My Heart Beats in 7/8 [entries|friends|calendar] Stephen Rouse [ userinfo | livejournal userinfo ] [ calendar | livejournal calendar ]

Lord, Help Me in My Prosperity [11 Mar 2007|11:12pm] [ mood | G maj ] [ music | Working on the music for this hymn. ] Lord, help me in my prosperity, To see all You have done, To count all the blessings You multiply Before each day is done. Lord, help me in my prosperity, To not forget Your hand, The hand to so richly provides each day, The hand that helps me stand. Lord, help me see my prosperity, And with each passing day, May I use each blessing You've given me To magnify Your name. Lord, may I give my prosperity To others and to You, That some other's load may be lighter now, That Your work grow anew. find the beat

Snow, District Band, Opportunites [09 Feb 2007|07:30am] [ mood | Eb maj 9 ] [ music | Julianne Metzger- We'll All Just Wait and See ] "For to the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,' And to the downpour and the rain, 'Be strong.'" -Job 37:6 http://media.putfile.com/Sled-Crash-67 ________________________________________________________________ I'm currently playing a song in District Honor Band called Abram's Pursuit. It's written by David Holsinger, who is also our director for district band this year. He used to be affiliated with some music programs at a denominational group somewhere, and drew the inspiration for this piece from Genesis 14:14-16 "When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people. ________________________________________________________________ We've had some wonderful opportunities recently at the North Charlottesville church of Christ: -- A few weeks ago, my family had a Christian man named Ty stay with us for about a week. He is a lawyer, and a special conference/lawyer-training-type-thing was what brought him to our neck of the woods. -- Interestingly enough, another lawyer, Mike Jones, has been with us from California. He is enlisted in the military as a lawyer, and he was required to come here to VA to the "JAG School" (I'm not entirely sure what that entails, but apparently it has to do with being an army lawyer). He is actually a preacher back in his home state of California, and he gave a great presentation last Sunday about tried-and-tested methods of reaching complete strangers with the Gospel. Hopefully the powerpoint and audio of his presentation will be posted on the congregation's website soon. http://www.cvillechurch.com -- There may be a family of 5 visiting us (and possibly joining) in the near future. They're also considering one of the liberal congregations in town. Please keep them in your prayers. ________________________________________________________________ Psalm 63:3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. Think about it. Real hard. find the beat

Challenge yourself. [19 Jan 2007|12:04am] [ mood | Eb maj 5 ] [ music | Sumphonia- Our Faithful Care ] I'm still working on the winter camp post, as well as a post about praying to Jesus (including praying in song). But, until then, here's some serious food for thought... Back in AL, a friend of mine wore a shirt that said simply this: Friends don't let friends go to hell. And it made me think. "And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh." -Jude v22-23 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." -1 Corinthians 5:10 Tell somebody. Be wise. Have compassion. Challenge yourself. find the beat

And thus it begins... [07 Jan 2007|12:12am] [ mood | F maj 9 (b5) ] [ music | Anathallo- Hanasakajijii (Part I- The Angry Neighbor) ] ______E___ ______c___ ______c___ ___E__l___ ___p__e___ ___h__s__P ___e__i__s J__s__a__a e__i__s__l r__a__t__m e__n__e___ m__s__s__1 i_ _______1 a__3__9__9 h__:__:__: ___2__1__9 2__0__0__7 9__-______ :__2______ 1__1______ 1_________ find the beat

Many Things [23 Dec 2006|03:19am] [ mood | C maj 4 (low A) ] [ music | Anathallo- Dokkoise House (with face covered) ] Battered and bruised by many-a snarling AP exam, our hero limps to the crest of the first semester peak, waving aloft his scarred sword in a gesture of ecstasy and victory. He shouts aloud, his voice resounding through the mountainous regions, amplified by the sheer face of the rock, "I have fought through perils and treacheries most of you can only imagine, and have emerged... Oh, wrong movie. But really, I did finish my exams today. Winter break has officiously begun. And that makes me thankful for so many things. Namely the fact that the Lord has brought me safely through another semester of my life, and nearly though the year of 2006. It's amazing. This time last year I was still pretty much numb from the move. My Father has worked in ways too awesome for my mind to comprehend, and I've somehow been brought out of this experience strengthened in ways I never would have pondered. Lately, this strengthening has come though a couple of really close friends who I've been able to share some struggles with, and I think we're all benefiting from it in ways I couldn't have understood until I decided to share my struggles with others. Guys, Paul wasn't kidding when he commanded us to bear one another's burdens. And this command wasn't just for us to have another law to keep, but so that we might not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Perhaps He's given you a light load. Pick up some of someone else's. Perhaps He's given you a heavier load. Allow someone to bear some of it with you. Sometimes it's harder to receive help than to give it. Sometimes we think we're something, and forget just how much help we really need. But, whatever load you may have to bear, know that it is ultimately bearable! And often the way in which it is made bearable is by allowing others to share the burden. Confess your sins each another! Pray for each other! Never grow weary in doing good! find the beat

Falcon Days, WKU Visit, Opportunities, and Thanksgiving [16 Dec 2006|04:47pm] [ mood | Eb maj 2nd ] [ music | Imogen Heap- Hide and Seek ] The month of November has been one the most grueling, yet encouragement-packed times of my life. The following is a brief synopsis of the last four or so weeks, which I may extend in later posts for posterity's sake. Falcon Days -- I find it hard to express this visit in only a few words, but may it suffice to say that I am looking forward to attending FC next fall. -- On this visit, got to spend some time with some wonderful Christians, including, but most certainly not limited to: Brian Harber, Aaron Clayton, and Katherine Mitchell (who is doing much better after her surgery, but still recovering). Many thanks to Brian and Josh Fisher for putting up with me, and another load of thanks to Aaron and his housemates for providing me with accommodations and much encouragement. -- I ended up auditioning for the band scholarship with Mr. Rainwater, and the outlook for securing a scholarship is looking quite good. -- Got more of a feel for FC, its campus, its classes, and some of the people. Nope, it's not perfect. Yes, it's a great place to start and a great opportunity for encouragement and the building of Christian Relationships. WKU Visit -- Spent most of Saturday and half of Sunday with the wonderful company of Hannah Roy and Julianne Metzger. Apart from the college visit itself, many good times were had. -- Got some surprising results from the college visit. It's not looking like I would be going there for engineering, but perhaps for music or various other majors. Their honors program does look quite promising, however, and I may well be a part of that should I end up at Western. -- Went to the home football game on Saturday evening, mainly for the purpose of seeing the Big Red Marching Band, who I wasn't as impressed with as I thought I would be, but perhaps because they didn't perform their usual show, but instead did a patriotic show for Veterans' Day. -- Had an absolutely wonderful and encouraging visit to Eastside church of Christ on Sunday morning. Everything from the classes to the Lord's Supper to the singing to the sermon was incredibly helpful in focusing on the Object of our worship and a hearty push in the direction of living a holier life. I was also blessed with the opportunity to meet several people, some of them WKU students, one of whom is even a percussion major. -- This trip, much like the FC visit, helped in the way of growing more familiar with the campus and what it has to offer, and after the fact, WKU stands as a prominent possibly in the post-FC college lineup. New Opportunities -- So last Friday (17th), the AHS jazz ensemble attended a band directors' convention on the far west side of Virginia. We played 9 songs, including: Strike Up the Band, Blue Rondo a La Turk, My Funny Valentine, Max, They Can't Take That Away From Me, Mambo Hot, and a couple of others. -- The interesting part came on the trip home when Nick (our piano player) asked me about the passage where Elisha sets two bears on the boys who called him "baldy." While this was somewhat funny, it initiated an excellent religious discussion on a variety of topics. -- After a few minutes of speaking, we were joined by Kurt Walters, who was also interested. We talked about things like the Gospel of Judas, the Da Vinci Code, and various religious denominations. -- About an hour into the 2 1/2 hour drive home, we were joined by one of the bass players named Doug. His is a self-proclaimed "deist", which is in practice an atheist who does believe in a "higher being" of some sort. His idea that "you really can't know anything for sure" somewhat shut down the scriptural discussions we'd been having before, as it's rather impossible to argue with that viewpoint, since nothing is provable. -- The wonderful outcome of this, however, is that several people overheard our conversation on the bus and seem very interested in discussing religious things. Ideally, I'd love to work out a time and place for a group study to take place, and then go from there. Please pray for these guys, as it seems many of them are sincere and have a desire for the truth. --post to be completed later-- find the beat

Districts, End of MB, New Hymn, and Prayers [01 Nov 2006|08:44pm] [ mood | Bb 7 ] [ music | Cavaliers 2006- Machine ] So a ton of stuff happened last week and last weekend, including the cross country team actually making it to regionals and my final marching band performance. But, time fails me at the moment, so there will be more on this later. ___________________________________________________________ Songwriting does not happen often, but when it hits, seven verses later you're like... whoa... Currently Untitled I either love You or I hate You, Lord. There is no in between. As I press on, Lord, help me walk by faith And live for things unseen. No man can serve two masters, yet it seems That I still often try. Lord, help me find those things that steal my love And then let those things die. Sometimes I think that I serve You so well And have no room to grow. Yet Lord, I know that I can ne'er repay The debt of love I owe. Sometimes I think that I have reached my goal And I have giv'n my all. But yet, when I compare myself to You I realize I'm so small. Lord, with so many things that want my time, I often leave You out. Lord, help me tear these things out from my heart, For You're what life's about. When I'm distracted by the cares of life And all earth's vanity, Please help me, Lord, to know that soon will come The end of all these things. Sometimes I feel that all the plans I've made Are surely the best way. But, Lord, Your plan for me is what I need To lead me home someday. ___________________________________________________________ Katherine Mitchell, a friend of mine and a freshman at FC, came down suddenly with appendicitis yesterday, and is having surgery to remove her appendix in the very near future. Prayers are greatly appreciated. find the beat

::gasps for air:: ::smiles:: [20 Oct 2006|09:15pm] [ mood | Eb major ] [ music | Sumphonia- Be Strong and Courageous ] Has it seriously been over a month since I updated? Time flies when you're drowning in high-speed blessings. I cannot begin to explain just about how busy I've been, and it is by no means over yet. Lists are cool, and much more readable, so I'll try one of those. I'll try to keep it reasonably brief. -School- Oh dearie me. Amoung differential equasions, Beowulf, Scrooge's Political Ideology, and circular motion, I feel a whole lot like butter... spead over too much bread. With so many things vying for my time, homework has been coming up short as of late, and rather consistently. This does not help grades. But there is time yet to improve. -Band- Wonderful. Downside is that 2 competitions got rained out a couple of weeks ago: one completely cancelled, the other we just played the music standing on the track. Bummer. The show is close to real goodness. Final home game (ever) is on Friday. States is Saturday. Then one more competition the next week and my high school marching band experience is more or less done. I really don't know how to feel about that. -Cross Country- Incredible. I'm finally, finally making a break through from the times I ran my freshman year. About time, eh? Did very poorly at "Mudfest" due to the conditions, and had a bit of a scare the following Monday (a week ago today) with my legs and lungs kinda locking up at practice. But that turned out super well, as I went on to run a PR by 30 seconds with an 18:02 on Saturday at the AHS meet, and, get this, with ONE SHOE. Somebody stepped on it at about the half mile mark, and I couldn't get it back on, so I just kicked it off and finished with one shoe. Then threw up 5 times after the race and felt GREAT. Ah, the joys of cross country. -The North Charlottesville church of Christ- Saved the best for last. I can't believe I haven't mentioned this earlier, but Mark Larson, our second full-time preacher, has been with us for a few weeks now with his wife and 2 very young daughters (2 and 1, I think). Mark and his family have already been an awesome asset to the work here, and hopefully the contacts will be able to really pick up as the Lord provides us with opportunities. Unfortunately, we're losing Steve and Dixie Cozad soon, as they're moving back to their home state of Texas in order to be closer to work and family. They will be sorely missed. However, there is also great rejoicing as Steve's brother, Mike Cozad, and his wife have recently identified with us. It continues to amaze me how the Lord provides for us and has allowed us to grow in number and in faith. I mean, in our group of about 20, we have 7 able song leaders, and 8 leaders of prayer and the Lord's table. The comforts He affords are neither few nor small! I'll tell ya, Romans 8:28 means more to me every day. find the beat

Hymns, Spiritual Drunkenness, and Many Other Things [17 Sep 2006|08:48pm] [ mood | D maj 7 ] [ music | Enya- Book of Days ] Life is currently being lived at a rather breakneck pace. So much stuff seems packed into every single day... Between marching band, cross country, 4 college level classes, and struggling to take time to be holy, breathing seems like a luxury at this point. But I don't think life, as we call it, has ever been better, so to speak. And it's all thanks to the Creator and Sustainer of it all. Go read 1 Peter chapter 1. Or, hey, read the whole book. It's wonderful. ________________________________________________________________ I've posted all of the hymns I've written/am currently writing in some of my rooms (http://www.pleonast.com/user/rooms.php?&userID=2038). Feel free to critique or suggest improvements, and, please, check my Scriptural accuracy. I'm not perfect, and I need to make sure these hymns are in complete harmony (no pun intended) with the Word. ________________________________________________________________ Something I've been thinking about lately... Most of the people I know don't have the tendency or inclination to drink or become physically drunk. Drinking causes all kinds of problems with memory, reflexes, and judgment. Alot of people just don't want to go that way, myself included. However Sometimes when we become focused on the pleasures and joys of life, though they are not inherently sinful of themselves, these worldly things can begin to affect our minds, and we can become, in a sense, spiritually drunk. Here's what sparked the thought... check out the word "sober" in these passages (NASB): - "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." -1 Peter 1:13 - "The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer." -1 Peter 4:7 - "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." -1 Peter 5:8 I realize that Peter wasn't talking about drunkenness here, but I think the concept of spiritual drunkenness applies. Just like being physically drunk, spiritual drunkenness affects our memory. When our minds are filled to bursting with things of this world, we forget God. Yes, for a time, He goes completely out of our mind. Whoa. Not a good state to be in. And this happens to me way more often than it should. We must keep God at the forefront of our minds! Challenge yourself. Be sober. Also, this state of spiritual drunkenness affects our reflexes. When we're confronted with sudden temptation, like what we should look at (or not look at) or what we should say, it's hard to be prepared when our minds aren't constantly dwelling on things above. When we're given an opportunity to bring up something spiritual into the conversation, will we have the reflexes to pick up on it and react, or just let the open door slide shut? Challenge yourself. Be sober. Most of all, a state of spiritual drunkenness affects our judgment. Satan is constantly seeking us, to make us stumble, to kill our souls for eternity. Have you ever stopped to think about that? When we let our mind drift aimlessly during our daily walk into the things of the world, it's like closing our eyes and taking our hands off the wheel of our spiritual lives. As much as God loves us, He won't fight our battles for us. In fact, God loves us too much to fight our battles for us. 1 Peter 1:6-9. Challenge yourself. Be sober. We can fight this battle. We can win! But fixing our eyes on Jesus requires more than just a passing glance. "But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." -2 Timothy 4:5-8 find the beat

A Minor No Longer and The Last First MB Performance [09 Sep 2006|12:04am] [ mood | Bb maj ] [ music | AHS MB 2006- An Offer You Can't Refuse ] 18. It's here before you know it. A week full of encouragment, religious conversations, friends, overdoses of homework, and in general a veritable smorgasbord of blessings. And to top it off, the birthday and my final first performance of a marching band show. I'm pretty much wiped out, but rest assured, more details are to come. Many, many thanks for the calls, cards, kind words, and gifts. I have a whole lot of praise to be giving back! 3 heart in rhythmhearts in rhythm |find the beat

The Beginning of the End (of High School), and Sentiments in Motion [26 Aug 2006|08:35pm] [ mood | C maj 2nd tritone ] [ music | Phantom Regiment 2003- Harmonic Journey ] If there was a theme song to Stephen Rouse's summer vacation of 2006, it would go something like this: Though I, through the valley of shadow O'er mountain or troubled sea, And oft in the darkness have travelled, The Lord has been mindful of me! Much more than my grief and my sorrow, Much more than adversity, Much more than and all I have given, The Lord has been mindful of me! I'm rich! I am saved! I am happy! I've heath and prosperity! I've friends! I have doors ever open! The Lord had been mindful of me! The Lord has been mindful of me! He blesses and blesses and blesses and blesses and blesses and blesses and blesses and blesses and blesses (and blesses) again! My God is the God of the living! How excellent is His name! ________________________________________________________________ A brief synopsis of the newly-begun Senior year: First of all, I still don't feel like a Senior. Maybe I will someday. Goals for this year: - Study God's Holy Bible for one hour each and every day. Absolutely no exceptions. - Keep prayer list updated both in names and in constant delivery. - Eat better, especially breakfast. - Hydrate throughout the day (in order to survive dual marching band and cross country in the fall, then indoor and outdoor track). - Get more sleep (doubtful, but possible with discipline). - Keep up with homework (as if I don't say this every year, but it must be done if FC is to be feasible). Schedule: (Alternating block schedule) Zero period: Marching band (Mr. Thomas- Incredibly difficult but incredibly awesome show this year. RED DAY 1-Wind Ensemble (Mr. Thomas)- Drumline right now, which is getting substantially better. Wind ensemble music looks awesome, too. 3-AP Physics (Mr. Wayne)- Great teacher. Enjoyable class. 5-AP Gov't/Economics (Ms. Strong)- Really good teacher. Difficult but interesting class. 7-Jazz band (Mr. Thomas)- Gonna be a great year. Currently playing: Just Friends, Mambo Hot, The Way You Look Tonight, and Blue Rondo a la Turk (sweet). BLUE DAY 2-PVCC Dual Enrollment English (Ms. Pavlo)- Really, really interesting class. Done some neat things about how our mind works when writing and how to write better. 4-AP Calculus BC (Ms. Hunt)- Gonna be a hard class. But I enjoy math to a degree. 6-Graphic Design (Ms. Crumpler, who is also the guys' cross country coach)- Easy class. Enjoyable. Lots of computers. 8- Activity Period (Now, Mr. Thomas)- This is a new thing this year, but now that I got trasferred into Mr. Thomas' class, along with the rest of the drumline and marching band, it should be called "Drumline / Percussion Ensemble". Oh man. I'm hyped about this class. Still working on making shorter posts. Its not working. Recently added to my piano composition. This rough sketch is 12 minutes and 50 seconds long. Title is tenatively "Sentiments in Motion", with the ongoing subject matter of "the move" and the first year here in Charlottesville. Many aplologies to all dial-up users. Enjoy: http://media.putfile.com/Sentiments-in-Motion-Incomplete I'm supposed to be meeting with a friend from the cross country team tomorrow between services to discuss religious beliefs. I'm really excited. This is a great guy and I think we can really have some good discussions. Prayers would be incredibly awesome. Prayers are incredibly awesome. find the beat

Band Camp 2006 and the Speed Limit [19 Aug 2006|11:25am] [ mood | Eb major 2nd ] [ music | Onevoice- I Sing the Mighty Power of God ] So, the last two weeks of my life have been largely spent carrying around a moderately heavy snare drum, marching around a hotter-than-preferable parking lot, and in general making a tremendous amount of sound with nine other individuals of the percussive persuasion. Verily, this year's show shall most assuredly rock your face off. In 10 somewhat grueling days (2 weeks, Mon-Fri, 1-10 p.m.), we learned 45 drill sets (29 in the first song, 16 in the second), learned a respectably difficult cadence (which is getting better), and sweated more than I'd like to think possible (eww). The Lord has been so wonderful to me in just allowing me the ability to glorify Him in this activity! There's also a veritable smorgasbord of spiritual analogies that pertain to marching band, which I will hopefully post on at some point in the relatively near future. But for now: ________________________________________________________________ Let's cut straight to the chase: Is speeding a sin? "Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing." -Romans 13:1-6 The speed limit, if taken to be a firm "law of the land", is an ordinance set in place by God through the rulers of the land. To violate it in any way, or any amount, would be violating the law of the land, and, thus, God's law. That's called sin. Sin separates us from God. This is incredibly serious. Now, consider this: Is the speed limit less of a "law", and more of a "suggestion" or "guideline"? If the speed limit is a law, speeding is sin. If the speed limit is a "guideline", then we get into a bit of a gray area. Something to consider would be the enforcement of the speed limit. If you're going 60 in a 55 zone, chances are, you're probably doing the same thing as the cars around you and are not in any real danger of getting pulled over. Law enforcement officials themselves often do not apply the speed limit literally. Does this justify speeding a little bit? Can we do just 5 miles over without it being sin? 10 miles over? Where do you draw the line? Also consider this: Whose standard are you using? Are we, by using the enforcement of this law as the standard, letting man's interpretation be our standard? Does God's binding of man's law on us still apply when man doesn't strictly enforce it? The fact is, I don't know where to draw the line. I don't know what what point speeding becomes a sin, if the speed limit is indeed a "guideline". I do know this: Going at or under the speed limit is acceptable in the sight of men and God at all times. Here's this verse again: "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." -1 Thess 5:21-22 Examine it for yourselves. Do what you know to be right. 1 heart in rhythmhearts in rhythm |find the beat

Young Men's Leadership Camp 2006: An Overview [10 Aug 2006|12:10am] [ mood | cheerful ] [ music | Onevoice- Alpha and Omega ] "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth..." -Ecclesiates 12:1 That verse, and the hymn "Lord, Speak to Me", were somewhat the theme of camp this year. Bit of a generic theme, but the classes were better than anything I've been in. They were as follows (in schedule order): 1. God's Plan for Man- Ken Craig If any of you have heard brother Craig's "Scheme of Redemption" material, this is the same thing in a 5 day format. Not alot of "new" material here, but things I certainly don't know well enough to present to others yet. 2. 2 Corinthians- Gary Fisher This was probably my very favorite class. If any of you have never met Mr. Fisher, he is an awesome teacher and an incredibly uplifting individual. It's easily the fastest paced and most scripture-packed class I've ever been in. I have a whole new appreciation for the work Paul did in Corith and his incredible devotion to the Work and to the glory of God. It makes me feel so inadequate. And makes me want to do so much better. 3. Proverbs- Gerry Sandusky An incredibly pracical class taught by an incredibly practical guy. He never got a high school education, but is such an excellent teacher from experience and passion. He taught one chapter of Proverbs a day, so we only covered chapters 1-5, but there's enough in there to keep you occupied for a lifetime. Literally. -Then , before lunch, we had 5 different speakers (one each day) come and speak to us about the Work in their respective countries. They are as follows: --David Maxson- China --Jeremy Paschal- Moldova (right next to Ukraine) --Gerry Sandusky- Africa (usually the southern countries) --Bobby Graham- Belize (Central America) --Danny Haynes- Israel -Alot of guys, including myself, were seriously considering making some kind of arrangments to visit some of these Works, but an excellent point was made: If you want to spread the Gospel in foreign lands, you've got to be willing to start in your own backyard with your friends and neighbors. Then Lunch. Good RYC food. Then sports for 2 hours. Utimate frisbee was a favorite. 4.Psalms- Paul Earnhart So yes, it's rather impossible to cover the Psalms in 5 classes. But we did gather some great lessons on the general nature of the Psalms and how they fall into catagories based on topic, purpose, and author. Great material. 5.Public Speaking- Guy Warner This guy also happens to be the public speaking teacher and forensics coach at FC. We all got to prepare a 3 minute talk for the end of the week. Mine was an adaptation of the boredom post, utilizing the catch phrase: "Don't be Bored, Serve the Lord!" 6.Leading in Worship- Sewell Hall Ah, brother Sewell. Many of you know the impact the Halls have had as far as starting new congregations and building up bretheren. This camp is no different. This class was full of insightful instruction on how to effectively lead in song, prayer, the Lord's supper, and scripture reading. Alot of stuff came up that I had never thought about before... I guess that's what they call learning, eh? And all that is not even counting the devotionals, singings, cabin devotionals, and question and answer sessions that went on all throughout the week. This week left me wanting to do so much better in the service of God. And now the time has come for the great challenge of every camp all summer: Application. "...preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." -2 Timothy 4:2 find the beat

Young Men's Leadership Camp 2006 [03 Aug 2006|11:10am] [ mood | D maj ] [ music | Onevoice- Lord, for Your Glory ] For those who have been to leadership camp, no explanation is necessary. For those who have not been to leadership camp, no explanation is possible. But I'll probably try to describe it sooner or later anyway. find the beat

FIGHT BOREDOM! [13 Jul 2006|01:16am] [ mood | G5 ] [ music | Karl Jenkins- Chorale IV+Cantus- Song of Aeolus ] bore (bôr)- To make weary by being dull, repetitive, or tedious It's summertime. Some people have jobs. Some people have camp. But, when stuff isn't going on, most people just get bored. I have been bored so many times that once, on a whim, I was moved to write a song about it (not sure where it is, though). But I digress. I come here to urge you to consider this: As Christians, we DO NOT have the right to be bored. That hurts to think about. But guess what? There's more work here to do than can EVER be done. Consider these areas: - Preaching to the lost - Guys, there are hundreds, if not thousands of people that we come into contact with on a regular basis that NEED, above all else, to hear about what this life is really about. Who have you talked to in the last week about Christ? How many were Christians? How many were of the lost? Preaching the Word is not an option. Challenge yourself. - Studying God's Word - How many hours have you spent staring at a tv/computer screen this summer? How many hours have you spent being enriched by God's Word? And not just because you were at Church services or at camp Bible classes. Because you wanted to. Because "faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ", or because you think: "O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day." Challenge yourself. - Praying to God - And not just at mealtimes or in the morning or when you go to bed. If you had written all the prayers you've said to God this week, how many pages would it fill? Not that length is everything, but how much are we pouring our heart out to our Creator? And not just asking for help or thanking Him. Those come quite naturally. How about just praising Him for as long as you can without repeating yourself? The psalmist claims: "Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous ordinances." Challenge yourself. Guys, with SO much to do, whether it's preaching Christ, encouraging one another, praying, studying, praising God, singing, or any number of spiritual activites, we just DON'T have time to be BORED. It has been said that "An idle (bored) mind is the devil's workshop." If we're filling our lives with spiritual things and dwelling on them, satan will have much less of a chance to tempt us and bring us down. So, in conclusion, DON'T BE BORED. If I ever tell you I'm bored, do please reprimand me, because I fall short here. Alot. Enourage each other. Let's serve the Lord together. Let's go to Heaven together. We don't know how much time we have: live each day like it's your last. "But encourage one another day after day, so long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end." -Hebrews 3:13-14 find the beat

The Four Week / Three Camp Extravaganza! [10 Jul 2006|01:56am] [ mood | G maj 2nd ] [ music | Copeland- Testing the Strong Ones ] I don't know if I've ever been this encouraged. God works in ways too wonderful for words. I'll post more about each camp, hopefully, but here's the short stuff: -One week at RYC #1- theme of "Who is a Christian?"- great times -One week at FC AL camp- theme of 1 Timothy 4:12- different people, more great times -One week in Birmingham and the surrounding area, including seeing Ben and Brain, running old courses, Six Flags over Georgia (yes, Goliath is awesome), singing at the Couchmans, and seeing Micah Loggins again! -One last week at RYC #2, different people, still awesome times And now I have 2 weeks 'til Leadership Camp. Oh man am I pumped. But right now, I'm even more pumped to tell everyone in earshot about this Guy that died for them, and to encourage the people that already know about Him. "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opporotunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith" -Galatians 6:9-10 find the beat

To my dearest Junior Year, [08 Jun 2006|02:13pm] [ mood | Ab maj 2nd ] [ music | Sufjan Stevens- Chicago ] You just about killed me. Thanks. This was exactly what I needed. No, really. I have learned more this year than I ever thought possible, and that's not speaking of academics. Let's look at some of the things you've taught me: -I'm not in control here. -I know Who is, though. -I can't do this alone. -I don't have to do this alone. -Friends are still friends, even if they live hundreds of miles away. -I have indescribably awesome friends. -This is what I pray for all my friends. You know who you are. -When I am weak, then I am strong. -My cup is exploding. -If I can get my heart and mind in the right place, my body will follow. So, Junior Year, it's been a bumpy ride. And here we are, parting ways. Hopefully I can continue to use what I've learned as I meet Senior Year, but, in the meantime, I've got a date with the Season of Summer. Hopefully, I can use its time wisely, too. Sincerely, Stephen Eric Rouse To the reader: If you read all those scriptures, I might give you a cookie, but, in the meantime, you'll grow that much closer to God, and it'll probably make your day that much brighter. Have a good one. :) 2 heart in rhythmhearts in rhythm |find the beat

The Water of Life [02 Jun 2006|02:59am] [ mood | D5 ] [ music | Gangsta Jazz (next year's marching show) ] So, filling in for my dad tonight, Nathan and I put together a singing/scripture reading thing for services, and I prepared (30 minutes before we left) a lesson for the conclusion of services. The outline is as follows: The Water of Life- A Fervor for God’s word Ex. Running- thirst. Thirsty for God’s word? I. What has God given us? A. He has given us His complete, inspired word. (2 Tim 3:16) B. This word will not pass away. (Mark 13:31, Isa. 40:8) C. It is equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:17) D. It is living and powerful! (Hebrews 4:12) II. How are we using it? A. How often do we read our Bibles? B. The words of this Book should define us! (Deut 6:6-9) C. This should be our standard, not the world. (Rom 12:1-2) D. Many will attack the word, but we should be ready to defend! (1 Pet 3:15) III. Are we thirsty? A. Do we feel like the Psalmist- Is the word our love and meditation? (Psalm 1:2, Psalm 119:97) B. If our spiritual bodies were physical, how healthy would we be? (Duet 8:3, Matt 4:4, Luke 4:4) C. This should become a need for us- like physical food/drink. (Matt 5:6) D. If we will open our mouths, God will fill us more than this world ever will! (Eph 3:20-21) Are you thirsty? Do you want the water of life? Jesus promised it. (John 4:14) Just as a note, this is my first lesson since the move here... it's sure taken awhile, but it feels GREAT to be back workin' on lesson ideas again. And now, I shall proceed to read the last 90 or so pages of "The Great Gatsby", and write a 6-8 page paper on it. And yes, I'm starting this at 9:36 p.m.. Good thing this is pretty much the LAST thing I have to do this year. A sleepless night awaits me. find the beat

First Post and Drumline Tryouts [28 May 2006|01:03pm] [ mood | G tritone ] [ music | Sufjan Stevens- The Angry Wasp of the Palisades is Out to... ] So I've got my first "balance" post, long in the works, finally posted over on my other blog (www.pleonast.com/user/things_unseen). It almost ate my post, actually... scared me to death. But today, drumline tryouts. I'm either section leader or co-sercion leader with Elliot, we'll see. The auditions came out... interesting, and there are several "bubbles" that might change the lineup if people can't cut the part they've been given. But here's the initial lineup: Snares: (from left to right) Casey Donelley Elliot Faris Stephen Rouse Zach (wierd last name)- on the bubble Tenors: Michael Koenig Aaron- on the bubble Basses: Dan Wegerzyn Nathaniel "the Boge" Bogan Casey Peace some freshman- Carlton? I think... Alex- on a very thin bubble Cymbals and pit- to be decided. But at any rate, Kevin (drum instructor) is going to write a pretty sweet drum part to our show this year- "Gangsta' Jazz". Oh man, am I excited. 14 Days 'till RYC. find the beat

Mother's Day Pictures [15 May 2006|11:41pm] [ mood | D5 ] [ music | Sufjan Stevens- Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland,IL ] Go check http://www.pleonast.com/user/rooms.php?&userID=2038 . There awaits you the product of a few hours of my weekend, and even a little of today. I tried to print these out for my mom as a gift for Mother's Day, but , alas, the photo printer was configured so that it cut off the edges of the picture, thus obscuring most of the verses. Try as I might, the problem would not be solved, and I simply e-mailed her the pictures. I think she'll still love me, though. Well, while I'm here, lets give it up for Moms! If there's one thing I take for granted, it's my parents. In this case, namely my mom. Next to God and His Son, she is the most responsible for me being everything I am today. She has read, taught, cooked, cleaned, soothed, drove, embarassed, encouraged, blessed, provided, sheltered, paid, suffered, been paitient, clothed, sung, prayed, worried, smiled, and, most of all LOVED (yes, LOVE) me since the moment I was born and continues to do so everyday. And guys, I forget that A WHOLE LOT. God has blessed me SO richly with the mother I have, who has taken the painstaking time and effort to instill faith in me. Its humbling to think about, really. I sincerely hope that my children will someday be able to say the same about the woman I marry. "An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels." -Proverbs 31:10 What's sad is so many people, myself included, need a day like Mother's Day to remind us about this. Let this be a reminder that Mom deserves her respect and praise so much more of the time. "Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: "Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all." Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised" -Prov 31:28-30 3 heart in rhythmhearts in rhythm |find the beat

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