1:24 a.m. and i cant sleep.....to top it off, i needa be up in three hours.......the thing that keeps me up at times like this is that my mind will not shut down.....it runs on and on, thinking about every thing under the sun.....and theres nothing i can do to stop it....among the thousand topics on my mind tonight.....the cosby show, church websites, sandwiches, my upcoming trip to mississippi, music (as always), the way life work, and among a million other things, vocabulary.......pretty diverse right? ........well interestingly enough theres a reason behind everyone of these topics....take vocabulary for instance, it and grammar seemed to be a trending topic throughout my whole weekend.....saturday while hanging out with some really amazing people, the subject of grammar came up between myself and a friend....this particular friend happens to have a masters in english and also happens to be a world class arguer......afore mentioned friend was reading this blog and pointed out my misuse of the word "too"......who can figure that one out anyway.......then on sunday then wonderful minister delivering the message at our service again broached the topic of english.....it seems that he, like myself, tends to make up words, or use them wrong, or whatever....so as i sit here in the dark thinking of grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and all things related, i begin to wonder why we say and do the things we say and do......like when we pray, why is it that we immediately begin to speak in old english? ....are we afraid that God doesnt understand our slang? i like to think that if he understood the greeks and hebrews and romans, and every nation and tongue since the beginning of time, then he can probably get what i have to say.........i guess the point im making is that prayer is just talking to God, you dont have to learn a special language, just say what ya need to say.....whenever you needa say it....call on his name and he'll be there.....yea, pray before that test, thats ok....call on Jesus when you almost have that wreck, he likes that, pray when your sick, give thanks when you have a good day, ask for help when you have a bad day.......i know its crazy, but sometimes after you talk to him, pause for a second and let him talk to you, pray all day, in your head, or out loud, however your comfortable.......i promise you wont regret it....

......The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.....James 5:16

this week ive been helping get ready for some special services at my home church....its been terribly busy, but i can honestly say that theres nothing i enjoy more than working at around or for the church........even it is scrubbing bathroom floors (welcome to ministry).........but enough of that....this being my one day off started me thinking.....where is my favorite place to relax???? ya know, that place where you can just hang out, unwind, do nothing, etc..............i considered coffee shops (love em!).....music stores (could waste years in em!)......the park (to much pollen).....but in all honesty, for pure relaxation, theres no where id rather be than a bookstore.....yes!!! I AM A NERD! ....... i cant think of a cooler hang out than the book store, sitting in a big leather chair, cup of coffee in hand, reading anything i want.....learning, looking, just being me.....now, that in mind.....you can imagine how this next little thought affected me......for the past couple of years, ive been obsessed with religious books...i love em....my favorite of these being authors who think outside the box....i mean people who have new ideas, thoughts and concepts......writers who can phrase things in way ive never considered.....so earlier this year little thought (referenced earlier) hit me......these authors....the ones who wrote the books i love so much, read the bible for themselves!!!! ....what im saying is, they read the book and then came up with the little tidbit that blew my mind...so why cant i do that?!?! ...i can!! but to grasp the word for myself, i must read the word for myself.....i must study, pray about what ive studied, then repeat...and then and only then, will new understanding be made manifest in my life.....and this understanding will be personal and directly related to my life, and my relationship with my savior....so every now and then, lets put the books down, turn off the tv, log off facebook, stop texting, and see what GOD is trying to say to us.....

II timothy 2:15......

study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth..............