Name:Michael Country:United States State:Ohio Birthday:2/20/1982 Gender:Male
Interests:music (I love anything that has to do with listening to or making), movies (LOTR Return of the King my current #1), video games (though I never have the time for them), Sci Fi (Star Wars/Trek, Matrix), Working out (but not running), hanging out (don't have time for that either), computers (Macs Rule!), Philosophy, Theology, Anything that challenges me to make relevant change, my family (is awesome!), and of course girls :) [ too bad they're not interested in me :( ] Expertise:I don't think I'm an expert at anything, although I am trying to get "experted" in music/audio production. I know a little bit about the Mac OS, Logic Audio, Pro-Tools, various effects and their applications, vocal techniques, acoustics, psychoacoustics, studio setup, songwriting, marketing and networking. Instruments that I pretend I can play include a little bit of keyboard, voice, drums, and turntables, trying to learn guitar. Occupation:Administrative Industry:Computers (Software)
There are some people, who have never done me any wrong, but for some reason, I honestly have a hard time loving.
Then there are some people, who have hurt me deeply, and purposefully, but I still love more than I know how to express.
Why the heck is that?
I also know some people, who can’t bear to have friendships, or gifts, or anything good given to them unless they have somehow EARNED it, on account of their own merit. It’s as if they want others to RECOGNIZE what’s good about them, or to be looked up to in some way, before they’ll accept being accepted by another person. It’s like they don’t want love for anything less than because someone else recognizes that they do incredible things, have incredible traits, or own incredible things (even their own bodies).
Is this the kind of love we really want?
Based on things that will change? I’m not talking about “romantic love” necessarily, just any kind of love in general.
As best I can figure, the definition of love, grossly simplified, is: The desire for someone else’s benefit, regardless of cost to yourself, put into action.
I wouldn’t want anyone’s love for me to be contingent upon any of the things mentioned up top, because all of those things fade away and change. How is someone loving me for a talent I’ve learned, or a personality I’ve developed, any better than loving me for money I’ve earned? I wouldn’t even want someone to love me based on my own choices. Because goodness knows I’ve made some AWEFUL choices in my time. And what about the next time I make a bad choice? Do I want to stop being loved whenever I make a mistake? Then why would I want to START being loved for doing something right?That kind of love would be based only on what I DO.
1 Timothy 1:15
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
Do YOU deserve to be loved?
No.
Yikes! Myself probably even less than anyone who reads this...
But that’s all the more reason why I love you. Because I don’t deserve to be loved, but I’m loved anyway. God said He made me in the image of HIMSELF, and that he was willing to suffer horribly for my benefit. My value, AND yours, isn’t based on what we do or have. It’s based on the fact that we are all made in His image, that we are His most loved creation, which we can see and learn things about the creator by looking at . Once you get to know anyone deeply enough, all the nice THINGS they do may not seem to be enough to outweigh all the weaknesses, and mistakes, and selfish ambitions that we all have. And it’s self serving to say “I’m going to love you in spite of all your flaws”. I think what we should be saying, is “I’m going to love you, because I am the worst of sinners. But God wants my benefit anyway, and now I am going to work toward YOUR benefit”. I sit here, trying to think of the worst thing anyone has ever done to me, and maybe get angry. Then I think of the worst thing(s) I've done, and how much more I deserve to have God angry with me. Then any wrongs ever done to me seem like minor annoyances at worst That doesn't mean that some preventative action isn't needed. But just that I need to keep the other's benefit in mind at all times, and forget about mine just as often.
I want to love, and BE loved, because of the value that was given to me by God. Because that’s the only thing that will never change.
Due to circumstances too complicated to expound upon, I will only be posting "protected" blogs from now on. I put everyone who's on my subscription list, on my protected list, but if for some reason you can't see any blogs more recent than this one and you want to be on the list, just send me a message!
Me and a couple of friends went to Fat Fish Blue, this restaurant in Cleveland, last night. And they usually have like a jazz band playing on weekends, and on the website, we saw that for the night "G2H2" is what was scheduled. So we figured that was the name of the band right?
NOOoooooo...
We walk in, and they ask me and my buddies if we're there for G2H2, and we're like "yeah, I guess!". The place is PACKED though, so we're standing around waiting for a table for a while.
But we couldn't help but notice, that the crowd was almost all guys...
Soon it was obvious that this crowd was very metro...
And everyone seemed to be a little too friendly with each other...
We started getting a little worried...
Once our hostess came back and showed us to our table, we asked her what exactly "G2H2" meant;
"Gay Guys Happy Hour" she replied.
Yup, that's right. We were there for gay night. And we thought it was just a band with a funky name. Ha!
Seriously, I didn't think such colossal mistakes/awkward situations like that happened in real life. Apparently they do.
Also picked up a hitch hiker Thursday. Just felt like I should. Oddly enough, I think I was able to use this flyleaf song as a bit of a ministry tool. Once the song kicked into the part of the song where Lacey is doing her screaming thing, the dude (Jeff) is like "Whoa, heavy!" Jeff is swearing left and right while we're talking in the car, and eventually asks me "you're not like a Christian or anything are you?" When I told him I was, he's all apologetic for his language. And "he's like, but you listen to this hardcore rock stuff, so you probably cuss right?" And I told him actually, the music is Christian. And he's like "No sh**!!!" And so we start talking about life, mistakes, new beginnings, etc. So I hope maybe God used me to speak some truth into Jeff's life. We all make impressions on others, who's effects we may never see. And that's ok, because we don't need to pat ourselves on the back if we ARE able to positively effect someone's life. God's the real messenger here. And I could preach to someone till I'm blue in the face, but Gods the only one who can make someone open their heart and actually listen.
DANG it!!! How come someone else always ends up successfully using my ideas before I get the chance too?
This dude in SF has a site where he keeps a web cam strapped to his head and broadcasting 24/7. I thought of doing this like 2 years ago, thought it would be a great way to promote a band. He even posted his phone number so you can randomly call him while he's broadcasting, just like I was thinking would be cool to do!
It's actually pretty boring, but oddly addictive...
So I went and looked at it, and the guy tells me; "Well, it's actually been a rental car up until now..."
Me: "WHAT?!?"
Sales man: "And it's actually got 45k miles now, not 30k like the ad said..."
Me: "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?"
On goes the search. I saw a Hyundai that looked like a good deal, and was the size of and shape of a laundry basket on wheels... BUT, it's economical people!
So in consolation of my disappointment, I'm watching this Youtube vid. Ummm, just a warning, it seems like it's going to be more scandalous than it really is, but then it gets funny, and then morbid, and then funny again... It kinda reminds me of MY life... Just watch the dang video.
That doesn't mean that some preventative action isn't needed. But just that I need to keep the other's benefit in mind at all times, and forget about mine just as often. 
