Tryin' Out

So. Being at a new school means trying new things, right? Right. The past couple weeks have made me step out of my comfort zone and try lots of new things. New dorm. New social rules. New classes. New mentalities. New people. New city. New schedules. New priorities. New... well, new everything. I'm always one to try something new, but two weeks of total newness makes you want some things to be the same. And don't get me wrong, some things definitely ARE the same... hah but the point that I'm trying to make right now is that I have been trying new things. And mostly I like them. Mostly.

One of these new things is my recent rediscovery of TV. Holy cow. TV is great. (Actually it sucks... but just humor me for a moment). Living at Camp all summer with no TV and having a roommate that wasn't that into watching TV last year has caused my TV viewing to plummet lower than it has ever been before in my life. However - Have you ever watched MTV before? Or Bravo? Ever heard of Teen Mom? My Life as Liz? The Real Housewives of _____? 16 and Pregnant? I Didn't Know I was Pregnant? The Rachel Zoe project?!?!?! These are fantastic. Well, not really. They're fantastic in the same way the Bachelor is fantastic - it's spectacular in a soul-sucking kind of way. Regardless, this whole TV-watching-all-the-time is a completely new (and potentially AWFUL) experience for me, but it's had one positive effect - I have also discovered "The Buried Life". Have you ever heard of this show?! Literally, this show is my dream come true. 4 guys have created a list of 100 things to do before they die, and every episode they check one thing off their list as well as help someone else check something off their "bucket list". You can see more info on this show here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Buried_Life . If you really know me you know about my list and you can understand how much this show concept appeals to me. It just started; season 2 starts at 10:30pm on September 27th. Watch it!!!! I'm the biggest advocate of bucket list-making. So watch the show, but also make a list. Kay, thanks.

Something else new I tried was trying out for the musical... no callbacks but keep your fingers crossed for chorus! I'm trying to get a new job, too... I need employment. Big time. Trying to save money for a car is really hard when you have no money to save...

This summer at Camp Phillip the staff focused on Romans 12 as kind of our "mission" passages for the summer. I really like Romans in general, but I especially liked that we focused on chapter 12. The first two verses say:

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. DO NOT CONFORM ANY LONGER TO THE PATTERN OF THE WORLD, but BE TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will" -(Romans 12:1-2)

The world wants us to try out all sorts of new things - some good, some bad. Risks overall are beneficial and help you actually live your life to the fullest, but, even though they may be tempting, we shouldn't be taking sinful risks. We just plain shouldn't. Especially while we're all in college, the cliche' drinking scene is just darn tempting. Gossip, pride, and laziness haunt all the corners of our consciousness. Every day we're backed up against our closets bulging with skeletons of fear and doubt that tempt us to turn to any number of vices that wait with open, sinister arms. There are a billion and four new things we'd sinfully like to try out in the world, but instead out of love for God we should follow His command and "be transformed by the renewing of your mind". Let's not conform any longer to the rutted, asinine pattern of the world, as enticing as that may be. Let's instead see how God's "good, pleasing, and perfect will" is accomplished in our lives as we walk with Him. Try it out.

(And don't forget to watch the Buried Life!! :)