y'know, Stores are the epitomy of holiday haters.

Think about it, who wants to rush through a happy holiday time more than a store? Let me elaborate a little bit...

....cue flashback sound effect please....

I was walking through Wal-mart the other day (on the 13th I believe, the day before the whole love-filled explosion day) and decided to go ahead and stroll down the "seasonal" aisle, however much to my suprise, all of the fat hearts, and oversized teddy bears were gone, in fact, the majority of the shelves were completely bare altogether. What I did notice down at the end of the aisle were several different egg-coloring kits, multiple chocolate bunnies, and a few stacked baskets.

I got to thinking.....

This is how it is with every holiday, lets jump back to oh, lets say September, you got all of the Halloween stuff out there, followed by the massive Christmas displays and the goofy hats to ring in the new year, then you come to where we are now with the post-valentine displays, and all the eggs for Easter, with maybe a little bit of green here and there for that St. Patrick guy...then you mostly notice big fireworks displays to celebrate our country's independence, then all the school supplies jump out, and then the whole process starts over again with the trick or treat candies on the shelves again.

In some way or another, these holidays make us happy, whether you celebrate all of them or not, fact of the matter is, you ARE smiling on one of these days. The stores put on their displays to show you that "hey! we love these holidays to!" Don't forget your valentine! We have plenty of costumes! Buy your Christmas gifts! Yet, when its over, (sometimes before its over) the displays are gone, the holiday isn't talked about for another year.

I got to thinking some more.....

Is your Christian walk/life....like Wal-mart?

ok Chris...you've officially lost it.

hear me out.

Sometimes as Christians we have these "Spiritual highs" that we go through, for a teen it might be the ride back from Bible camp, or an awesome youth rally, for the adult it may be that revival, or a Bible conference, or the excitement from a missionary family. Our "display" is up to remind us...HEY! SERVE THE LORD!! Yet, once school starts, or that second day of work comes along, our display gets ripped down, because that time is "over" now, and things go back to normal. Its not really talked about anymore, remember that one meeting at camp? What did that guy talk about? What was the name of that missionary that came along? The next time its mentioned, is the following year...much like the holiday...the display has been removed, the reminder is gone.

Its happened to us all.

So why you gettin' me all depressed?

Let me direct your attention to Psalm 68.

Psalm 68:9 says Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.

hmm....daily....that means not just the holidays, and the feel good days......but EVERYDAY.

Which means, this "display", this excitement that we think we can only get from camp, or from revivals, doesn't have to come and go, or be a traditional thing that we have each year...this spiritual fire, can be a PERMANANT thing that God wants us to experience on a DAILY basis.

Could you imagine Christmas everyday?

An amazing fireworks display every night?

Excitement every day?

God says hey, its there! My Word hasn't changed since you heard it at camp, it hasn't changed since you made that decision at the revival. It remains the same. Thus our life does not have to be like a Wal-mart holiday display!

So put your display back up, get your excitement back up, and use the nails of God's Word, and the super glue of God's promises to keep it that way.

Thats it this round folks,

Chris- Ps. 29:11

That thing called........"Love"

Why not talk about it? It's in the air right? With that one day looming over our heads with all the hearts and chocolates and way too many Jewelry commercials. Just about every one fall into one of several categories around this time however.

Category one: The love birds.

Ah yes, they've been together for sometime, and the celebration of this day just confirms and adds more to it. They may go out for a special dinner. She might recieve a gift thats just outside the budget....but shes worth it. He might get a special kiss...(he spent enough money for it.) They both know that even if they were dirt poor and gifts were not even talked about, they would have each other...which was all they needed. When "love" is said, it is meant, its emotional, its comfortable... Unlike the second category....

Category two: The Rushers.

Then theres the ones who desire to have what the love birds do have and they rush into a relationship because they no longer can stand the thought of loneliness. They long for the comfort of knowing that "he" is there, or that "she" is waiting for him. They don't know everything about each other, but thats okay..."love" has been established.....right? hmmm, however when "love" is said, it is rushed, it feels awkward, its hesitant, maybe even a "filler" as the thought of "I'm not single...so I have to say it...right?" comes into mind. Hmm, but loneliness is gone...right?  .......right?

Category three: The Opposites....TOTAL opposites

Also might be called the double takes. The sweet girl and the jerk. The gentleman and the....um....brat. This is the couple in which one of the two has "settled" for whoever came along and may have said one compliment (whether it was appropriate or not...) and they were sold. Regardless of what their conscious tells them, regardless of what their relatives say, others "don't see him/her the way I do..." One usually demands, the other only follows. Its a tough love... one others wouldn't understand. So when "love" is said, it isn't returned, its shrugged off, "whatever"....

So on this....*sigh*....Valentine's Day. What love category are you in?  Think about it....but before you decide, theres one more category.

Category four: REAL

This love, is genuine. Honest. It's evident. Its surrounding, its fulfilling, its satisfying, it has no negative aspects. When Love is said, it takes grief, loneliness, discontentment, wrong thoughts, and pride completely away, when this type of love is shown, its breathtaking, its not a diamond placed in a box, its not a fancy dinner, its not one sided, its not rushed, it is demonstrated in that, while the recipient may never accept it, its ALWAYS offered.

This love is not humanly possible.

This is the Love of Christ.

How 'bout for Valentine's Day, you look back at what Love really is....

you will never know love..........

.......until you know Christ.........

..............because Christ is Love.

For God so LOVED the world....

But God commendeth His LOVE toward us......

.....while we were YET SINNERS.....

.....Christ died for us.....HE STILL LOVES US.

so, do you know love?

Or do you THINK you know love?

thats it this round folks,

Chris-Ps. 29:11

Have you ever been so bored you don't know what to do? Of all days this is happening on New Years Eve for me lol. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm going over to a friends house with a buncha people and we're gonna play games, and watch the ball drop, but like right now. I said hey to a couple ppl on facebook, studied a lil in Isaiah for Sunday School, finished a note in my Dueteronomy study (chapter 31 now...almost there lol) and now I'm here. Chillin'

So as 2007 wraps up and comes to a close (hmm, thats a good way to kill time...), you have to think back on what all happened. Some of the things or milestones I guess you could call them, maybe memories is a better word...yeah, sounds good.

January- Ohio State loses the national championship game to Florida in football, okay, yeah I know, why start out with negative, well, it happened in JANUARY!!Kenric announces his resignation at VBT, all of a sudden we have no idea who is going to take over as pastor when Bro. Todd retires, but an entire church began trusting God, we knew he would bring the right man in for the job. I also began working as a waiter at LaRosa's pizzeria, with my former youth pastor...which was a lil awkward as, well, I won't go into that.

February- League with a purpose, our basketball program for kids came to a close, and Bro. Sterling, our Sunday School superintendent asked if I could take over teaching as the Sr. High sunday school teacher. Well, of course .  

March- Ohio State loses the national championship game to Florida....again. Basketball this time. I sat in on the Junior Camp planning meeting and became the soundman for Junior camp and counselor as well. (looks like no Island this summer...sad times about that, but it was okay though.)

April- I turn 24...man I'm old... got a lil nervous that I wouldn't have enough money to pay for the may school class I needed to take as well. God provided in that area though, and it was paid for. I had a meeting with Bro. Todd about the possibility of youth pastor. Rick was brought in from Spain to preach and answer a call to possibly become the new pastor of VBT. I left LaRosa's

May- graduation and May school, took fine arts to finish out my studies. Met a good friend . Saw Pirates 3 when it was released.

June- Pastor Todd retires. Rick becomes new pastor of VBT. Asks to meet with me. Junior camp comes, and goes well, Sr. camp comes at Chataqua, Pastor Rick went as well, very encouraging conversation. Got a job at the golf course.  

July- I went to PA! Had a blast in the Amish country. Went to a few Reds games.

August-Accepted position of Assistant Youth Pastor and Word of Life Co-ordinater at VBT. A Relationship was ended, and a friendship was continued.

September- Lock-in was a blast for the youth group, WOL kicked off, youth group peaked at 54.

October- Saved for 18 years. Praise God. Created Trick or Treat tract with Pastor Rick and Megan to pass out to trick or treaters. Went up to WOLBI for campus days with some teens, some some old friends.

November- Got to be team leader for Superbowl in Columbus, a lot of salvation decisions that night. Homerun derby went well.

December-missions trip to Dominican Republic announced. Teen caroling, and party. Christmas!

Today.

it was a good year.

Have a happy new one in 2008!!

thats it this round folks,

-Chris ps. 29:11

Wow, sometimes you forget about things...June was my last entry.... six months..lol A lot has happened in six months. But we won't go into it all, if you know me, you know whats been going on .

Anyways, how bout a nice Christmas memory? We're gonna jump back to Christmas day, 1987.

you know its coming

STORY TIME FOLKS!!! EVERYBODY GATHER 'ROUND THE FIRE!!!

Ah yes, 1987, back when Ghostbusters was the coolest thing ever, there were only four Star Trek Movies to date, Hannah Montana wasn't even born, and I had hair. Why would I pick that particular Christmas to talk about after a six-month absence from Xanga?

Because I'm still random

All year long, I had been mezmorized by a gray little box known as the Nintendo Entertainment system. I wanted one. Being the excited four year old I was, I was fascinated with its awesome 8-bit color, hand controller, and *gasp*, you could PAUSE THE GAME!!! I just didn't know what to think, or how to go about getting one, 3 bucks a week allowance meant that I had to save for an entire year, plus sum...then the idea hit me...

Santa.

Had to plan ahead for this one, this was by far the biggest gift I had ever asked for from the jolly old fella. I mean he had done good the past three years of my life, I didn't want him to think I was trying to take advantage of his elves with my fourth Christmas and all, so I started being nice in July, after all, five month of solid nice-ness had to equal a nintendo, am I right? OK so being four I didn't really think it out that far in advance, but man did I try. So I had to get the list to my parents so that they could get the list to Santa, after all everyone knows parents have a direct connection with Kringle himself. So they looked at the list, which consisted of three things:

1. A Nintendo.

2. A Nintendo.

3. Ghostbuster figures.

Mom and Dad took a look, then glanced at each other, and said the words that pierced through me like a hot knife to warm butter....

"Chris, I don't know if Santa can make something electrical like that."

AKA its too expensive. See, at this age, obviously Santa was a real deal to me, so I had no clue that it was really mom and dad that got the gifts, and yeah, a nintendo was a chunk of change...200 bucks actually. So I did what any other four year old would do at that thought...

I cried.

Finally, the big day arrived, and despite knowing Santa couldn't make something "electrical" like that I was willing to forgive him, after all, the tree was loaded underneath with presents. I got some play-dough, and a ton of ghostbuster toys, which made me happy, then I opened up a smaller box-like package, and at first I got a lil excited because I noticed the Ghostbuster logo, but then I felt disgust in my stomach afterwards as I looked in the bottom corner.

It was a Ghostbuster Nintendo game.

SANTA!!! YOU FAILED!! I DIDN'T HAVE A NINTENDO AND NOW YOU MOCK ME BY GIVING ME A NINTENDO GAME TO PLAY ON THE NINTENDO I DON'T HAVE??? OH THE CRUELTY, MY, MY, MY SANTA, I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T SCREW UP WHEN YOU CHECKED YOUR LIST BUT MAN DID YOU MESS UP THIS TIME!!!

To top it off, my Dad looks down and is like:

"Santa, must have already thought you had a Nintendo..."

Why would you say something like that to your kid? I mean it was bad enough Santa let me down, but then Dad has to go and rub it in, thanks Dad, appreciate it. My mom, feeling bad, offers to bring me a cup of hot cocoa, so I say yeah sure, that sounds good, maybe some Christmas hot chocolate will help soothe the pain I felt of not recieving that nintendo. So she gets up, and a few minutes later she calls out from the kitchen...

"Chris! Randy!(dad) Come in here!"

wondering what the deal was, I head into the kitchen to see a huge box wrapped in Christmas gift wrap, with a tag that simply read: "To the Bowles family, it was too big to fit under the tree, from Santa."

I didn't know what to think about it, then mom tells me to go ahead and open it. So I kneel down, and begin tearing the paper off, and as soon as I saw the black and red, I knew what had happened.

"What is it Chris?"

As if they didn't know...

"ITS A NINTENDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

immediately it was opened and enjoyed for many, many Christmas's afterwards as well.

so there ya have it, one great Christmas memory from my head, to xanga, to your eyes, hope you enjoyed it.

Have A Merry Christmas.

THATS IT THIS ROUND FOLKS, UNTIL NEXT TIME,

-Chris-Ps. 29:11

The curveball.

So there I was, on deck in the practice circle ready to take my turn to help out the team in any way I could with my upcoming at-bat. There were several options I could do to help out the team, a single would lift spirits, a double would fire up confidence, a triple would bring out a fierce focus among the bench, and a home run would do all of the above. These, however, were not all of my options, there was also the option to bunt, and sprint down the basline to test the pitcher's fielding ability, or waiting on many pitches to go by to see if I could earn a base through four balls.

No matter how I got on base, the fact of the matter was I needed to succeed in the batters box.

"STRIKE THREE....YER OUT!!!" The ump yells as the batter before me fails in his attempt to aid the team. He slumps down and slowly walks back to the dug out, wondering to himself what might have happened if he would have swung at that one pitch that looked as if it may have been just outside....

Nothing hurts more than a strikeout.

Striking out is an 80-20 percent ratio. 20 percent good pitching, 80 percent mental failure on the batters part.  The batter knows that in order to strike out, there has to be either three swings of the bat....and failure, or three pitches that sail over home plate, that could have been hit.....but weren't.

As the batter started to come my way and back into the dugout, his head was drooped down so low I couldn't see his face. I did my best to encourage him as he walked by me.

"Hey, its all good man, you'll get him next time."  He paused for a slight moment and drew in a deep sigh, he then reached up and took off his batting helmet to wipe the sweat away from his forehead as he then looked at me for the first time.

"Easy for you to say, you haven't faced this kind of pitching yet." My jaw dropped open, not due to the fact of the statement that this batter had just made, but what drew shock out of my system was the fact that the batter that had just struck out....was ME.

Granted, it didn't make sense, I was on-deck, taking practice swings the whole time I heard each strike being called, yet there I was, staring myself in the face. I paused a moment to look over into the dugout only to be shocked even more, as I realized the entire team, each and every face, was mine. I played first base through third base, all outfield positions, and catcher. This being the case, I thought I knew the game, losing was not something I had grown used to. So who was this pitcher that would throw such intricate pitches to not only strike me out, but have my entire team strategizing over how to hit what he threw? 

"BATTER UP! COME ON LETS PLAY BALL!!"  the ump roared, clearly agitated by the wasted time the two ball players were taking over by the on deck circle. I regained my composure and walked out to the batters box. I did my normal routine, I swung the bat twice, and then entered the batters box. I drew an imaginary line across home plate reminding myself where and when to swing when the pitch would finally come. I raised my shoulder and slowly rotated my wrists to keep the bat loose in my hands so I could swing harder and faster. Finally I looked down the line to the pitchers mound up at the pitcher for the first time. 

The bill of his hat covered his face not allowing me to recognize who he was as he took the sign from his catcher. He set in his stance, I gripped the bat harder, he then gave the wound up, and the pitch, I took a step forward and....

"STRRRRIIIIIKE"

wait, the catcher already had the ball? How was that possible?  I had been playing ball my whole life and have never seen a pitch like that. As the catcher threw the ball back to the pitcher I asked the ump if the pitch was legal.

"It was a strike wasn't it?"

All I needed to hear apparently. the pitcher was ready once again, but so was I, this time I knew what to expect. The pitcher released the ball, I took a step and....

"STRRRRRIIIIKE TWWOOOO!"

No way.

Impossible.

That pitch was right down the middle, faster than anything I had ever seen in my life. The catcher threw the ball back to the pitcher, who then turned around to pick up his resyn sock to keep his pitching hand dry. While he was turned, I thought I recognized him, but couldn't quite tell, he turned back around to prepare for his next pitch, bill still down over his face. I needed a moment to think.

"Hey blue, Time out..."

"TIME OUT BATTER!"

I stepped out of the batters box hold the bat with both hands, focusing solely on the pitcher, who for the first time, removed his hat so he could wipe his forehead finally revealing who he was.

The pitcher was God.

Suddenly, I realized what this whole game was about.

It was then I heard the voice of my manager...

"Chris! You gotta get a hit man! The game rests on you man! You can do this, I know how this pitcher pitches! I've seen his worst, and I've dealt with it, I've trained you to be ready for it. You've read up on the notes I've given you at practice now go and DO IT!!!" 

I looked over and smiled because my manager was right. I knew I could handle this kind of pitching....no matter how difficult it was, or could be.

I stepped back into the batters box and dug my feet in, looked down the line and waited for the pitch.

"TIME IN!" the ump yelled as the pitcher was ready to deliver.

He wound up, and released. Suddenly everything slowed down.....

the pitch is outside the box, I don't need to swing, its gonna be a ball....

the pitch continued to make itself to the plate and I noticed how the ball was spinning in mid-air....

that was when it began to cut itself back towards the inside of the plate.

cutting HARD.......about fourteen inches putting it right back into the strike zone.

I was looking at a perfect curveball.

I started my swing, the fielders got into their ready position, I could hear my breathe and sense my pulse pounding.

half way through the swing, the ball was almost there.....

"CRACK!"

I had made contact with the ball, and it began to fly, I took off toward first base. Not looking where the ball was I didn't hesitate as I rounded second, it was then I heard the umpire yell...

"HOMERUN!"

I slowed my pace, and was greeted at home plate by my team, and lastly by the manager.

"I knew you could do it, you just needed to listen to me."

I smiled and put my hand on his shoulder.

My manager has seen it all, he knows what to expect from the ace pitcher. He knows the game.

My manager is Jesus.

We go through life, and we see many, MANY curveballs that we don't know how to deal with. They test our mind, they test our emotion, and they test our very will to carry on. It says in the Bible that " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" This being the case, "all things" includes those elusive curveballs we never expect. So take confidence, take joy, and take a swing.

Batter up.

Thats it this round folks,

-Chris Ps. 29:11