Start of Something New

Well, just a short update this go-round, before I crash out for the night.

You know, it's not often that we get to start something new in our lives. Well, except during our college years. Then it seems to happen all the time, for some of us. New classes, new friends, new roommates, new travel plans, new jobs, new living places (at college AND at home - I sleep in the living room now!), and much more. This year has so far been no exception. After new classes at the beginning of the year, along with a new apartment, new roommates, and new friends, now I am back home sleeping in a new "bedroom," with a new job.

My new job is working for EcoFirst Pest Control here in California. It's an . . . interesting job. Interesting hardly starts to describe it. I've been learning quickly what I'm supposed to do, but there's a lot to learn, and not much time before you get thrown out in the field. And it's a very draining job. It's six days a week, starting at 7:30, after a 45 minute commute. So I'm up at 5 every morning getting ready to roll out, and it leaves me plenty exhausted. I get home usually sometime between 6:30-7:30, and it may end up being later as the summer goes. Bed by 9-10, repeat. Not much of a home life in that time. But, as I kick along, I'm planning to run into some more new stuff - new songs on the piano, new stories to read, and maybe even new stories written. Possibly even a new Jason, so to speak. We'll see what this summer has to bring, it should be full of surprises.

With all this new stuff going on, I think it's important to remember that there are a few things that don't start new. Faith can start new, but Christ is not new. He is old, and what He offers is new, of the best kind - He offers us a brand new start. Today is Easter, which was both and end and a new start for Him, and He in turn now offers that new start to us. What greater gift could any of us hope to receive? It's absolutely incredible. Christ is the reason anything exists, lives, and has hope. I certainly hope that we can all take a little time this year to be mindful of all the new starts we receive, and the opportunity we have for a grand "new start" with our lives every time we think of Christ and His amazing gift. Happy Easter, and a happy new start.

The Futility of Giving Up

Ever had that urge to just give up? Felt like that no matter what you did, you would never be able to succeed? That you were just too weak, the whole world seemed against you, and that even those who stood by you could do nothing? That maybe even that God had abandoned you? Welcome to the club.

I think that everyone has experienced something like this at one point in their life, whether they will admit it or not. And honestly, that's okay. Sometimes it just seems that way. But it doesn't mean it's true. And it definitely doesn't mean it's okay to give up. Giving up is never okay - that's quitting, and the only way to lose at this game called life is to quit. Quitting is never an option.

Why is quitting not an option? Because if you quit, you really don't get a second chance. You get one shot at this life, and after that, it's all done. So the best you can do is keep plodding on. We're not here to be perfect in life. We're here to do our best and learn on the way. What is the point of life if we don't learn? Not much, to be honest. So we learn, we grow, we pick ourselves back up, and we try again.

Because giving up is futile.