www.DaveJournal.tk

Well, I've made the move to Live Journal... sorry blogger. :P I realized that what I was saying was more of a "Journal" than a "weBLOG" and I like the customizations and feedback that are available through www.livejournal.com. Thanks for hosting my thoughts for a while... :) I'll still keep this site up as long as they'll let me and... who knows? Perhaps I will post again someday. Not that anyone will check it anyway.

Goodbye. :)

Every new day...

What I am listening to: Every New Day by Five Iron Frenzy

"Healing hands of God have mercy on our unclean souls once again...
Jesus Christ, light of the world, burning bright within our hearts forever...
Freedom means love without condition, without a beginning or an end...
Here's my heart, let it be forever Yours...
Only You can make every new day seem so new."

That's what's on my mind... :)

What I am listening to: Animals by B.T.

Well, I've gotta finish up a paper. I'll leave you with the lyrics to this song I am listening to, which I also find very soothing:

My secret wish... in this sacred place
Is to relinquish needs
The great constant is perpetual change
So when we leave, as we know we will
Some of us remains, consecrated and unchanged

Circles in stars they bind us now -- we're pretty animals
Colors around are bled of love -- we're hopeful animals
Kiss me now so we can feel alive -- we're conscious animals
Circles in stars they bind us now -- we're sacred animals

From blood we came... to ash we return again
These carbon hearts, and terrestrial hopes
From our first goodbye... to the last hello
Pray we carve our paths... from God's sacrosanct

Circles in stars they bind us now -- we're pretty animals
Colors around are bled of love -- we're hopeful animals
Kiss me now so we can feel alive -- we're conscious animals
Circles in stars they bind us now -- we're sacred animals

The love we crave
that binds
bends
but never change
feeds faith in faith
that I search for in everything

Circles in stars they bind us now -- we're pretty animals
Colors around are bled of love -- we're hopeful animals
Kiss me now so we can feel alive -- we're conscious animals
Circles in stars they bind us now -- we're sacred animals

The love we crave
that binds
bends
but never change
feeds faith in faith
that I search for in everything

Stars they bind us now
Around are bled of love - we're conscious animals
Kiss me now so we can feel alive -- we're conscious animals
Circles in stars they bind us now -- we're sacred animals
Circles in stars they bind us now -- we're pretty animals
Colors around are bled of love -- we're hopeful animals

Stars they bind us now -- we're sacred animals

...

What I am listening to: A song by Spineshank, the title of which will go unmentioned... :S

What I wish I was listening to: Five Iron Frenzy's final live album - The End is Here

The word of the day is hypocrite (See also David Nicholas Filkins)

This has been a rough night... I don't know how well I am going to be able to sleep tonight. Liz and I have been doing a lot of talking and I have since been doing a lot of reading. Now, I am going to attempt some communicating with God. I am going to be doing a lot of listening... that's what I need to do a lot more of. Less blabbing my mouth and hurting feelings and more shutting up and hearing what others really mean about what they have to say.

To those whom I have offended, I am truly sorry. I have acted an ass of late, and it ends now... I have so many things wrong with me that I need to correct before I start pointing fingers at others. I am so terribly sorry...

God have mercy on my undeserving soul...

Wonderful...

What I am listening to: The Simpsons by Matt Groening

Oh, what a day... What a day...

Not only was I able to discuss possible wedding plans with my sweet Elizabeth, but I was able to dress in black and hide out in the movie theater parking lot and catch Lucus to spray him with a fire extinguisher full of water. Both of them were great experiences... things I am not soon to forget.

I'm afraid I don't have any pictures to prove what Sam, Rich and I did to Lucus... :( What a bummer... it was so hillarious. It was well worth the funny stares we got while Sam and I were crouched behind his dad's Porsche LS in the Jackson 10 parking lot. :P

Today has been such a wonderful day... It has been a long time since I have felt this good. And I think I am finally ready to put an end to it. I will leave you with one final thought before I go:

As a Christian, are you left wing (concerned with social sins), right wing (concerned with personal sins), or both?

Just think about it. I don't expect any answers because I personally don't. Sure, I am concerned with both, but to which extent is either? And neither left wings or right wings are ENTIRELY concerned with social or personal sins individually. I mean, is war not personal? Just ask a soldier who had to look into the eyes of his enemy before taking his life. And is abortion not a social sin? Ask any unwed mother pf a slaughtered child who notices people averting their eyes as she walks by. Neither are perfect, because they are both made by man. However, as Christians, we need to be able to find the good as well as the bad in everything and be able to sort things out for ourselves.

Well, this is where I part... Goodnight, everyone. Love ya'll! :D

What is the meaning of life?

What I am listening to: 'Till I Hear it From You by The Gin Blossoms

What is the meaning of life? Sure, being a Christian you'd assume that I've got that question figured out already. But here's my dilemma... who comes first, those I know and love now or the whole world. Do I spend my money paying for the education of my future children or spend it to help out the needy across the globe? Should I spend my time with the girl I love most or should I share my love with the destitute across the globe who need it most? And who do I vote for, the war monger or the baby killer?

What I am listening to: IV: Poco allegretto con variaz by Brahms

With music like this, who could worry about anything? Sometimes with all of the high energy music available, I forget how soothing the music from composers of the romantic era really can be... Although I certainly prefer Chopin's nocturnes because of their beautiful sense of imagery. How often can a song so beautifully paint a picture of beauty and love without words and yet hint at the mystery of the night and what the darkness (using nonharmonic tones to smoothly and subtly suggest key changes) can be hiding... Chopin's music is one thing that never fails to calm me. Beethoven was definitely not the same with his music being a bit more "edgy" despite his contrasting composition of Fur Elise which was written for Ludwig's love Elise who promptly informed him that his tune sounded "like a funeral song." What a compliment, eh? And for such a song that has become one of the best known songs across the globe... If she only knew...

What I am listening to: Tomorrow by SR-71

Despite its simple chord structure and rather boring rhythmic pattern, this song appeals to me. Lyrically, believe it or not. The drummer who never listens to the words of songs unless they hunt him down is finally analyzing the words.

I'm not afraid of tomorrow,
I'm only scared of myself,
Feels like my insides are on fire,
and I'm looking through the eyes of someone else

Goodness knows I've felt like that... Uggh... I shiver just thinking about it.

What I am listening to now: Spiders by System of a Down

This song is mainly about dreams winding through our minds and getting lost in the hair of a girl... Kinda interesting... Comes back to that thought about what I should do about my duty as a follower of Chirst... Hmm... I hope there's a happy medium because I know that Liz and I both want to serve Jesus, serve our fellow man, eventually serve our future family, and live a life that would be pleasing to God... I just want to be sure that my dreams aren't like spiders getting tangled in her hair as I put her as the main focus of my life.

What I am listening to now: The Last Song by All American Rejects

Yes. It is late, so this is the last song. How appropriate...

Have a wonderful night... err, morning I suppose. Yes, happy 4:20 for all you pot-heads out there... Yet, might I recommend playing the drum set... Or perhaps finding a girl even half as wonderful as the one I am fortunate enough to love and be loved by... Or perhaps even just finding a quiet place and using all of your senses to know that there is a being out there watching over you... a God who loves us more than anything... These are my drugs, and, yes... I am addicted.

G'Day.

Love,

Ugly Day + Five Iron Frenzy = Good Day :D

What I am listening to: Everywhere I Go by Five Iron Frenzy

Well, I feel a little better today... Ron Kopicko blabbed on and on about some pointless concepts with no actual basis for chapel, so I decided to rest my eyes for a while and take a bit of a "psuedo" nap. I cannot wait until chapel is not required. It means absolutely nothing to me here for some reason. Perhaps it's the speakers... maybe it's just the mindset of being forced into something I wouldn't normally do.

What I am listening to: Ugly Day by Five Iron Frenzy

I'm just glad that I can listen to the heartfelt lyrics of Reese Roper and Leanor Ortez to cheer me up get me ready to go again. Cheers for Five Iron Frenzy... Jeers to their break up. But, all things must come to an end. But, they are certainly not going quietly into the night... they are merely turning one band into 4 new ones... Brave Saint Saturn, Guerilla Rodeo, Dennis Culp's solo project, and Yellow Second. And Five Iron's new CD comes out tomorrow...

What I am listening to: Kitty Doggy by Five Iron Frenzy

There... I just needed some Kitty Doggy to cheer me up. :) Have a wonderful day everyone.

Love ya'll!

That's it... time for bed.

What I am listening to: The Simpsons by Matt Groening

Today I have been unproductive, I have upset the girl I hope to marry, I heard news of my uncle's worsening cancer situation... shoot, I also forgot to call back Laura. I'm on a roll. I did get to watch Kill Bill, Vol. II again as well as ride to Chelsea with Sam to trade movies with his friend in Ann Arbor. Well, it's 2:38 in the morning and I think some sleep would do me well. I'm sorry this post isn't more interesting... but, I did add a TagBoard just for the heck of it.

Thanks for wasting your time here.

The Trouble with Redemption

What I am listening to: Dreaming by B.T.

I wish I were dreaming right now... Only getting three hours of sleep tends to bring out my "not-so-happy" side and makes me wish I were in another place. A place where anything is possible... a place where I can be the ruler of my own destiny... a place where good honestly has a chance of overcoming evil and where there is hope for redemption of even the most malicious of people... I used to dream of a place like that. I would find it in one place: the movies. I am learning to realize, though, that it can become the story of my life as well, and that thought is what gets me through.

Perhaps that's why I love watching Star Wars. Anakin Skywalker is a mirror of my life... We both rebelled against our authority figures and are learning the hard way that we are wrong. And I love the ending of the story, because he was redeemed before he died. And I have to believe that redemption is possible... I have to... because if not, my life was a waste.

Thanks for listening to the rantings of a madman. I know that me sitting here writing in my journal is not solving anything. However, sometimes one just needs to sit and ponder about the facets of this complicated life that in all reality is so much more simpler than we allow it to be. There is love, and nothing more.

"Jesus Christ, Light of the World, You never did forget me. And when I bled in darkness, You held me, still held me. When desparate nights I cursed You, You loved me, still loved me. Jesus Christ, You dry the tears. You break my heart of stone. Your words are life cut marrow through the darkness to the bone. A heart of flesh You gave me. Only You can save me. Savior... Daylight... I am coming home..."

This song "Daylight" by Brave Saint Saturn has hit deep within my being on several occasions, but recently it holds a significance that definitely "cuts marrow through the darkness to the bone" very well. This is my first post, which is supposed to be a nice warm welcome. However, instead, I want to ask you to think about everything you do. Who are you? Why are you doing what you're doing? Is it merely for yourself, or is there some greater purpose?

I know that's a lot to swallow, and probably nothing you have not thought of before. However, this is the first year that it ever truly sunk in with me before. What am I doing with my life? How can I call myself part of a religion that promotes unconditional love while attending a school that uses religion to promote animosity and force personal views down the throats of students? And is this not the time when the students should be expanding?

I have done a lot of personal growth this year... and I believe I am becoming a better person because of it. I just urge everyone to:
1) admit that we may all be wrong about everything
2) admit that somebody else may be right about something.
3) do not forget to love

There. I'm done. Enough rambling from the Dave. Love ya'll.