Goodbye CD Player!

So, I went out to my car this morning to go to work, and this is what I saw:



Somebody totally busted out my window last night and stole my CD player! It's OK though, I'm really not too bothered by it. I'm not happy it got stolen, and I'm not happy I had to pay $130 to fix the window, but I'm OK with it. Life is about so much more than things and there are so many other things that matter more than a car stereo.

It was cool because God put the thought in my mind of "Maybe the people that broke into my car really needed the money for a legitimate need, like food?" "Maybe they haven't been blessed with a great job that provides health insurance and a stable pay check like I've been?" Of course, there's always the possibility that they didn't really need the money, but it doesn't really matter to me. I'm grateful for God's blessings and I pray God will bless the people who shattered my window.

On a side note, we have some really great neighbors here! I think my neighbors were more upset than we were that our car was broken into! They have shown so much genuine concern for us. It has been a blessing to have the people around show that they care. I hope to be that kind of neighbor to others around me too.

A Long Time Coming . . .

Well it seems like forever since the last time I posted something, so I will try to catch everyone up on what's going on right now in my life:

1. New Puppy!

If you've read Gilda's blog in the last few weeks, you've probably seen and heard about Shelby, our new puppy. She was found abandoned on a busy street by a coworker of Gilda's and we ended up adopting her.  We think she is a mix between a Pit Bull Terrier and some kind of Lab, but there's no way to know for sure.  She has grown from about 5 1/2 pounds when we first got her at the beginning of March, to almost 20 pounds today!  She is very friendly and a quick learner.  Gilda and I love having her as a part of our family.  I found another reason to like her even more a couple of nights ago - she loves Dr. Pepper!

Don't worry, we don't give it to her anymore.  I just wanted to see how she liked it  :-)

2. Law School

When I wrote my last post, I was unsure about the future, but I felt God leading me to go to law school.  Since then, God has given me some major encouragement and direction.  The Thursday before Easter, I received an email from Baylor Law School telling me that I had been accepted into the Fall 2008 incoming class! On top of that, the email also explained that I was being offered a 50% scholarship!  I couldn't believe what I was reading!  I was unsure about even getting into any school this late in the admissions process and I definitely wasn't expecting any financial aid.  I am so grateful for God's mercy and provision in bringing all of this about.  I know that it is only by His hand that I have been given this opportunity.  

As of right now, we feel that Baylor is where God wants Gilda and I to be this August and we are working toward that goal.  

I love reading friends' blogs and finding out what everyone is going through.  From friends who are searching for direction in jobs and schools, to friends who are about to add a smiling face to their family ;-),  I love hearing about it all.  I hope to keep everyone updated more than once a month in the future about what God is continuing to do in and around me.

Take care!

Josh  

Law School

Last semester, as I was constantly thinking about where God was leading me after graduation, the random thought of going to law school kind of popped into my head.  As I was thinking about what I enjoy to do and what God has given me skills to do, studying the law seemed to be an interesting fit.  I had never really considered it before, but I decided that it wouldn't hurt to take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and see how well I could do.  

Well, I took the test in December, and I felt pretty good about it.  I started reading more about what the realities of law school entail and what it really means to practice law - unfortunately we can't all end up on Law & Order :-)   By January I had decided that law school is where God was leading me.

My original plan was to wait and apply to some law schools next year, which would mean I wouldn't begin until the fall of 2009.  Gilda has just begun a wonderful job that she absolutely loves here in Dallas.  She has worked so hard and been so faithful in order to get this job and I sincerely want her to be able to enjoy this blessing she has been given.  That was part of the motivation to wait.  I also wasn't sure where I wanted to go. There are so many things to consider whenever choosing a law school, as with any other educational decision.  I had pretty much settled it in my mind that I would wait. 

That was until this week.  On Monday, I had lunch with my friend Aaron, who is finishing his final year of law school at SMU.  He had some very interesting and thoughtful advice for me.  His encouragement was to go ahead and apply to a few schools that I was interested in that are in the Dallas area.  He had chosen to wait a year before applying for law school and, looking back, he wishes that he would have gone ahead and started whenever he had the chance.  I always appreciate Aaron's straight answers and advice! After discussing everything again with Gilda, I've decided to go ahead and apply at a few schools as soon as possible and see what doors open up.  

I ask that you would pray for Gilda and I.  This is a huge decision in our lives and we want to follow God's direction every step of the way.  I am so glad God has given me a wonderful wife who encourages me as we seek God's will together.  I hope to be able to keep updating everyone on where God is taking us and what great works He will do among us.  I am excited about the future and I want to be a faithful steward of everything I have been given.

Puppy-Sitting

So Gilda and I are taking care of our friends Blake and Virginia's puppy this weekend. Dash, who is a 9 month old Yorkshire Terrier, is great! He's really energetic, but also quite obedient for such a young puppy. Blake and Virginia have done a great job training him so far. We're thinking about getting a puppy of our own, so this will be a good way to see if we really want to take care of a puppy full-time. For now, we will just enjoy the weekend with Dash. I will try to post some pictures of our new friend soon. 

By the way, Happy February! It's here already . . .

Can't Stop Thinking . . .

Over the last few days, I haven't been able to stop thinking.  So many things have been running through my mind.  As I'm starting to feel like a real married person (it's still just a little strange), my thoughts and the consequences of those thoughts seem to have become more weighty.  I'm not just thinking about where I should live, or what job I should take.  Now I'm considering where to plant my family and how to invest myself most faithfully in the lives of others.

I've been reading a book called "The Working Poor: Invisible in America", which highlights the struggles of so many Americans who work extremely hard and yet barely get by.  I have been made aware in so many ways over the past few years of the great needs all over the world, but for the most part I have ignored the needs of the men and women right in front of me.  Everywhere I go now, I try to look around and notice the people working hard to make the U.S. a comfortable place to live.  I am so grateful for everything, everything, that  God has provided.  I never want to grow attached to material comforts or an easy life.  I've been asking God to show me what my response should be to those around me who are in need. Sometimes I feel discouraged because I don't know how to help, but I know that God has a plan to take care of people through His Church.

 

As I've been thinking about so many different things lately, my biggest prayer has been that God would help guard my heart from pursuing a lifestyle of service without him. I want to be careful that I don't overlook the most important need of those around me, the need to know the Christ.  Without sharing Him, any help I try to give is meaningless.  I pray that I can learn to serve others as a result of what God has done for me, in the good times and the bad, whenever it is easy and whenever I want to run away from Him.  I know I can take courage in the fact that God is in control.  He is not worried about how He is going to get everything done.  In His perfect will, and in His perfect timing, He will accomplish everything He has planned.  Until then, I will keep on thinking . . . 

Back Home :-)

We're finally back home in our new apartment. We got back to Dallas last night. It's so great to finally be able to start living together as husband and wife. I'm so grateful that God has finally brought us to this place in our lives.

As we are working to unpack and organize everything, we are also getting to just hang out and enjoy being together. Gilda and I want to really understand what it means to love each other and die to self everyday. I am already realizing more than ever how selfish I can be and how much I need to ask Jesus to help me let go of my self-centered attitude and truly love my wife. I know that this is going to take a lot of prayer, patience, and hard work, but I know that God created marriage for a purpose and He will lead us if we seek him.

The (Very) Windy City

Well, we're about half-way through our trip here in Chicago and it has been great so far. On Monday we went down Michigan Avenue on the section of it called the Magnificent Mile.  Filled with super-expensive stores and restaurant names I could never pronounce, it was definitely fun to look at.  We had some great food and came back to our hotel as it began to snow.  

Tuesday we rode the Union Pacific train over to Wheaton College. It was great to walk around the campus. After returning to Chicago, we went up into the top of the Sears Tower, the tallest building in the western hemisphere. It was great to see the city from such an amazing height. 

Today we went to the Navy Pier, a huge area of shops and restaurants that sticks out into Lake Michigan.  The views out towards the lake and back toward the city were great.  We will try to post some pictures later on.

I hope everyone is doing well back in Dallas. We'll be joining you soon, back in some normal winter weather - 80°   :-)

Honeymoonin' in Chicago!

Well, I've never been one to journal or write much outside of class, but I've had the urge lately to start putting down thoughts and sharing what is going on in my life with friends and family. What better time to start then after just getting married? I am so incredibly grateful to God for bringing me an amazing woman to be my wife. Gilda is truly a gift and I am excited about living life with her. Our day has finally come and we are now officially married! 

For our honeymoon, we decided to come to Chicago.  With such a rich history and a huge variety of fun things to do, it was a great choice. We have loved every minute of it so far and we still have 5 days left. We will have to post some fun pictures in the next few days.

I hope to be able to share more of my thoughts and reflections in the coming days, weeks, and months, and I hope to better understand others in the process . . .