Winterfest '12

I went to a christian convention this weekend. We got up at like 430 in the morning Friday to take a bus to the lovely Gatlinburg TN. Ashland Church of Christ got us with the charter bus around 630. The ride there felt as if it took 12 hours instead of just 8 coming from Marion. I sat with a good friend of mine and we talked alot on the way there, realizing new things, and bringing up old memories. Church of Christ goers love to sing, and we sang a lot on the way down, and back home. When we got there we checked into the hotel, it was a cheap one with only 3 stories and we all got stuck on the third floor. Only a few floors means stairs which really sucked. After we got settled in we went to go stand in line for the first session. Winterfest is a convention bringing Church of Christ christians together to worship God, and to learn more, and to inspire, which is exactly what happens. There is two services that is provided, we go to the early bird one, and they also have a late one, averaging about 7,000 chistians, each service. This is my second year going and I have a good idea of what we do, and on the first night we always go to the Texas Roadhouse. I sat with Luke, Sam, Caleb, and Jason. Afterwords it was about 9, so we went to the hotel and we went to bed. The next morning we woke up at 730ish for the morning session. I got to meet David Bowden, he's an artist. He writes poerty and talks at Winterfest. Well, he recites his poems to us, and walks away. He talks about a variety of things, the one that stuck out was the one at the evening session that night. He talked about savoring God's word , chewing and meditating on it so you understand and it sticks with you. He puts so much heart and soul into it when he speaks, it gives you the chills. I could listen to him all day. I just wish I could understand him the way it was meant. It's very hard. So much goes on, but my favorite part was Sunday's service, we got to the line early and we go close to the front, so we got near the front of the stage, we were probably 50ish yards away, which is better than looking at a screen from further. Anyways, while the man was speaking, there was a painter behind him painting on a canvas. It looked like an oversized flower to me. When he was finished I didn't understand it. Paintings always have a meaning. I could make out some plants and part of a glass and a moon shaped cresent. The man speaking asked us to pray with him, so we did. We closed our eyes and bowed. When we opened our eyes and looked up, the lights were turned off and the painting was lifted. It was now Jesus looking at us, offering bead and wine. It took my breath away, it was simply gorgeous. Overall the experience was truely amazing. I learned so much and I have become a better person because of it. It's hard to write everything out, and I'm sorry, a lot of what I learned is for me to figure out right now. God Bless.

What is love?

First of all, love isn't as complicated as everyone thinks it is. It's as simple as you love, or you don't. Love is a gift that you can give to anybody wether it's you holding the door, or doing an unnoticed thing for someone. Love is going the extra mile for somebody, or even just being nice. God says to love your neighbor, and your neighbor is everyone around you. You are to love everyone, even if they don't love you back. I don't see a reason to be mean to people, what if your just having a bad day? Take a step in that person's shoes, nobody likes to have people be mean to them. A lot of people think that it's about some lame spark between a boy and a girl. It is a spark, but it's also what you do because you have feelings for them. Love doesn't have to be in a romantic relationship either, just a relationship with somebody, which you have with everyone if your a best friend, or just an aquantance. Love is also looking out for the other person, talking about what they want to talk about and making them feel good. Even a warm smile can make people feel better and even change what people think about you. Love is so many different things put all into one. People think that love is just an emotion, but I believe love is so much more than that. It's emotional, physical, and a mental thing. Love can be an amazing thing if you understand what it is, and how wonderful it's potential can be. You'd be suprised at the heights some people reach becuase of how much they care about a person. Make a goal to love, and if you love, you will be loved in return, I guarentee it!

² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.