My Eagle Project (4)

Something that I forgot to mention, is that in order for the project to start, I need to get the Project Proposal Approved. Well, now it is. I now have what I need to officially kick the project into high gear. Stuff is going to start happening, now. Below is my timeline for all of you to see.

You should notice four things immediately.

•I am very organized
•That's not Excel. (It's LibreOffice, because Microsoft charges WAY too much.)
•Fliers refers to planes, and I'm pretty sure that flyers is correct.
•Cell Number 21 is highlighted. I have no good explanation for this.

You may have also noticed that everything is quickly approaching. And you would be right. Well, here it goes!

:EDIT:
I'm not actually doing the video until I get supporters, so some of these dates are now incorrect.
Well, turns out my family is moving on the 11th of May. Looks like the pickup date will be 5/25 instead. That gives me more time to promote, so whoopie!

My Eagle Project (3)

Wow, it's been awhile.

A lot of stuff has happened recently on the project. After a month of having conversations with my project coach, having conversations with Portland Rescue Mission and working on my Eagle Project Proposal, I finally have everything nailed down.

Starting on the 20th of April, I'm going to be doing a Blanket/Coat/Sock/Men's Clothes/Hygiene Items drive for Portland Rescue Mission. I will be putting up boxes in various locations, and speaking at Churches in order to gain support for the project.

I do have a small list of materials that I have to get first. Below is said list:

•Big boxes
•Butcher Paper (Brown Wrapping Paper, essentially)
•Tape

Also, I need some human support. (Yes, Homo-Sapiens usually do assist with this)
I will have a post coming out shortly about way that others can help.

But, that's all for now! Peace Out!

My Eagle Project (2)

Well, the person got back to me the other day. It turned out that Mr. Miller wasn't actually the receiver of the email, so I'm sure that the email was just forwarded to the appropriate person. The person that responded kinda sent a "please fill this out" email, which isn't enough to meet the requirements. So, I sent an email back, which may or may not be well received. It was worded probably more frankly than was needed, but at least I did it.

Below is my response:

Thank you for getting back to me!
I apologize for not being clear in my first email. I don't think that I gave enough information about my thoughts on the project. While I very much appreciate your help by providing the pdf document, and asking me to pick a more concentrated goal, the requirement for the Eagle Project states that the project has to not have any previous work done on it.

Which means, I cannot take an existing project, and complete it. In essence, this is what I would be doing, if I just gathered clothes or hygiene items and filled out a form.

Eagle projects are rarely just thrown together, many require months of planning.

As such, I do not think that it's necessary to limit the project to just socks/new underwear, hygiene items OR warm clothing. I have a lot of people that could potentially be involved, and I would like to impact Portland Rescue Mission in the greatest way possible. If canned food isn't a great need right now, then I could do a drive for the other aforementioned items, but I do not want to pick a small amount. 

I would really like to setup a meeting time, where we could talk this over in greater detail. Once again, please let me know which days/ times work best for you.

Thank you for understanding.

Well, the important part is that it was sent. Hopefully it's interpreted correctly.


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:Edit:
The misinterpretation was actually due to my silliness. Got it all sorted out now. The person just wanted me to make sure that I went through the proper channels, and filled out all the information that they need before I got started.

Too Political for Facebook

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a Sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. ...Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that 'the buck stops here'. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and Grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better."

-Obama, in 2006

Why oh why? Thank you, Mr. President. So much. Cogratz America, we have elected a flip flop.

My Eagle Project (1)

Well, the ball has started rolling. I think I've got a pretty decent idea for an Eagle Project. Totally possible, I think, and shouldn't need too many safety precautions.

I'm looking at doing a food and clothes drive for Portland Rescue Mission. This project would hopefully get a bunch of food, and clothes. I have yet to determine a weight goal, and I'll be talking a bit with my parents about that today. Also, today I'll be calling Portland Rescue Mission to hear what they think about it.

Seeing the info on the website, and pictures really got my heart into the project. I wasn't too sure that this was what I wanted to do, but now, I'm more certain.

Well, I've got some stuff to go do, but I'm doing it with a new energy. I've got a target, I just have to work on my aim.

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:Edit 1:
More information can be found here.

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:Edit 2:

I sent the email!

"Dear Mr. Miller

My name is Josh Carter, and I'm a 17 year old Life Scout from BSA Troop 49. As you may know, one of the requirements for Eagle is to plan, organize, and lead a service project. After thinking over different options, I decided that I would help Portland Rescue Mission by doing a large food and clothes drive. After looking at your website, I decided that adding bibles to the list would also be a great idea, and it's something that my Christian Troop could really get behind.

I would like to find a time where we could talk over a plan. What kinds of food do you need, what types of clothes are needed, etc.

If you would, send a reply including a few times when you are free to talk over this, so that I can talk with my parents and figure out a meeting time. We can meet in person, or over the phone depending on what you'd like.

I look forward to working with you!

-Josh Carter"

Josh's thinkings (1)

How do I know that there is a God that loves me?

Because He has surrounded me with people that love me. I'm so blessed to have the friends that I do.

Forgiveness

A while ago I made a post about a Pink Floyd song. Towards the end I talk about forgiveness. A lot of that was taken from the book, The Bondage Breaker. Recently, I have been reading the book again. In the section that I'm reading, it talks about forgiveness. I found what the author said to be very true and very informative. I figure, I might as well share it on my blog.

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"Most of the ground that Satan gains in the lives of Christians is due to unforgiveness. We are warned to forgive others so that Satan cannot take advantage of us (2 Corinthians 2:10, 11). God requires us to forgive others from our hearts or He will turn us over to the tormentors (Matthew 18:34, 35). Why is forgiveness so critical to our freedom? Because of the cross. God didn't give us what we deserve; He gave us what we needed according to His mercy. We are to be merciful just as our heavenly Father is merciful (Luke 6:36). We are to forgive as we have been forgiven (Ephesians 4:31, 32).

Forgiveness is not forgetting. People who try to forget find that they cannot. God says He will "remember no more" our sins (Hebrews 10:17), but god, being omniscient, cannot forget. "Remember no more" means that God will never use the past against us (Psalm 103:12). Forgetting may be a result of forgiveness, but it is never the means of forgiveness. When we bring up the past against others, we haven't forgiven them.

Forgiveness is a choice, a crisis of the will. Since God requires us to forgive, it is something we can do. (He would never require us to do something we cannot do.) But forgiveness is difficult for us because it pulls against our concept of justice. We want revenge for offenses suffered. But we are told never to take our own revenge (Romans 12:19). "Why should I let them off the hook?" You let them off your hook, but they are never off God's hook. He will deal with them fairly - something we cannot do.

If you don't let offenders off your hook, you are hooked to them and the past, and that just means continued pain for you. Stop the pain; let it go. You don't forgive someone merely for their sake; you do it for your sake so you can be free. Your need to forgive isn't an issue between you and the offender; it's between you and God.

Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person's sin. Forgiveness is costly; we pay the price of the evil we forgive. Yet, you're going to live with those consequences whether you want to or not; you only choice is whether you will do so in the bitterness of unforgiveness or the freedom of forgiveness. That's how Jesus forgave you-He took the consequences of your sin upon Himself. All true true forgiveness is substitutional, because no one really forgives without bearing the penalty of the other person's sin.

Why then do we forgive? Because Christ forgave us. God the Father 'made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him' (2 Corinthians 5:21). Where is the justice? The cross makes forgiveness legally and morally right: 'For the death that he died, He died to sin, once for all' (Romans 6:10).

How do you forgive from the heart? First, you acknowledge the hurt and the hate. If your forgiveness doesn't visit the emotional core of your past, it will be incomplete. This is the great evangelical cover-up. Christians feel the pain of interpersonal offenses, but we won't acknowledge it. Let God bring the pain to the surface so He can deal with it. This is where the healing takes place. Ask God to bring to your mind those you need to forgive as you read the following prayer aloud:

'Dear heavenly Father, I thank You for the riches of Your kindness, forbearance, and patience, knowing that Your kindness has led me to repentance (Romans 2:4). I confess that I have not extended that same patience and kindness toward others who have offended me, but instead I have harbored bitterness and resentment. I pray that during this time of self-examination You would bring to mind only those people that I have not forgiven in order that I may do so (Matthew 18:35). I also pray that if I have offended others You would bring to mind only those people from whom I need to seek forgiveness and the extent to which I need to seek it (Matthew 5:23,24). I ask this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.'

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Whew, that's long. Hope that this provided a sufficient preview of the book. I highly recommend that you look into it, just make sure that you have the time. It is in no way a light read.

-Josh

First Corinthians 13 and it's Relevance on February 14

So many of my friends have been posting about Valentines Day or Singles Awareness day on Facebook. So, I thought that I'd point out some not very well known things about Valentines Day.

First, the origin of Saint Valentines Day has a slightly different meaning and back story than that of today, but hey, so do the rest of the holidays.

"When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death."1

So, that's why it's remembered? Well, that's dumb you say, how about we embrace how it's evolved? Let's just talk about love instead of Saint Valentine. 

Fine, let's talk about love.

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."2

There, that's what I call love. Love, can be felt, but it's also a choice. Despite the hurt that some people cause us, we can choose to love them. It's not all about the feelings, it's also about the thoughts. For instance, it's no great accomplishment if you love someone who is kind to you. But loving those who persecute you, that is love.

Anyways, hopefully this has let you get some insight into Josh. I will be celebrating today, but keeping Paul's words in mind is very important, midst all of the silliness of today.

-Josh

1: http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day
2: 1st Corinthians 13, The Bible

Josh's Dating Advice

Well, it's February. And you look like you could all use some advice...



 Well, here it is.



Don't trust Carbon Dating. It has many flaws in it, simply because we don't know how much Carbon was in the item to begin with. You can read more here.

Steam Powered Giraffe

So, if you are friends with me on Facebook, you will know that I'm quite a big fan of the band called Steam Powered Giraffe. This band is a not just a band though, they are a musical pantomime group. They dress themselves up like robots, and then perform as if they were.

The band can be classified as a Steampunk, funk/soft rock band. While the CDs are fun, the band really shines when Pantomiming as their three robot characters. The three robots crack jokes on stage, and might do some improvisational dialogue every once in a while.

Steam Powered Giraffe still hasn't become popular yet, so if being a hipster is important to you, then go ahead and feel free to like them.

They have done a few videos, and they can be viewed on Youtube. I have two of the videos below for your viewing pleasure.

I'll be going up to Everett to see them in April. That is going to be fun in and of itself, because I'll be going with some of my good friends. (You know who you are. ;) )