Crazy weekend.

First, on Saturday, The Lone Strangers went to play at the grand opening of a new sanctuary at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church in Omaha, NE.

On Monday, Pat, Dave, and I went to see Metallica.

Check out all my pics from the concert.

Then today I went to see President Bush at the Farm Progress show near Ankeny. Though this picture below is as close as I got to him. See if you can pick him out of the crowd. (I got yelled at by an agent for climbing up onto a wood pile to take this :)).

Here are the rest of my photos from going to see Bush.

How was your weekend?

The UDA fellowship team has been throwing hot dog cook outs for the students on the weekends. I think this picture pretty much captures the event.

I am moving this site to a different server (wombat, the same as notourhome sites). No slight to the wonderful guys at Cramer Dev, I just want my photos and site on the same server so i can integrate the two. (check out Tim Borseth’s site to see what I mean.)

The only thing that this might affect over here is comments. If you leave a comment the next day or two, it may or may not show up. :)

Ciao!

The Iowa State Daily has never been known for its ace reporting, or informed editorials. But every now and then (when the alignment of certain planets is just-so) there is a hillarious opinion column. Today was the second good one I’ve ever seen.

Forget Orientation, this is real freshmen advice.

Some highlights:

If you find that your clothes smell bad for whatever reason pour a half a bottle of Febreze into your laundry hamper and stir it around with a broom handle. That should help.

Nevermind that fabreeze wasn’t invented until my junior year…

Never forget that you are in college to learn. Learning is your biggest priority during your time here at Iowa State, and your thirst for newly acquired knowledge shouldn’t just be quenched by classes. This is a school of discovery, so go out invent elaborate and highly technical dorm room pranks.

Like pouring 40 gallons of water down the elevator from the 9th floor of Towers. Brilliant, guys.

And last but certainly not least:

And by the way, that goddess that sits by you in Chem 177 is high maintenance. Run screaming in the opposite direction.

Amen, brother. Amen.

I’m not usually one for heated political debate, or political propaganda, and especially not political rallies, but I went to one yesterday. Pastors and leaders of local conservative churches were invited to hear Dr. Ralph Reed tell us how/why we need to get our congregations to vote.

I try not to tout my conservative/republican bent to heavily because it can affect the effect one has with outreach on a primarily liberal campus with a primarily liberal (read: uninformed/naive) student population.

That’s right. I called liberal students naive :)

BUT let me set the record straight. I by no means am of the opinion that to be a smart/upstanding/christian human being one must be conservative or republican. I don’t see conservativism as an ultimate good, republican as perfect, or liberalism as brash and unwise. In fact, I think to nail yourself into one of these categories is unwise at best, dangerous at worst. Rather, you should take the time to filter all sides and all views through the authority of scripture. Don’t just assume that because something is conservative, or republican, that it is right. People are imperfect. This world is a tricky place, and the enemy is smarter than you are. Saying that if you are Christian, you have to be republican/conservative is putting the cart before the horse. Also, I think Jesus was very, very liberal, and that we have really bastardized the word liberal. I mean, come on, ANYONE can be saved??

That being said, I do think it takes about 30 seconds for a Christian to discern the Bush is the only right choice for them. On issues such as human life, homosexuality, marriage, and other moral issues, the choice is very easy. On economic issues, a little realism, research, and consideration of our present situation with all its mitigating factors, puts to rest doubts that are rightfully in the minds of a lot of Americans.

But here is my single most important thing I could possible say: VOTE. We have an INCREDIBLE blessing in this country (actually we have many): being able to have a say in our government. Unfortunately, as with most (all) our priveleges (being able to posses a bible without fear of death), we take it exteremely for granted, and do nothing with it. Vote. And if you aren’t going to, give me your vote. I’ll help you get registered, get an absentee ballot, and I’ll help you fill it out.

Don’t throw out any of those garbage excuses about legislating morality or separation of church and state or what some rockstar thinks about Bush.

You have a conscience, you have a vote; if you use the first without the second, your conscience really isn’t good for a lot… if you use the second without the first (coughjohnkerrycough) you are dangerous.

Also, if you aren’t sure when/where you will be able to vote, get an absentee ballot.

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.

And here, if you don’t know where to start to get registered to vote:

If you are in story county: Go here to download the registration form

If not: Go here to get started with your registration.