Archive for September, 2008

A friend of mine

A friend of mine is trying to make it as a singer/songwriter. So, he asked that me and some others try to help out in some way. So I’m posting the link to where you can hear his album. I’ve listened to some of it and it’s not too shabby. (I also want you to know that I ate buffalo today…seriously)

http://www.fromthornstoroses.com/

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On a lighter note

I had an assist in a soccer game tonight…in Mexico. We won in a shootout. Thank you. That is all. Oh, and I miss you guys.

Prayer: Surgery

Hey VIFL,

I’d like to ask you guys to pray for me from now through probably the next month or so. I have to get surgery for my ill-behaving colon. No medications, even steroids, are doing the trick. The good thing is that I should be disease-free, at least for a while*, after the surgery.

There are two places that are messed up from the disease: one near my ilium and one in my small bowel (I think). Basically, they will cut out those two areas and connect the ends together. It shouldn’t be a big deal, since there is, like, at least 6 extra feet of colon anyway.

What I really need prayer for right now…is the wait. If I had a choice, I’d be under the knife right now to get it over with, but I can’t even get an appointment to talk with the surgeon until October 6th. This kind of sucks, since right now getting up from a chair or taking a walk can be painful. It even hurts for food to digest. Some days are all right and I can get by with just a simple stomach ache, but other days are severely painful. I’m on Vicodin, but that doesn’t even mask the pain a lot of times; and I’m not really enthusiastic about popping addictive painkillers for a month or more.

Crohn’s is very psychologically troubling too, because it will act capriciously and unpredictably. Sometimes it will make you think that it’s completely gone, when in the next hour you’ll cramp up again and be curled up in a corner some place. This may sound kind of strange, but it’s as though there’s something hateful in the center of your body, always trying to inflict upon you a new form of agony.

I’m really hoping that I won’t go through another severe bout of the disease while I’m waiting. That would SUCK.

But once I’m out of recovery, I should be a happy camper. Chips and salsa for me again! :)

* Crohn’s is, in many ways, a mysterious disease that doctors don’t really understand. One of its “mysteries” has to do with the surgery. Doctors can cut out the diseased area of the colon, removing the disease COMPLETELY, but for some strange reason, the disease will pop back up around the exact same place that was surgically removed. The good thing is, after it’s removed, I have a clean slate with the disease, which means another chance to live better, eat healthier, and prevent it from coming back again.

Jesus

I love Jesus. Some of you knew me before I was a “real” Christian. Some of you know the struggle I’ve had before, during, and still after my conversion. I’ve been striving after Jesus the best way I can full force over the last two years. I still mess up and I still let some of my old habits creep out. Yet, my continual transformation to become more like Christ has not only given me a purpose and a challenge, but a better life. I don’t try to hide from things as much. I don’t cover things up like I used to. Sure, I still make mistakes….some just as bad as before. I actually come to tears when I sin sometimes…I collapsed and cried in the shower the other day and prayed for forgiveness for things over the last few months. I’m wanting to have the heart and attitude of David mixed with Paul. The repentant heart and spirit even in the face of my own carnal mishaps. I want to be outspoken for Christ even unto death. I want to get rid of my sinful pleasures and my borderline Christianity. In everything I try to view it as a mission…what does it mean when I do something. It means I am displaying my efforts to be like or not like Christ. I am not able to do this on my own. Yes, I need the Spirit (Who is Himself God) to guide and direct me. When I do something iffy, I am making people see an iffy Christ. I have no right to just decide what is right and wrong, to just do what I want. I have been given the gift of freewill (Within the context of me choosing my decisions, not in the aspect that God knows what I will, am, and have done and therefore create the paradoxical illusion of being confined outside of free will. This is my opinion.) and yet I need to realize that I gave myself to Christ. I have chosen to be God’s slave and it’s not a bad gig. He provides food, clothing, housing, a pass to see the world, and many other blessings. God is a good master. I guess I’m rambling…but I want you to know that I’m gonna be putting all of you who are on the VIFL list in my prayer journal. I am going to pray that you seek and find just as I am choosing to do for the rest of my life. That you can have the joy despite circumstances. To take in God like you are addicted to Him. I love you all…..and I hope, and will pray, that I get to see each one of you after death in Heaven, whatever Heaven may be. Brothers, for eternity.

If…

If I was naked right now I’d tell you……..I’m not naked. Sorry guys.

it is finished…

the site is now running well on the dtd server. let me know if you guys notice any bugs.

also, i noticed that the vifl.net domain is about to expire. I say we all paypal jon 5 or 10 bucks to buy the domain for the next several years.

jon?


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