I AM Wii FIT

I love Wii Fit, it is sooo stinkin cool.  My brother has had it for awhile now, but i have now just started playing it, and it is unreal to me.

I must say that i am becoming Wii Fit.

Now before you mock me and laugh at this post, realize this, that it has work outs that actually work your body and tone it up.  I mean i woke up this morning with sore chest and abs.  Can any other gaming system do that to yah. Huh... HUH!?!

But seriously, this game is amazing, and i just think you all should know.

My heart is changing

One of the prayers that i have had for the longest time now, well really since preparing for Alaska, has been that God would open my ears and eyes to the joys and struggles around me.

As i wake up each morning i try and remember to ask for that and for God to break my heart for what break his.

Now, a slight change in thinking, but it will all connect.  Any who, for the longest time my heart has been hooked to ministry, more specifically speaking and traveling around doing that.  I mean eventually i would love to be either a youth or a lead pastor of a church, but still having the ability to travel around for three months out of the year to go speak at other events.  You may be thinking that is a little crazy, but my ministry just isn't within the church i am with.  Any who, that desire of ministry has expanded to own my own missions organization setting up service projects around the world, and this desire of mine deserves a whole other blog, but ask me about it and i will gladly tell you.

All of that to come to the title of the blog.  My heart is changing.  More correctly stated, it is expanding.  God is breaking my heart for what breaks his and that is to do missions.  I so desire to travel the world serving God rockin it for him.  In praying about it and him growing me in this passion i feel a very clear message.  That message is to get out of this debt that i have incurred and he will send me wherever he desires me to go.

I am excited to see where God is leading me and to where i will serve.  I know and hope that i will be serving people around where i live, which would include my family, but also others in this general area around me.  And i can't wait to serve miles away from where i live, like maybe even Africa.

Again, i am just pumped and excited to see where God is taking me and to see how he will continually prepare for where he wants me to go.

Turkey Day!

I am pretty pumped that my family is here for Turkey day.  They came last night and we made some good Indian food and some good old sghetti (spaghetti) with sauce with sausage.

As last night came to an end we stayed up playing Settlers of Catan till 2 a.m. and it was great. hahah, that game is just so good.  If you want, i will teach you how to play.

Any who, back to Turkey Day.  Everyone is making their own special dishes of food.  I am making desserts such as home-made reeses cups, blueberry pie, and that is about it.  But one of my brothers is making deviled eggs, getting some sushi maybe, and we are just having some great food.  I am stinkin loving it.  Oh i love food and turkey day.

Well that is all... for now.  I know this was brief but i am not fully focused so maybe it was a good thing.  Peace out and A-Town Down.

Turkey, Dublin, Turkey

So this weekend i went down to good old Dublin Georgia and did a SWAT weekend.  I arrived in Athens Friday night to rendezvous with the Delta Force so we could all drive down together and i had some good old SWAT Turkey Day leftovers.

Then i went to Dublin (Story may come in a later blog)

So after an interesting and pretty eye opening weekend i dropped off the Delta Force back in Athens and went to Jon's house to rest and fill up on some good nourishment of leftovers.  So i got myself a plate of turkey and the best something in the world (i think stuffing) and went down stairs to watch a movie.

The movie had Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, and everyones favorite from the show The Office, Rainn Wilson.  This movie was called Sahara and it was made in 2005 and it was actually pretty good. Any ways there came a part where the water was being poisoned and one of the bad guys realizes that, grows a conscience and tries to get out because he thinks he will get called out for it by the African Government and peoples.  Well his partner, the other bad guy tells him that he isn't going to pull out of it and who cares that the water is being poisoned and Africa is slowly dying because... are you ready for this...

"No body cares about Africa"

In hearing that line in the movie my heart broke, because sure, it was just a line in a movie but how true of a line was that.  No body really cares about Africa.  Sure there is Invisible children and the UN trying to help, but in a world of well over 6 billion people we just don't care about Africa.  We just don't care about India, Brazil, Moldova, China, Korea, New Zealand, Alaska, Russia... the list goes on of all that we don't care about.  We are called to fight these evils.

"For we do not wrestle against flsh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."  Ephesians 6: 12 ESV

And the best part about this is we are supposed to do this with power and authority, with a fierceness that we, the body of Christ, won't lose.

"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."  Matthew 16:18 ESV

We are called to fight not against people, but against disease, hate, sins, pain, hurt... and this list goes on as well too.  

In hearing nobody cares about Africa my heart broke, but that means nothing if i don't take up my calling and fight the devil and his demons.  So help me in this cause, i am going to find out what i can do here and abroad, and i want to encourage you to find out how to break this crutch, this gate of not caring, and storm into hell and break the darkness that surrounds peoples lives.

Psalm 106: 19-20

So i am going through this endeavor of reading through the Bible and even though it is taking me a little longer then i planned on... i am still pushing through and learning ohhh so much.  I am in Psalm right now and loving it so much.  Well i recently came to a chapter and a couple of verses, hence the title, and they rocked my world.  They rocked it so much that after reading the rest of the chapter i had to go back and reflect.

Psalm 106: 19-20

"They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image.  They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass."  (ESV)

I mean wow! WOW!  That just stabs me right in the heart.  I think about all the things i have traded for the glory of the Lord.  I think about how i have forgotten about his great glory and traded him... my God and my worship for him for a few hours of mind-numbing fun with a video game, for a few moments of cuddling with a girl or just to hold her hand.  I think about how i have traded that love and worship for God to worship this idol of hate and bitterness towards people closest to me such as family and friends.

This verse cuts deep.  What ox, that only eats grass, have you traded your precious and all loving god for?

So long

Wow, it has been so long since i have done a post, a little over a week.  Sorry for the not posting in so long, but I was just at a point of emptiness.  Not at a point with no stories, but just couldn't and didn't want to write anything.

But this post... the one you are right now reading, is the beginning of all the new posts that are to come in the recent of days.  Some posts, well really all posts of my past week of adventures and some encouragement.

Hope you enjoy,

Paul Stippich

Psalm 18

Psalm 18, what a great chapter, especially verses 1-6

Psalm 18

The LORD Is My Rock and My Fortress

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who addressed the words of this song to the LORD on the day when the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:

I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
5 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
thick clouds dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16 He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

20 The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his rules were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26 with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27 For you save a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 For it is you who light my lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29 For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
30 This God—his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

31 For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who equipped me with strength
and made my way blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer
and set me secure on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand supported me,
and your gentleness made me great.
36 You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 They cried for help, but there was none to save;
they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as dust before the wind;
I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

43 You delivered me from strife with the people;
you made me the head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
foreigners came cringing to me.
45 Foreigners lost heart
and came trembling out of their fortresses.

46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47 the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me,
48 who delivered me from my enemies;
yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;
you rescued me from the man of violence.

49 For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing to your name.
50 Great salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his offspring forever. (ESV)

I don't know

Right now... i just dont know.  I don't feel like writing anything for a little, so the climbing and the pictures will have to wait.

Sorry.  I am just crushed, that is all.

Cutie Batootie!!!

Well ever since this new creation known as Rylynn entered the world it seems that my sister April has been pulling the Uncle / Brother card on me... and i couldn't be happier.  I stinkin love watchin my little nephew Kayle.  I mean he is pretty great.  I cant wait for Rylynn to get out of her useless baby phase.

I know i know, that sounds so harsh... useless baby phase, but i really just want to play with her.  I mean sure we could have fun with her, holding her, moving her mouth and making her talk and say funny things, but ehhh.  I mean all she does is just lay there and look cute. Now Kayle on the other hand runs around shouting "Ball, ball" and when you think he is just shouting out that word, all of a sudden, like magic... a ball appears as he finds one.

But anyways, even though i had to bail on watching Kayle for my sister because of a test one morning, i got to make it up a little later, and here are some pictures of that joyous time.

More to come

I just wanted to put all of you at ease by saying there are some pictures and fun to come.  So stay tuned in.  Get ready to be a little grossed out and enjoy the ride, because tomorrow (really today... it is just to early to say today) you will most likely have some posts that leave you saying. "Are you serious. That is crazy and looks like it hurts."

V-Ball and Bowling

So tonight was an eventful night.  It was filled with watching Kayle, my cute little nephew, going to see the KSU ladies volleyball team, and ending the night with some bowling.

Well watching my nephew was great because he slept an hour longer then he was supposed to which was fantastic because once he woke up, my sister was pretty much done with the conference call she was on and Conrad, my brother-in-law was back about 15 minutes after he had woken up.  And really, the only reason why he woke up was because April turned off the fan outside his room.  But i got a few pictures of him, which i will load up tomorrow... or something like that.

Then i skidadled over to KSU to see the ladies play some volleyball.  I mean the main reason was to meet one of my good friends best friends, but it just didnt work out.  KSU lost to Jacksonville  but it was still fun to watch.  The score was close at times which made it very exciting.  Also, i didn't really understand that one girl on each team was wearing a jersey that was opposite the rest of the girls, my guess is to signify the captain.

Well after that i went home, got some stuff and then went bowling with a few others: Cory, Blakely, Luke, JL, Scott (and then me) - (the way the list is, is how we bowled tonight).  We had a team goal to get 800 combined score and it took us three times, but man, on the third try we blew that score out of the water by getting over 900.  It was pretty unstinkinbelievable!  Well that was my night.  Thanks for listening.  Tune in tomorrow to hear a little about climbing. 

Girls Girls Girls

I think the title of this post is kinda a big foreshadow of what this post is about.

To be honest, girls have always been so interesting and have held a idol like place within my life.  I understand that nothing is supposed to come before God and i believe that i am keeping him first.  I believe that i have laid these idols at his feet and walked away and not looked back in hopes of something more between me and that "idol."

My mindset of dating is a little different then most guys and i honestly guard myself now from going to future focused or delving right into this mindset of dating when it comes to girls.  

I know most of this post will be jumbled up thoughts but hopefully it will all come together to paint somewhat of a consistent and descriptive picture of where i am at.

Last night at Echo my mind was so distracted, plus i was really tired so i didn't take away too much from last nights lesson, which is a shame.  But anyways my mind was distracted by the days events and just some friendships that are starting up, one with a girl more specifically.  I just want to get to know her but it is so conflicting with other interests of encouraging and pursuing others.  I am lost and have no idea what is right or what to do.  But as i was thinking about everything and just praying to God, this idea of trusting him came into my mind.

See ever since i started dating in college my mind has been consumed with this pursuit of a girl.  It hasn't always been the same girl, just a girl in general.  My actions, mind and everything reflects this pursuit and at times i have let that girl slip into a place where she should not be... above God.  

Throughout this pursuit, I have had some great conversations with some amazing and knowledgeable people which have helped shape me into the person i am today when it comes to relationships.  I can still see some of my old self shining through and i can still see myself becoming a man consumed fully by God as he directs me in life and as he allows me pursuits, especially pursuits of THAT girl.  

All of that to say this, last night God spoke to me saying... "give all of your worries, all of your pursuits, all of these girl situations and thoughts to me.  Give them up.  Trust me."  And i found myself having a struggle doing that.  I found myself not willing to let go fully.  I found myself thinking, well what if relationships are ruined, what if we never start dating, what will she think.  God i still want to encourage them,  I still want to hang out with them.  And to be honest, even now my mind and my everything is having so much trouble letting go, but i know i need to.  I need to fully let go of all of that to him.

I dont know what is going to happen, i don't know what is next.  All i know is that as hard as it is going to be, i am going to trust in God.  I don't know what my actions will be or anything, i just know that i need to give all of this up.  So pray for me, and if i can pray for you, let me know.  Because right now i have no idea about a lot of stuff, but i do know that i desire to be in a community that lifts each other up.

Myself and I

This is the continuation of Me, the blog post.  And so let me start this all off, i am incredibly selfish.  I think about me all the time.  Everything within my small little world revolves around me and i am starting to see that now, and to be honest, it is crap.  I hate this view that i have.  I honestly want to be selfless.  I want to be a person who gives up everything.  I want to be someone who builds community, sacrifices, serves and loves others, but right now that is not the picture that i am getting of myself.

I hate being selfish, it is over rated and is against everything that i am about... which is LOVE.

1 Corinthians 13: 5 "Love does not demand its own way." (NLT)

That verse is so amazing and speaks so loudly to me.  I think of that verse and how much i fall short of actually accomplishing that verse.  I think about how much i fail to live by it.  I mean i am selfish with my family, friends, relationship with God, and even in my pursuit of that one special woman.  Everything seemingly has to be close to me or based on my schedule or for my benefit.  I mean in thinking about this idea of selfishness i know i am getting better about it as God is breaking me, but as a whole, i know God is still restoring me in to a man who sacrifices and gives his all with love.  God is restoring me into something amazing, i just don't know and can't see the finished product yet.

I want to be broken so badly of this idea of being selfish.  Of, if i can't do something right away or it doesn't fully concern me, it will be done on my time and when i feel like it.  Because of that type of mindset, i forgot to drop off my mom's lunch at school and i failed to register my friend for a class in time.  

My life is all about me... and i want to be broken of that.

Me

I am really really selfish!  I just wanted you all to know that.  I am really really selfish.  Sure i do selfless things from time to time.  In fact, right now i have just agreed to speak at an FCA here around Marietta.  The high school is Walton.  I'm have to be there at 7 A.M.!!! on a day i could sleep in. I know that is me giving up my time but still, in the grand scheme of things i am just soo stinkin selfish.  

And it is eating me alive.  More will come on this later but... i feel so selfish. 

Scoop of disappointment :(

Well i went out to dinner with my muder and me bruder, after me and my broham did some convincing to get her to come along.

At first we went to the Peachtree Diner and mom was excited because i mean... who isn't excited about a diner.  Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri for peets sake.  Umm so at first glance i saw it looked real fancy and then i remembered that i had seen the menu online and they had conveniently forgotten the prices, and now i can see why. IT WAS PRICY! Ok, so we totally dipped out after our waiter put down napkins and we said we would wait for my mom to get back before we would get drinks.  I mean when she got back, she looked at the menu and agreed and we left, out the side door of course and walked right across the street to Olive Garden.

Now the Olive Garden on the other hand was off the chain tasty and italian.  We had a great server who graduated from my high school in 02, a little before my time, but hey, what a grand place to graduate from.

Well after we had our tasty food, which i have stored in my refrigerator with name on box for lunch tomorrow, Boo yah! we headed further down towards Alpharetta so we could get a free scoop of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.  Thanks election day! :)  Sadly, after my mom may have whined about it taking a little bit to get there, haha, we saw the line was forever long so we just skipped out on it.  And then we decided to not get a free donut from Krispy Kreme because it would be just one donut and out of the way, oh and did i forget to mention we just didn't get our free Starbucks either?

Yes, all of these free items because we Americans use our right to vote, and yet none.  I mean in the end we went to Wally-World and mom, ohh my lovely mother, bought all of ice some Ben and Jerry's pints.  But still, i am just a little, teensy disappointed in our lack of getting freeness.

(Ummm so this little blip right here will be replaced with two pictures, but for now... read and enjoy, and then re-read again and again.) Thanks 

VOTED!

Yes, that is right... i voted for the first time ever in a Presidential race.  I feel pretty excited.

Just so you know, i voted for John McCain.

Also i would just like to add a few more thoughts

1. Even though i don't want him to win, i legitimitly think Barack Obama is going to win.

2.  No matter the turn out of this "huge and monumental" event, this isn't new news to God.  It isn't like he is reading this book called life and saying, "man i shouldn't have gotten lazy and skipped this chapter.   Hmmmm what am i to do to fix this."

And with that last thought, i feel that some people like los have a great mindset, pray for both candidates that God will bless them with wisdom and help guide them in future decisions.  I know this is a scary time for some and even me, but God will handle this all... i am just going to choose to follow God no matter what.

Daniel 2: 21 "He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars." (NLT)

Truth

Thesaurus.com, the kindred brother of Dictionary.com gives some pretty interesting synonyms for the word truth.  So let me give you a big old copy and paste of what it says.

Main Entry: truth
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: honesty, loyalty
Synonyms: authenticity, candor, constancy, dedication, devotion, dutifulness, faith, faithfulness, fidelity, frankness, integrity, openness, realism, revelation, sincerity, uprightness, veridicality, verity

As i was reading 1 Corinthians 13: 6 a thought popped into my head.  So before we delve into this thought, lets look at that verse.  "It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out." (NLT)

I think this verse is so meaning and versatile, especially when you apply it to your life.  The thought that popped up into my head was what does the word truth really mean, especially in the context of this verse.  When you look at this verse ad apply it to your life it means something amazing.

This verse is right smack dab in the middle of some verses that are describing the definition of love, the kinda love that God has for us.  The 2 verses before and the 1 after describe God's love for us in all situations.  So in thinking like that, about God loving us in all situations i thought about the times that i mess up and sin.  I think about the times when i worry, when i do something that i probably should have put more thought into, when i give up and am broken and God loves me in all those situations.  The biggest situation to me that jumps out the most is ones revolving around when i mess up and sin.

At the beginning it says Love, aka God, is never Glad at injustice, injustice being sin, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Kinda seems simple, TRUTH is not sinning, but that phrase not sinning just didn't seem to be the whole kit and caboodle for me so i looked in a little further to this verse.  I focused on the word truth and as you see from the top it has many synonyms such as dedication, devotion, integrity, and  sincerity.

I find it amazing that truth is integrity, sincerity, dedication and devotion.  All words that are so powerful and so descriptive of love, action, and emotion that is so crucial and so life altering.  God rejoices in the times when we are sincere, when we are dedicated and stick to his word with integrity, and also when we show devotion to him.  This verse just jumps out at me when i think about it.  When i realize that in my sin he isn't glad that i stumble into it, but when i beat those temptations, when i respond in dedication and sincerity,  my god rejoices uncontrollably. 

I just feel my life has been altered as God has continued to open my eyes to his wisdom and his scripture.  I feel by diving into this verse it has opened my eyes even further into the love my god has for me.

Remember that God loves you and is so excited and so encouraging as we pick whichever option is the truth.