I always know where you're coming from.

It's late at night here, but I just remembered that Bell X1 will be releasing a live acoustic album soon and wanted to share this with all the music fans out there:

http://www.bellx1.com/shop/FieldRecordings.htm

For those who don't know, Bell X1 is an Ireland-based band that is, frankly, a lyrical beast. Go listen to "Beautiful Madness" if you don't believe me. Or "Eve, the Apple of My Eye." They are just that good, my friends. :)

And for those who aren't huge fans of awesome music, there's always the new film The Amazing Spider-Man. Why, yes, I do occasionally go to the movies. And let's just say that this one lives up to the adjective in its title. Majorly. So go see it. If you disliked Tobey Macguire as Spider-Man, go see it (Andrew Garfield is nothing like him). If you have a fondness for C. Thomas Howell (who played Ponyboy in the film The Outsiders), go see it (he's not a huge character, but he has a few lines and is definitely cool as usual). And finally, if for some strange reason you like the Sheen family, go see it. No, Charlie thankfully does not make an appearance; Martin Sheen plays Uncle Ben winningly. :)

Now you've been recommended some Bell X1 and even a movie. Hooray! Also, here's a picture for reading my opinions:

This here was taken by me. It's Jason Castro, y'all, from when I saw him in concert last month.


Finally, I will leave you with some things I've learned lately:

1. Stand up for yourself and others. Sometimes speaking up is the right thing to do. It may be hard to tell someone you're angry with him or her, but if it's a serious matter, you should definitely confront them. Why go around pretending all of the time? We're not puppets on a string. And I don't ever want humanity to lose the freedom to choose what is right from what is wrong. God gave us that freedom, and humans have no right to take that away.

2. Life is hard, unfair, and good all at the same time. Appreciate it. Even in the midst of struggle and disappointments, there are still always going to be things to look forward to. And for that matter, there are things that are good right now. The present is a wonderful time.

3. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are the best fictional couple ever, and credit is due J.K. Rowling for making them up.

Okay, so the last thing listed wasn't all that intelligent, but I wanted to lighten the mood a bit. :) And what better way to lighten the mood than to make a Harry Potter reference? I love that series.
All right. I know when it's time for me to get some sleep. So enjoy the life you have, and don't look back so much at things that don't matter. Here and now is all we have on this earth. Don't waste your time, and look to God for the answers. Always.

~

 ^"Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other." - Deuteronomy 4:39

For reasons unkown.

Things change whether we want them to or not. This is something I've had to learn as time and again a new life situation presents itself as the old, familiar ways begin to fade into oblivion. Yet God does not change. And this is a comfortable thought. Humanity continually changes for the worse, but God remains as faithful as ever. Every day I turn on the news and grimace as more and more crimes are reported. I have to wonder what other terrible things have happened that no one has discovered yet. It is clear that our world has come to a sad fate. But there is still hope. There is still good in the world. Read the Bible. Lives change.

"The earth is filled with Your love, O Lord; teach me Your decrees." - Psalm 119:64

Freedom. And Life.

Freedom is important. The freedom to walk outside and appreciate God's creation. The freedom to step away from the world of responsibilities and deadlines that shorten the years of one's life. The freedom of speech provided in the First Amendment. Freedom should not be used for evil. The freedoms that have been given us came with a price. We did not earn them. Someone came before us and paved the way. I think that perhaps we should remember that the next time we focus on our own petty needs, neglecting to notice the hurting people around us. We have the freedom to be selfish, but the freedom to deny ourselves can be forever savored, forever valued. I am not important. But what I can do, what I can say to help others, to point them toward their Maker-that is important. Without God, freedom does not exist. So treasure your life and the people in it while you can. Freedom is once in a lifetime.

"I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free." -Psalm 119:32