I haven't gotten any questions answered, either - except from a book I've been reading for the sunday school class I'm taking this winter.

"The Christian life is lived by the supernatural power of God. According to Romans 8:10-13, as we have just seen, living this life required the resurrection of a spiritually dead body. God's Spirit alone can perform this miracle."
"Six Secrets of the Christian Life" by Zane Hodges

This is where I misunderstood. I took "God's Spirit alone can perform" to an extreme. I thought that God didn't need, or want, my efforts to change. God didn't even want me to try to be a good Christian. I thought that God would simply change me from sinful to sanctified whenever He felt like it. I was in some kind of "Christian holding pattern" until God called me for some work, at which time he would call me out and start making me holy and a good Christian.
In brief, I thought that since I was saved, it doesn't matter what I did anymore - I could not make myself into a good Christian. NOTHING I did was helping; It was ALL God's doing, and I could just sit around and twiddle my thumbs until He called for me personally.

"But how does the Spirit of God do this? Naturally, one answer is "by His power." But how does He bring this power to bear upon a Christian individual?"

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
2 Cor. 3:18

Misunderstandings

2008-01-13T18:36:00.000-05:00

Last week, I asked so much about the will to follow God because, in all honesty, I did not want to be the one to choose to follow God; I wanted God to make that choice for me.

A few months ago, I decided that since I was incapable of following God in my own power, I would instead completely quit trying to do so. That's been a big reason why I haven't had a deep, thoughtful blog post since October.

In part, I was afraid of screwing up again, and I was tired of following God "in my own power."
In part, I misunderstood what it meant to follow God.
In part, I was just being lazy.

I did not want to have to struggle with my own shortcomings and battle back every temptation, and since since God said that we must rely on His own power, that's exactly what I thought I was doing until today. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I figured that all I needed to do was pray "God, I want to follow you, so... do your thing!" and then wait around for some kind of holy beam of light to descend from heaven and blast me with instant sanctification. I wanted to be Saul on the road to Damascus - I wanted direct intervention from God. Lately, I've been so frustrated with my lack of progress that I've begun asking God to give me pain - a "thorn in the flash", so to speak - as a trade off for my sanctification. I've been trying to bargain with God, and it's obviously not working.

With this as background, I'll ask my question a bit differently: How does God soften a resisting Christian's heart?

Griffon Pic

2008-01-13T14:35:00.000-05:00

I finally remembered to scan in this one from my trip last summer to Busch Gardens! I love how we all have a different look on our faces. From left to right: Dan, Nathan, myself, and our Dad.

Football

2007-12-31T17:31:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I won 2 tickets from work to go see the Redskins/Cowboys game this weekend! I took Steve - a rabid Skins fan - and headed out for FedEx Stadium on the far side of DC. It took me nearly 3 hours to get there: over an hour driving down I-66 almost into DC, another hour on the Metro blazing underground, and another half hour to walk from the subway to the stadium. I met Steve there, and we headed in for our seats (only about 15 rows back!) The weather was pretty miserable: lower 40's and drizzling rain for the first half. Thankfully, we were ready and all bundled up for the wet stuff and cold. The game itself was pretty good - the Skins won and are now in the playoffs! The crowd was massive - nearly 91,000 in attendance. Normally, I'm not a big football fan, but despite the fact I got home at 11PM and have been tired all day, it was fun. I wouldn't want to do that on a regular basis, though. Photos are in Fotki.

I had to work today. Given that is was clear skies and 50 degrees, this was a problem. I did try out my Fivefingers outside after work - they work great!

Barefoot heresy?

2007-12-29T23:57:00.000-05:00

My company had given me a little bit of extra spending cash at the annual Christmas Party, which I normally use to help pay for some nifty new gadget over the holidays. This year, I went to splurge down at the local backpacking store, and my choice was a bit... eccentric this year, or so I'm told. I found a new pair of shoes, but this particular style, as you can see below, is pretty interesting:

The brand name is called "Fivefingers". It's like going barefoot, only with a hard sole. I thought they looked awesome, they're small enough to easily pack with my hiking gear, and it's a good cross between going barefoot and protecting my feet.

Although I can hear the old-school barefoot MK's calling blasphemy from all the way out here...

In other news, I'll have more pictures tomorrow night when Steve & I get back from a rather...large sporting event. Steve's going nuts about it.

Richmond

2007-12-15T10:10:00.000-05:00

I was out this past week at a 4-day training course in Richmond, VA. The course was on how to use the MicroStation CAD program, and it went very well, although I feel that I still need more training on the specific survey aspects of the program before I am truly competent with drafting in the program. Funny but true: our instructor's name was Robert Lee.

While I was in Richmond, I managed to get most of my Christmas shopping done in spite of the uncanny ability of the local arcade to siphon off my money (and I'm supposed to be 26... I am such a geek.) We were let out of class early yesterday, so I was also able to spend a little time down at the site of the old Tredegar Iron Works downtown by the James River. During the Civil War, Tredegar was one of the largest ironworks in the nation, and was the primary producer of artillery pieces for the Confederacy. Nowadays, the site is now home to the visitor's center of the Richmond Nat'l Battlefield. I took a few pictures before heading home.

Well, I've got a lot to try and get done before the lousy weather comes in tonight, so I'll end there for now.

Out of Town

2007-12-10T06:11:00.000-05:00

I'll be away for the next week - I'll try to have something up on Saturday and catch up.

Check-in

2007-11-18T20:52:00.000-05:00

I've been a little in the dumps this week. Fall is nearly over, and the temperatures are headed lower in a hurry here in VA. It's not that I don't have stuff to do - my schedule has been packed with cool stuff:

I took some friends to an early Thanksgiving dinner this evening, put on by my parent's small church group. Great food. We watched the Redskins lose, too.
I've got 'Flat Stanley' back from my cousins in Minnesota! I try to have a little fun with the geography dude - I took pictures of him at Harper's Ferry last week, and one at the hospital with Nathan (An explanation is in order. The younger of my 2 little brothers, Nate, is in training to be a radiology tech at the local hospital. They had an open house yesterday, so he showed me around the place. We took pictures of 'Flat Stanley' getting an X-ray taken by Nate.
Sherando! My old high school won their District semifinal football playoff match against our cross-county rivals, James Wood, by 21-14. It was pretty cold (upper 30's,) but fun anyhow. You know, as much football as I've seen this weekend, I'm really not an excitable fan. My friends were hooting and hollering, and wanted me to 'get more into the game'; I just went 'wow' and raised my eyebrows.
Speaking of working out, I'm now into my 4th week of exercise at the local gym. My arms aren't doing too well, but all that running and hiking I've done over the past few years has really helped on the cardio. I've lost a few pounds (I'm down to about 162,) but that's nothing special - I've always hovered around 165 since I left college.
Corn maze-bring a flashlight! A dozen of us got lost after dark in a HUGE 8-acre corn maze a few weeks back. It was definitely...different. Josh and I wound up leading one group around-it took us 2 hours to finish! Steve-we still think you cheated :)

Color Codes

2007-11-13T06:10:00.000-05:00

~Courtesy of http://xkcd.com/

Facebook is BIG

2007-11-02T15:55:00.000-04:00

Oy. I didn't realize how many old friends are on that thing. Pretty cool.
~Gonna go get lost in a cornfield tonight.

Exercise & Vegetables

2007-10-29T19:46:00.000-04:00

I went and joined a local fitness center yesterday. My arms are sore today. Actually, so are my legs. And my shoulders. As a result, I am pleased with myself.

Also, I need some advice. As a 26-year old, am I even allowed to still be interested in movies like this? Sometimes, I think that I never left college... but maybe that's a good thing!

I should listen to this song more often...

2007-10-23T17:08:00.000-04:00

"Complexity haunts me, for I am two men,
Entrenched in a battle that I'll never win.
My discipline fails me, My knowledge it fools me,
But You are my shelter, Oh, the Strength that I need!

It's my will, and I'm not moving,
Cause if it's Your Will, than nothing can shake me,
And it's my will to bow and praise You,
And I'll have the will to praise my God."

My Will - DC Talk

Slowly going crazy

2007-10-21T21:58:00.000-04:00

Some days, things are just rough. This is one of those times. My younger brother and my mom are in the middle of an all-out war. This is a first for me and frankly, I hate it. I'm on the outside of this whole conflict though, which is good. With Dad away on yet another work trip, I'm the only family member nearby, so I've been lending my ear and shoulder to mom as she struggles with what to do. As distant as Nate seems, I'm still trying to lend him bits of advice; just letting him know that I still care. I expect that he may yet need me before all this is over.
When I'm not occupied with family drama, I've been struggling with my own faith issues, particularly with work and relationships. Work in the land surveying field has gotten really thin lately, and if things get too much worse I might be commuting into the DC suburbs (traffic...shudder) or out of a job completely. As a 26 year-old bachelor, I'm dealing with the twin problems of loneliness and boredom. It's really tough to trust God with all this guff that's been going on. I started a regular daily devotional again this past week - 1st time since just after college. I'm using a copy of "My Utmost for His Highest" that Derek Fugate gave me right before graduation.

Two new photo albums of my old favorites have been opened: Shenandoah Nat'l Park and this year's Cedar Creek Reenactment.

And in case you're interested in VeggieTales randomness:

Good night!

Old Rag Redux & DC

2007-10-10T18:44:00.000-04:00

I forgot to post my latest pictures of Old Rag and Washington DC in my Fotki. I'll get that done yet tonight. In the meantime...

The Realization

2007-10-03T21:51:00.000-04:00

Hold onto your hat, folks - this one's a doozy.

I think that I finally realized something very important tonight. I started a new study course in the church a few weeks ago. Since we last met last Thursday, I have been:

1) Studying the course folder,
2) Completing a separate daily online Bible course,
3) Reading through a book on Christian Theology (One of the course leaders suggested it to me 2 weeks ago,)
4) E-mailing one of the men in my group daily for prayer and discussion,
5) Talking with Mr. Newlin as an additional prayer partner,
6) Sunday morning Church,
7) Wednesday night Young Adult meeting,
and 8) The Thursday night meetings, of course.

The reason: Last Thursday, I held a hope that all of this would lead to a change in my heart. That if I truly began to live the life of a Christian, that my heart would eventually follow suit. The sad truth however: I have done all of this in the past week in my own power.

Wanting salvation and eternal life from Jesus Christ was the easy part. Wanting a changed life is much harder. All this week, underneath all the things I have been putting myself through, I still often desire some of my old ways. I know that I CAN be free from old troubles, but in my heart I admit, I do not always WANT it.

This is my explanation. Just as I cannot earn salvation by my deeds, I understand now that I also cannot earn holiness by my deeds. Just as I need Christ to provide me salvation by His power alone, so I prayed tonight for Him to change my heart by His power alone. I do not know how God is going to bring this about, and frankly, it scares me terribly. But I know that it has to be Him, and not I. If God can use this to bring about change in me, so much the better. And Lord, I hope that it is soon.

Longtime

2007-10-03T18:15:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the long wait without posting! I've had a ton going on in the past few weeks - and a lot to think about. Just wanted everyone to know I'm not dead yet, and if I can get my act together, I'll put together something this weekend.

Busch Gardens trip & more

2007-09-04T19:43:00.001-04:00

Hoo... long time no talkie. New pictures are up - my brothers, my Dad, and myself got a chance to go down to Busch Gardens just before Labor Day weekend. Pretty fun; it's always nice to be able to get all of us together for a day or two. Although I still haven't forgiven Nate for getting me on the Log Flume. 4 fully grown men in 1 log makes for a VERY big splash.

Also, I decided to upload most of my old pictures I had collected from college, so take a look at the Fotki site to see them as well.

Next up on the to-do list: I get to revisit Old Rag in 2 weeks with the FBC young adult group. After Montana, how hard could it be?

The BIG mountains

2007-08-10T22:29:00.001-04:00

I completed uploading all my vacation photos to Fotki a few days ago. Ever since getting back home at 6AM Monday, I sill haven't completely caught back up on sleep, but this weekend should fix that.

Wow... I'm 26 now. It's kind of funny - I always thought that by this point, I would be a serious, mature adult, set in life and ready to take on the world. But here I am, still shy and single in my little apartment, having to wait yet another year to take my Surveyor-in-training exam (my year of field crew experience didn't count, so I have to make it up as I am in the office.) Still playing video games too - that's gotta be a sure sign of terminal geekiness at 26 years old. I guess that there's no hope for me... :)
I'm only halfway serious. It IS beginning to bug me. Guess all I can do is keep faith and press on...

Anyhow, enjoy all the pictures. I'd love to backpack through the Rockies again someday. Montana is awesome.

And now for something completely different:

2007-08-04T23:03:00.000-04:00

Hey, I found a computer here in our hotel in Billings! Tomorrow, I fly back home after spending the past week hiking through the East Rosebud Trail in the Abaroska-Beartooth Wilderness in Montana. I'll upload all the photos after I jet home and clean them up; in the meantime, enjoy!

Sharp Top

2007-07-21T10:07:00.000-04:00

I suppose I should update sometime soon. I just got back from a week-long survey seminar in Roanoke. It was interesting, but those 8-hour sessions were brutal. 2 days of survey geometry very nearly drove all of us there crazy. Anyhow, I left on Thursday and camped by the Peaks of Otter, along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It rained all evening - I managed to get my tent up during a break in the rain, then hunkered down inside during the thunderstorm. (Note to self: I had better dry my stuff off before next week.) The rain stopped around midnight, and I went to hike Sharp Top first thing in the morning. Still cloudy and hazy, but beautiful nonetheless. The rest of my pictures are, as always, on my Fotki site.
One week until Montana!

Dolly Sods

2007-07-02T21:20:00.000-04:00

I had a lot of fun this weekend out with the Montana-bound group on our second trial hike in the Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia. The Sods is a high-elevation plateau just on the western side of the eastern continental divide, with a general elevation of about 4000 feet (which is WAY up there for those of us in the east.) The big draw is the climate and scenery - the weather is generally 10° cooler on top the plateau, and the open, rolling hillsides make for some great views that you don't normally find in the tree-heavy Appalachians. 4 weeks until the Beartooth Mountains!

Video Update

2007-06-21T17:02:00.000-04:00

I finally managed to clip the video files together on another computer, but the trial version video editor I was working with left a nice advertisement for itself across the top of the completed file. Should I buy the editor, or not worry about it...

Old Rag

2007-06-17T16:15:00.000-04:00

I didn't have any major plans for this weekend, so I took off Saturday morning for Shenandoah NP once again. I soloed Old Rag Mountain - one of the best day hikes, if not THE best, in the entire national park. The trail was crowded, but the weather was great. The final 1.5 miles to the summit is a classic, involving a rock scramble along most of the ridge line. I took several short videos on the ascent, but I haven't been able to edit them together on account of my computer having a conniption fit. It doesn't get along with video editors well. Anyhow, the pics are up at Fotki, and I'll get the video done in a few days, hopefully.

Axel-deep in the spiritual swamps

2007-06-14T21:01:00.000-04:00

...Heh, it's been nearly 2 years on this blog now, and I'm still griping about the same old stuff. Figures.

I'm still struggling with putting more trust in God. For certain, I do not doubt His existence. What I do doubt is His active participation in my life. He is God, to be sure, but I often doubt that he is a personal God. I want evidence before faith, while it seems like God wants my faith before He gives me any evidence. It's as if God has left me to struggle with my sins and shortcomings by myself.

I have thought a lot about my faith lately. It has been a very difficult thing for me to do - trusting more in God, I mean. Every fiber of my geeky self screams out that I must have evidence first. Not just evidence from a 2000-year old Bible, but evidence that I can see, and measure, and use to confirm that God is there and is helping me.

My hope is still in God, but I have few expectations that God will help me anymore. What am I missing?

I am such a Geek, or Star Trek/Catan

2007-06-09T21:46:00.000-04:00

I was browsing through loltrek tonight. It was funny, but nothing outstanding... until I nearly died laughing when I saw this:

My Parents are mean to me

2007-06-08T22:37:00.001-04:00

Yes, I know I brought this one upon myself. I even told my parents to go visit Great Smoky National Park. Still, the fact that I wasn't there... *sniff* I mean, it was only 4 MILES to Charlie's Bunion! So close, yet so far...

Of airshows and old Friends

2007-06-04T21:58:00.000-04:00

I met Aaron at the World War II weekend in Reading, PA this past weekend. Despite it being hotter than sin on the tarmac that day (my sun-burnt neck is still painful, by the way,) we had a lot of fun! Both Aaron's and my own pictures are now up on my Fotki site!

The nature of salvation

2007-05-23T21:33:00.000-04:00

Romans 6 is really starting to unnerve me. "Died to sin," "Baptized into Christ," "no longer slaves to sin,"... I do not understand these metaphors. All of these things, at first glance, make it sound like a Christian ought to be free of sin - a notion that any honest Christian quickly dismisses. Of course we all still struggle with our sinful shortcomings, even well after salvation!

Romans 7:15-25 details my own struggle to a tee. I know what is right, yet I struggle to accomplish it. What did Paul mean when he said that we are "dead to sin" in Rom.6? Did he mean dead to the consequences of sin only? Or did salvation somehow deaden sin's influence over us as well?

You know your blog has jumped the shark when you start posting other people's stuff.

2007-05-21T16:21:00.001-04:00

...I couldn't help it, though. Really. I'm still such a geek.

Parades and Graduations

2007-05-20T17:33:00.000-04:00

Photo update: Apple Blossom Festival and Hersheypark photos are now up at my Fotki site!

Update: I've also been uploading older photos from last summer now. Several more hikes, and a number of family events too!

of Weddings and Baseball

2007-05-01T20:39:00.000-04:00

Benjamin & Elizabeth Lloyd's wedding pictures from Saturday -and- my brothers and I at the Washington Nationals/New York Mets game on Sunday are up at http://rjedwards.fotki.com/

...3 busy weekends in a row, and the Apple Blossom festival is this coming weekend to boot!

Wilson's Cove Pictures

2007-04-24T19:22:00.000-04:00

...Are now up at http://rjedwards.fotki.com/

Backpacking - Camera Movie

2007-04-22T17:58:00.000-04:00

I just got back from that weekend backpacking trip! I'll upload the photos yet today to Fotki, but for now I'm ravenously hungry... Here's a test recording I made, however!

Keeping Busy -and- My Finger Hurts

2007-04-18T21:42:00.000-04:00

I guess that I'd better post something, if for no other reason than to get the Veggietales stuff off the top of the blog. It's been a hectic past few weeks.

Very happily, my parents spent the past week and a half in Honolulu. My Dad was sent out for job stuff, and my Mom headed out to Hawaii to meet him a week later. They just got back late last night. My younger brother was also in Virginia Beach for several days, which meant I got to take care of the house and our Cocker Spaniel while everyone was out. Over this past weekend, I left home too for a men's retreat out near the VA/WV border that was done by my church. A handful of us braved the 40-degree weather and near-constant rain from the recent nor'easter and slept in an open-air wood cabin for 2 nights (note: you learn how to keep warm FAST.) The speaker was awesome - he spoke on discipleship, and I really need to go back over the notes I took.

In other news, I smashed my right index finger in a door this Monday and put a quarter-inch crack across my fingernail. Ow. This weekend, I'm headed back out backpacking with Dale Zilke and his Boy Scout group (Dale was my small group leader at last week's retreat, and he's also heading up the Montana backpacking trip for later this coming summer.) And... next weekend is Ben Lloyd's wedding! I should have plenty of photos coming up in the next several weeks!

Silly Songs

2007-04-08T21:59:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter! I got bored tonight, so I hope this works...

Fotki.com Photos -or- My knee REALLY hurts

2007-04-02T19:33:00.000-04:00

Hoo boy. I really did push myself too hard today, and now my left knee aches like crazy. The worst spot is just behind the kneecap, to the outside of the leg. I have an icepack on it now, but it looks like I'm back to cycling for the next few weeks. It'd be terrible if it still hurt when I go backpacking in 3 weeks.

In other news: I really enjoyed taking a look through Nate Graves' photo album, so I decided to create my own album on the site:

http://public.fotki.com/rjedwards/

Take a look! I've already uploaded photos from a trip I took this past weekend to Great Falls, and I plan to upload all my other, older pictures once I clean them up. Check in regularly this week! So far, my new albums include:

Great Falls, MD
Harpers Ferry, WV
Handley High School, Winchester, VA
Gettysburg, PA with Sullivan, and
Arlington National Cemetary

My back hurts

2007-03-30T15:50:00.000-04:00

...And this morning I managed to bottom out the survey truck on top of a berm. Took half an hour of jacking the front wheels up to stack wood stakes high enough to get the truck un-beached. Don't get me wrong, though - today was beautiful. Clear skies, mid-60's, and some of the easiest survey work I've done in a long time!

My knee hurts

2007-03-29T21:20:00.000-04:00

After the past 2 years of shin splints and knee aches, you'd think that I would've learned to listen to my body when it starts telling me to take it easy. I've only been running for 4 weeks this Spring, and I've already managed to hurt my left knee again, probably just through overuse - same as the past years. Guess I'd better fix up my bicycle again...

My head hurts

2007-03-28T21:45:00.000-04:00

I bought Francis Schaeffer's "Escape From Reason" a few days ago. Good stuff - it's hard to wrap my head around it all.

The Waiting Game

2007-03-22T18:07:00.000-04:00

My younger brother is engaged! I found out about a week ago - the idea of one of my brothers getting married... woah. I'm heading out on Saturday to see Dan and Jahara (I just realized that I don't know how to spell her name. Better fix that this weekend.) Hopefully I can take some pictures out at the Great Falls Park on the Potomac while I'm there.

Just checking in to say I'm still alive. Got big plans for this summer now - I'm headed with a group from my church to the Beartooth Mountains in Montana around my birthday in early August. I've still got a lot of details to hammer out (tickets from DC to Billings, mostly), but I haven't been so pumped for a backpacking trip since the Grand Canyon back in '02.

Also, Nate and I are going to see the new TMNT movie tomorrow night. I am such a geek :)

I'm back!

2007-03-13T17:51:00.000-04:00

Well, I just got my internet connection installed at the new place. It's been a while, hasn't it? The move went pretty smoothly - the new apartment was only on the other side of downtown, and I don't have much heavy stuff anyway. I really do need to sort through all that old college stuff.

Anyhow, I moved in back on the 19th of last month, and after 2 days, I was already dead bored. Thank goodness the weather's warmed up; I've already slaughtered my legs running along the much larger hills on this side of town. I took a few pictures of Handley High School this evening, which is only a few blocks up the street from my new place. The school was built back in the 1920's (I think...) by a donation in the will of Mr. Handley - a prominent Pennsylvania judge who loved the area. But since I'm a Sherando grad, I'll jeer Handley every chance I get.

Expect more frequent updates now that I'm back online!

Moving On

2007-02-13T19:59:00.001-05:00

I've finished signing up to move into a new apartment by the end of this month. It's a small place on the other side of town, but still close enough to work for me to walk (it's only about 4-5 blocks further away.) If all goes well, I'll start moving in over the long weekend coming up. Everything seems like it's moving too fast, but I'll manage prayerfully - I'll keep everyone informed as to how it goes! Pictures, even!

Surveyor's Nightmare

2007-02-08T14:07:00.000-05:00

Um, WOW. I knew that the Europeans were train-happy, but this is amazing. I thought that there were a lot of parallel tracks heading into Union Station in DC, but Washington doesn't compare to this picture somewhere in London.

URL: http://preview.msnbc.msn.com/id/17043112/displaymode/1176/rstry/17042957/

Anyhow, I only had half a day at work today since I'm still pretty sick. Juice, chicken noodle soup, and old "Firefly" episodes were the lunchtime fare.

Switching gears, I feel like I am quickly coming to the end of my run with apologetics. I took my lunch break with a friend earlier this week, and I realized something as we talked. I've begun to increasingly dislike when I hear someone say about Christianity: "You've got to take it on faith". I fear being unable to explain Christianity to others, and I've been looking at "faith" like it's a cop-out. When you don't understand something, "You've got to have faith" doesn't automatically make it the truth. Either the speaker hasn't studied enough to be able to explain it, or else they are lying.

Problem is, I've begun to make apologetics the "end-all, be-all" of my belief. As a result, my walk with the Lord has become very tedious. There is no emotion, no praise, just tedious belief. I accept Christ, but I do not love Him. I'm going to talk with one of the apologetics teachers about this sometime in the coming week

Ugh, part 2

2007-02-07T20:52:00.000-05:00

Looks like I caught yet another cold. That's what I get for walking to work in the mornings, I suppose.

Checking In

2007-02-05T16:48:00.000-05:00

The pictures I took from the Keidel's wedding didn't turn out well at all.

It bothers me, having to find my own apartment for the first time. I hate the idea of living by myself. I think that being so quiet is finally taking a toll on me.

Ugh.

2007-01-22T20:46:00.000-05:00

Sick tonight - headache and runny nose. Hope this blows over before I board that airplane Thursday morning.

Chicken Random

2007-01-15T19:39:00.000-05:00

~ Chicken Random ~

Serves: 1 hungry bachelor
Ingredients:
1 medium chicken breast
barbeque sauce
tomato slice
scallions
parmesan cheese

Grill chicken breast, adding spices and/or marinade as desired (chicken shown plain). While the chicken is cooking, chop the tomato slice and scallions (and whatever other vegitables fit your fancy). Move the chicken breast to a frying pan on medium high heat, and spread barbeque sauce on top. Place the chopped vegetables onto the barbeque, and top off with a liberal helping of grated parmesan cheese. Let sit in the frying pan until cheese is partially melted.

It doesn't look like much, but boy did it ever smell and taste good!

2007-01-10T19:19:00.000-05:00

The view from the top of Cacapon Montain, looking eastward. The reddish building was where I had parked; the lake on the right side was where the previous picture was taken.

Cacapon State Park - WV

2007-01-10T19:15:00.000-05:00

A beautiful day last week - mid 60's and partly cloudy. I took a walk to the top of the ridge in the distance and back - about 7 miles total. The scenery was nothing out of the ordinary, but it was nice to get away for a few hours. This picture was taken near the end of my hike, looking back the way I had come.

2006-12-30T23:04:00.000-05:00

I spent the afternoon walking around Harper's Ferry again - up and along the Appalachian Trail, the C&O Canal on the Potomac, and on a river island on the Shenandoah. I kept reflecting on the past year and the upcoming one, and wondering where God will lead me this year. Work, relationships, my plans and my hopes. I had a longer post planned, but I just can't come up with the right words to say tonight. Just keep me prayer and encouragement, and I hope you have a Happy New Year!

Old Friends

2006-12-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

I got to see an old friend of mine in town this past Monday. John Gowdy is into his 70s - he taught my Sunday School class back when I was in high school; we learned quite a bit. The last I had seen him was 4 1/2 years ago when a few of us from LeTourneau, including IssaCorrie and I, stopped by their new home near Tuscon after the Grand Canyon hike. I learned about his return to town from a friend of my mother - normally I don't get calls from home in the middle of work, but I was sure glad they had called. I met Uncle John at a restaurant in town right after work. He had no idea that I was coming, and boy were he and his wife excited to see me pop in! We spent nearly an hour and a half eating and talking, just catching up. I even gave him the Blog address before we split ways. I thank God for putting people like him in my path.

~Got my airline ticket for Jayson's wedding this week.
~I'm starting to grow a goatee again. No real reason - just for kicks.
~Running in shorts in mid-40s temperatures (like I did today) gets a little chilly. Brr.

Catching Up

2006-12-17T15:34:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

Well... this's been my longest gap between updates since last winter. It's not that I haven't had anything going on - there's been quite a bit on my mind lately. At the same time, I haven't really been that busy, either. I suppose that the greatest reason that I haven't re-posted is because I still haven't had a change of heart from my last letter back in October. I'm not nearly as frustrated as I was about my situation anymore, but nothing has changed, either.

~I'm eligible to take the Virginia Licensed Surveyor-in-Training exam once I have 3 years of on-the-job experience next April. The exam itself isn't until next October, which is kind of a pain, but they only hold the test but twice a year. At least that'll give me time to study. After all, it couldn't possibly be as tough as the Engineer-in-Training exam... right?

~My roommate is getting married this coming February. I'm in the process of finding a new place to move into sometime in late Jan./early Feb. Do I find a room with friends, or do I find my own place?

~My brother just graduated in Computer Science last week! He's back at home for the holidays before he moves closer to DC to start his job. In the meantime, it's nice to have all 3 of us kids together for awhile.

~I'm taking some time off around January 28th to fly back to Longview for a few days for Jayson Keidel's wedding. I plan on calling on a few old friends from my church, and see what's new at LeTourneau. I even hope to visit my grandparents who live out near Wichita Falls. My plans are still pretty open, aside from the wedding, of course.

I'll try to post more regularly as things come up.

2006-11-12T16:32:00.000-05:00

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a special wreath-laying ceremony.

2006-11-12T16:29:00.000-05:00

Arlington Ampitheater, or "as close to the President of the United States as I'm ever going to get." The President visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and made a brief speech shortly after 11:00. Note the secret service on top of the archway.

2006-11-12T16:24:00.000-05:00

Arlington National Cemetary on Veteran's Day yesterday.

2006-10-28T18:50:00.000-04:00

I carved a pumpkin!

I am such a geek.

2006-10-22T13:23:00.000-04:00

6-pound smoothbore Artillery demonstration at Gettysburg.

2006-10-22T13:19:00.000-04:00

In case those of you couldn't open my email attachment, here's the picture of Sullivan and I outside Gettysburg last night.

2006-10-17T18:39:00.000-04:00

Grr. I feel a little bad that I haven't actually written a decent post for nearly a month now. Things with me are still much the same as a month ago - spiritually stagnant, wondering what God wants me to learn, wondering what my place is. In short, I've been frustrated a lot. I feel like I have no more goals in life, and that my lot for the next few decades is to put in my 8 hours every day, then find some distraction in the evening to hold me over until I go to bed. All the trips I've taken over the past week have been great, but they've all been solo trips; fun, but lonely. That fact that I'm still pretty quiet in person hasn't done me any favors. I'd just like to know what to do with myself, what my future is...

2006-10-16T18:02:00.000-04:00

Shenandoah Solo #3: Turk Mtn summit. I had never been to the far southern section of the park, and my thirst for hiking in the fall cannot be slaked.

2006-10-16T18:01:00.000-04:00

Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home. Outside Charlottsville, VA.

2006-10-08T16:11:00.000-04:00

What can I say? Admission to the park was good for a whole week, so how could I resist going back one last time before I get back to work tomorrow?

2006-10-08T16:09:00.000-04:00

More Shenandoah-y goodness from this afternoon. Fog lifting from Compton Peak.

2006-10-06T09:36:00.000-04:00

The view from Hawksbill Mountain - the highest point in the park (4051').

2006-10-06T09:34:00.000-04:00

Big Meadows in Shenandoah National Park (elevation 3450'). A beautiful open plateau on top of the mountains.

2006-10-06T09:31:00.000-04:00

Montpelier - James Madison's home in central Virginia. The building is in the middle of a 10-year long restoration to its circa-1815 look.

2006-10-06T09:28:00.000-04:00

Gettysburg, looking west towards the Appalachians.

2006-10-06T09:26:00.000-04:00

Mmm... Chocolate...

2006-10-06T09:25:00.000-04:00

Harrisburg, PA skyline as seen from Island Park in the Susquehanna River.

2006-10-04T08:05:00.000-04:00

Well, my vacation's halfway over. I've been to see my brother in Pennsylvania, visited Harrisburg (saw the 100th Anniversary parade for the state capitol building,) Hershey (you can smell the chocolate before you see the town. Three words: dark chocolate milkshake.) and Gettysburg. I've gotten lost in a garden maze with Nate and toured through a cave in Luray. I'll have pics just as soon as I can find my camera... I think I left it in the truck yesterday...

2006-09-19T20:15:00.000-04:00

Somebody say something! Anyone? Anything?

...?

(sound of crickets chirping)

Anyhow, I've got a week of vacation during the first week of October. Should be fun.

How Come

2006-09-11T22:19:00.000-04:00

I've half-written and deleted about 3 different posts tonight. Somebody pray for me this week - I've been really frustrated and uncertain about several different things. Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining about my situation at all. My job is stable and friendly- I have a good roof over my head, a vehicle that runs smoothly, and I'm confortable financially. But I have no goal for the rest of my life, and I've been stuck in a rut spiritually. I'm 3 years out of college - now what do I do next? That old song "Place in this World" keeps buzzing around in my head. Where is God in my life, or more to the point, what is He doing (if anything?)

Ever Notice

2006-09-10T20:20:00.000-04:00

Ever notice that Larry Boy's belt buckle looks a lot like the old "4B" symbol?

Checking in

2006-09-10T17:22:00.000-04:00

Still alive and kicking - just bored. Again. I don't know just how many times I've said that on this blog. I have 2 weeks of vaction to take and no clue as to where to take it. Any ideas?

2006-08-19T18:21:00.000-04:00

I have a few low-quality video-only movies that I took with my camera. I'll try to toss them up on YouTube or elsewhere and link to them on this blog when I do.

2006-08-19T18:19:00.000-04:00

Looking south, down the mountain ridge. Hot and humid today - low 90's and barely any wind.

2006-08-19T18:16:00.000-04:00

Big Schloss - VA/WV border. Fresh from this afternoon!

Still spinning wheels

2006-08-10T22:21:00.000-04:00

I should've been in bed half an hour ago....

I just realized that all those posts I wrote a year ago about struggling with faith are the same struggles I still have now. Talk about a huge rut.

Tin man Syndrome

2006-08-08T20:50:00.000-04:00

Here's another way of looking at my troubles following after God. In my mind, I have mentally acknowledged God as my Savior. I have studied the evidence, thought it through, and have accepted that only God could have created the world, ourselves, and our morality. I wholeheartedly believe in the sinfulness of man and that Christ is the only way to once again have God accept us. Trouble is... all that knowledge has never reached my heart. I am thankful, but I do not love God. Following Christ is a necessary duty for me, not a labor of love. It is so extremely difficult for me to love something that I cannot see or talk to. So while I am set in my belief, I am still easily swayed by the flesh. Where do I find the impulse to love God as much as he loves and cares for me?

2006-08-08T20:30:00.000-04:00

My younger brothers and myself, back on Nathan's 20th birthday a month ago.

2006-08-08T20:28:00.000-04:00

Mr. Benner watches the rest of the crew just downstream of a small ledge.

2006-08-08T20:23:00.000-04:00

The action shot - yours truly tackling some minor rapids.

2006-08-08T20:20:00.000-04:00

Finally online! Kayaking the Cacapon River last month - near Capon Bridge, West Virginia.

A showering, and my day would be complete.

2006-08-02T21:34:00.000-04:00

I turned 25 today - boy, am I ever getting ancient. Today's highlights included:

~Peach cobbler at work this morning!

~Received "Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics" by Norman Geisler as a present- a massive tome filled with all sorts of good stuff. I'll be having fun there...

~My mother and youngest brother taking me out to dinner at Red Lobster. Mmm... crab.

~The same brother somehow goading me onto the Dance Dance Revolution arcade machine at the mall, and his subsequent defeat at my hands (feet, actually.)

~Coming home to find my roommate trying to shoo a small bat out of our living room. He was soon caught after I brushed it with a shirt and covered it with the same. He was released outside, a bit dazed from the activity.

Finally got the photos from the Kayak trip. More to come tomorrow!

The heart of my unbelief

2006-07-16T19:30:00.000-04:00

I think that this weekend has been one of the dullest, most insanely boring 2 days I've had in a very long time. No hikes; no big events. Besides spending a few hours with my mother and youngest brother this afternoon after church, I might as well have spent my entire time in solitary. However, maybe this weekend is exactly what I needed. Maybe.

I found this online essay last night: "Two of Me: The Struggle with Sin" by David Wilkerson. I spent the better part of last night reading it, and some time today digesting it. I think that I'm recognizing some of my weaknesses a little better now.

I am not fully recognizing the evil that sin is. As much as I've been told how sinful a person we all are, what it all came down to is the admission that I loved sin more. I understood that sin was wrong, temporary, and treacherous, but I didn't care. Sin is screaming at me; in my face, reminding me of how good those short moments were and tempting me to return to them. What is God's "still, small voice" in comparison to the loudness of sin? I've told myself several times: "Sin is active in my life. Sin is here and now. Where is God in my life? God is not pushing me to do good half as strongly as sin leads me to do wrong. Until God shows that he can overpower the sin in my life, I will remain in my sin."

That's been the story of the last few months, hasn't it? God wants me to put faith in him, and then he will work in my life. I want God to work in my life, and then I will put my faith in Him.

I am just now beginning to understand the difference between "belief" and "faith". Go back to the old chair analogy that you've probably heard a million times in church or elsewhere: it is insinscere faith to say that "the chair will hold me", then never put anything in the chair. If I truly believed that the chair will hold me, then I would sit in the chair without a mote of doubt. It is the same with faith: to say that I have faith in Jesus is insinscere without recognizing all those things that salvation implies:

Our origin (created by God.)
Our purpose (to love & serve our creator - to obey God's commands)
Our free will/God's love (true love implies this: free will, and the option to choose to reject that love.)
Our sin (everyone has rejected that love at some point, and betrayed their Creator. Anyone that does not serve God, must therefore serve Satan.)
Our helplessness (we are subject to God's punishment, as we are the created.)
Our way out (admitting to everything above, and accepting that God still loves us & has forgiven us of all this, as seen in the Crucifixion/Resurrection.)

If I truly believe, than I will be dedicated to renewing that Godly relationship that we were intended for. (My God...was I ever truly saved to begin with, ignoring all these facts until now?) Are there not enough facts for God out there? What am I still waiting for?

The young adult group is holding their weekly get-together downstairs, right below my computer, even as I type this. Their singing sounds so sinscere, yet I still feel so insinscere - I dare not face them.

Okay - sermon over. If you'll pardon me, I have one last handful of Cadbury Mini-Eggs held over from Easter to consume. Guess I'll have to hoard extra bags next year.

The heart of the problem

2006-07-12T19:42:00.000-04:00

Gotta get serious for a moment:

In all honesty, I haven't been feeling too well over the past few weeks. It's not that I've been sick, but I've had a general feeling of "blah-ness" for a while. I think it's the dawning realization that I have no idea what to do next with my life. My job's okay- not great, but no complaints either. I'm certainly not bored- I have all kinds of stuff to keep me busy. I just don't feel like I'm doing anything meaningful with my life right now; I'm just working and goofing off. As if on cue, that little voice in the back of our heads tells me "Just hold on. God's got to have something planned for you soon." Problem is that I'm getting antsy and wondering what I should do in the meantime (or if I'm not doing what I should be doing and missing out somehow. Ick.)

Got another little dilemma that'd do some good to bounce off of someone else, instead of being cooped up in my head all the time. I think of my self as a smart kid, and I've probably had far more teaching about God/"spiritual education" than most people in the world. Yet it bugs me to no end that I'm still struggling spiritually. Salvation's easy - it's an academic thing. All you have to do to become saved is to look at all the evidence, understand that it's THE truth, and say "yeah, sure, I believe that Jesus did all that for me." My problem and dawning realization is that it's insanely tougher for me to take that head knowledge and apply it to my stubborn ol' will. What I KNOW I should do, and what I WANT to do really are two seperate things.
How does this "death to self" thing work anyhow? I've tried force of will to do the right thing... and failed miserably after a few days when the novelty or "fire" for God wears off. I've been so guilt-ridden and tired of fighting God that I just submit to whatever, and that works for a few days... until I feel better and slowly begin to slip again. I feel like I'm not growing spiritually at all, and I keep thinking "How is God helping me right now? Am I not broken enough? Do I need a stronger fire for You, God? You say 'I will give you rest,' but then why do I still struggle? I KNOW that I should follow God, but at the same time I very, very often don't WANT to follow God. My mind is set, but my will still fails me." How exactly does God defeat ones sinful nature? What don't I understand yet?

Blah... okay, feeling a little better now.

2006-07-11T17:09:00.000-04:00

The picture just made my day. Ah... the old LeTourneau days. Found this picture from Spring 2003 while scrounging around the dark recesses of my computer files. My senior design team was experimenting with the biological signal processor, and I was the only (somewhat) willing guinea pig. Hence the swim cap and electrode wires. Good to know that I used to have brain activity at one point. I found some other old photos that I think I'll post later (including some from a certain "fall fest." Or would that be too mean?)

2006-07-03T13:20:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's really been 2 weeks since my last post? I'll hopefully have some new pictures up soon, once I can get them from a friend. I went kayaking for the first time Saturday with several friends down the Cacapon River 12 miles- US 50 to WV 127. (Topozone map of the stretch) I am proud to say that I only tipped over once- stupid rock. The scenery through the hills was great - plenty of mountains and rock spires to look at when I wasn't busy watching the water ahead. We didn't run through anything worse than Class 2 rapids and a few small ledges (those were fun!) Sure, my arms were wicked sore and I was redder than a cooked lobster by the end, but I sure had fun doing it!

Just got a call....

2006-06-15T17:10:00.000-04:00

"It's Mom. Dad just went on Top Thrill Dragster..."
My parents are at Cedar Point. I am in Virginia. Grr.

Settlers of Catan?

2006-06-13T18:23:00.000-04:00

Sullivan, Keidel, and I have dredged up the idea of getting a group together to play Settlers of Catan Online sometime in the next month. The subscription to play is $20/year, or $5/month. We wouldn't even need to type - I already use a free voice chat program so we could catch up or talk smack. Any takers?

Question of the Day

2006-06-11T16:11:00.000-04:00

After spending the past several months studying apologetics, I've gotten myself a little depressed over this issue: How can there be so much evidence for God out there, yet so little in my own personal experience? I've got plenty of "head knowledge," that is, I know the Bible, I could tell you the basic arguments for God, and I certainly believe them myself. Yet, when I look for evidence for God in my own life, I see nothing that I can differentiate between God's doing and mere circumstance. God is real, but how do I go from seeing God as being "out there" to seeing God working in my life?

I believe, but I find it so hard to act on what I believe....