Email to a friend.

 Yeah, the whole Bible’s always kind of present when we preach any part of the gospel, you know?


Yeah, i guess we can't always watch the last episode of a 2 season show and understand the magnitude of the story.  But when the first 5 minutes of the show caps up the last 39+ shows it makes that last show all you really needed to watch. 

Not to long ago it would have been like watching a random show in the middle of a season all the characters would have been like reading the bible and hearing about moses, abraham, david, samson...and wondering what part they had to the series. Gladly now those episodes are coming together.

Old Yeller meets Fresh Water.

Having two days off this week due to weather, Jodi and I decided to paint over the old and make anew.
It would probably seem better if I took the new pictures when it was sunny.  Maybe some other day I'll do that.  Till then trust me, waking up to a calm blue color beats waking up to a startling anxious yellow any day.

OLD

NEW

This is a heart issue so don't just write it on your hand.

The Lord knows what He's doing.
When you ask the Lord to change you, grow you and stretch you, it's never in a way you expect.
Over the past month I've been humbled by a selfish desire to 'grow me' and found nothing but a simple fool.

I can be very proud of myself and my accomplishments.  Yet, in spite of giving the Lord the glory of it all, I often lack that step in my daily routine.  I may grow mentally, physically or spiritually... but I almost always give myself the graditude of my achievements.  

I have gone for quite some time living in this norm called my life.  I give little attention to how I have multiple idols in my life, which I have set up.  I have formed a trophy room in my head of who I am, what I want to do, and how I want to be percieved.  How foolish to think I am something when I know I am not.

I am not this outer shell called Daniel Weaver.  I am not the books collected on my bookselfs.  I am not the songs I write or record.  I am not the pictures I take or the poems I write.  I am not the car I drive or the hair on my head.  I am not the blog that I write or the music site I've set up.  I am not even the health I try to keep or the apartment I keep clean.  I am not the things I do. All of these will die and be forgotten.

I say I am not this shell called Daniel Weaver because to be anything is only to put a jacket over the real image first created.  I have found my shell to be not of the outer appearance or attempts to cover or find this mystery of "who i am".  The true image I need to be focusing on is not what I AM, but the total opposite, how Christ has given me life!  The fact of who I am, is nothing.  When I die I am not the books on my shelf, the songs I played or anything I've done.  I will be dead in the ground before I fully understand how pointless my attempts to build myself up were.  I would have set myself up for failure. 

Things I know that I am:
1.  Galations 2:20
2.  Exsisto Verus

Both are meaningfully and tactfully placed tattoos on my right side (1) and on my left wrist(2).
(with this I do not endorse nor condone tattoos or the idea that it will do anything but distract you for awhile, It took me getting 2 tattoos to realize I didn't need them)  But since I do, I am glad they are centered on Christ. And here is why:

1.  "I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.  The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave His life for me."

When I think I need to be anything or build up my persona I am reminded that I am nothing without Christ and my purpose is to give Him praise with everything I do.  The flesh and personality of DW is dead.  The life which I am now is lived by Christ.

2. What is Exsisto Verus?!  Exsisto Verus is translated literally from latin as "exist/consistent/be/being/always, true/truthful/faithful"

In history this was a crest for Weavers.  In this story the weavers were not "thread weavers" who wove garments.  Although I am sure they did their part.  In this story, I found through doing research in college,  the weavers of this family were the servants to the Queen of England.  They were her "second hand man" and when needing anything of menial work or extravegant duties, they were there to do it.  So what does that mean for me? Do I wish to serve a queen? Not really.  But I do want to be the second hand man to God if and when He needs me for any type of work that He needs done.  I need to be obedient.  And a constant reminder on my wrist does that sometimes.  Not always though.  Because the words written on my heart are what are piercing and bring true righteous obedience, permanent ink on my wrist does nothing. 

This is a heart issue so I can't just write it on my hand.  If my heart seeks to glorify myself I will die giving praise to myself, and ultimately I would find fear in my sandy foundation I have built myself upon.  But, if I seek to glorify my Creator, my Father, my Comforter, my Lord He will be given true praise in the life I lived.  Because I did not live according to my desires and character but of His whose will is perfect.  Mine isn't, at all.  That is a fact. One I am willing to be reminded of by anyone.  This is something I am working on.  When I write, read or play I do so trying to pass time giving Christ praise and hopefully encouraging someone who needs a hand.

3.  The Holy Spirit Lives in those who trust Him.
4.  I should not be in want.
5.  God love you and me.
6.  Pray without ceasing.


Dan in real life.