30 July 2005

Vacation

So, I know I haven't posted on here since May - I'm really bad at writing stuff sometimes. And it doesn't help that you're questioned as to whether or not you're being real as you write this stuff (Liz, I know you'll understand that). But anyway. I've been doing some thinking, and have recently been inspired, and so I might post something while I'm not at home. Right now as I'm typing this I'm at about 30,000ft in an MD-80 on my way to DFW airport, with a final destination of Maine by way of JFK. I'm on Vacation!!! And how wonderful it is. The coolest thing about this vacation is that I've just turned 24 (my birthday was the 27th) and it's my very fist vacation on my own.

I know it sounds weird, but this is my first vacation. I'm not staying with mom and dad, and having them shuttle me around. I am totally in control of what I do during my week in Maine. I have my own set of wheels for the week, and have no one answer to but myself and my wallet for the next 8 days. This sort of freedom is unusual to me, and I don't know how I'll handle it. I might just stay inside thinking of things to do, and not do any of them - much of what I do right now when I get home from work. I've got a lot of ideas, but none of the discipline to act on them. One of those ideas is writing a book. I was inspired by listening to a sermon by Ravi Zacharias (who I listen to every Sunday morning). The concept of the book is to analyze what the relationship is between the length, influence and general legacy of civilizations/empires throughout the ages and their belief system - that is the system of religion and general culture. My thought is that the stronger a belief system in God, or at least a group of gods (not to say that polytheism is right) and a culture that supports and accepts such a belief system leads to a longer lasting civilization/empire. On a side note to that concept, it would be interesting to see how Judeo-Christian cultures and civilizations fared against eastern, pantheistic, and non theistic cultures and civilizations.

That's enough for now. I've probably bored most of you who are reading this, and got others who know me very well saying "there he goes again with his intellectual babbling that just covers up something else." Well, it's what I'm thinking about and interested in. On another note, I'm reading through a book Invitation to a Journey: A Guide to Spiritual Formation (author's name to come at a later time) and I might put some of my thoughts on what I'm reading on here.

Blessings,