Feeding the Void with Kneaders Sauce

    I work at this wonderful Cafe and Bakery called Kneaders as a sandwich maker, and I see God using my work to serve other people,  and not just to receive my biweekly paycheck. I have formed a bit of nostalgia whenever I'm at Subway. It sounds weird I'm sure. I remember back when I was 8 years old, and my mom (who is a nanny) would take me, and her charge at the time, to Subway. It would usually be after tee-ball practices (believe it or not I was athletic) and we would order our favorite subs. Why is this relevant? Well, it wasn't so much the food that I remember fondly as it is the memories surrounding it. Plus, it was something special. A treat, after a hard workout and a job well done. It was a treat. Whenever I make a kid's PB&J, or grilled cheese sandwich, I hope they look back at their time at Kneaders and think, "Wow, that was such a fun time in my life." Besides that, I am also thinking of how much food might help people unwind. After a stressful day at work, or a long day where that time of meeting up with your significant other couldn't come fast enough, it's nice to treat yourself to a yummy pastry.
 
There are times when it is easy to make sandwiches and then release them off into the void where they  shall never return. To tell you the truth, it makes my job so much more enjoyable,] when I make food specially for someone. That I might be helping some stranger find their own adventure in simplicity. Just a sliver of happiness to take their minds off of whatever problems they are facing in the real world.

Anyway, it makes the job easier when you know why you are serving. It's sort of a form of love.

Putting the "Extra" in Extraordinary

It's been a while since I last posted. I am very excited about where my life is right now. Nothing totally extraordinary has happened, but maybe that's a good thing. I've just been enjoying what I have. I have a job, a few video projects, and a wonderful mother. Life is pretty slow pace. Up until now, my life has been very hectic and unpredictable. Not in a good way. I love an ordinary lifestyle. I feel like I'm living the way God told us to live. Not worrying about the future, or what it may or may not bring. Matthew 6:34 is the verse that describes this chapter of my life. It has different meanings for me each time I read it. It really used to stress me out at first. I used to think to myself, "How can I not worry about my future? Aren't I in control? " Of course not. The answer is never. God's got it covered. Of course, now I understand this… Well, with that being said, I just know that something will rock the boat and I will return to that same passage of scripture and it will revert into a mystery again. For now, I will enjoy the lull in my existence. I want to try to blog more. I think I may do that. Hopefully they will become longer and more in-depth. 

Getting with the Jives

  It's been a while since I've actually written in this blog. I've had a somewhat bitter outlook on my life lately. It's silly, because this blog was meant to help me look positively and be grateful for the life I've been given. I think I need to return to it. So today... I had the pleasure of enjoying my mothers company. I hadn't eaten a burger n a while and we went to McD's to remedy the problem. My mom is so kind and wise. Looking into the future, when she's the grandmother of my kids, I am 100% positive that they will adore her. I never had a relationship with my Granny, but I've grown to love her through the stories my mom has told me. Thank God for my mom. She is always so helpful to me, and she has such a heart to serve in the best interests of others. This a trait that I am hoping I can adopt. I wish I had her patience. That's something I am working on right now.
   God's walking me through it though. He is giving me strong relationships with my friends. I've been getting out more with my friends lately. There is this place called Jives, and I  just started hanging out there. I have been trying to find people to build community with lately. God has given me a chance to join a bible study, and that is something that I think will really help me in my walk with him. I've been trying to keep my chin up, wear my smile from ear to ear. Sometimes live doesn't offer you that luxury, but no one ever said life was easy.
   So for now, I will enjoy the comforts of food, a warm bed, a soft fur baby, and a steady roof over my head. I need to get rest to help me tackle another day and get to the next step in life.

Love Like a 1940's Movie

    I was just watching and old classic from the early 1940's titled, "Miss Annie Rooney" starring Shirley Temple and Dickie Moore. The story is about two young teenagers who find love. Even through the trials of their division in social class. The story itself is a matter that I may uncover as we dive further into the discussion. For now, I would like to focus on the differences in our culture, and how love is expressed in movies then, and how it presents itself now. I suppose it is impossible to feel a sense of nostalgia when I have never had the opportunity to live in in the 40's, but oh, how I do have such a strong longing to love in that decade. Heh... Before I get ahead of myself, I would like you (the reader/listener) to understand that I do not think people were more romantic in back then then they are now. No, they may have been just as horrid at love as we are... But Hollywood had it right back then. In the first interaction with Temple's and Moore's romantic scene, they cited poetry and Shakespeare to each other.  The most he wanted from her was to get to know her more, and the most she wanted from him was to know him more. For goodness sakes! He took her for a drive and they cited Shakespeare! This right here, is my first point. Now what is the contrast of this in today's movies? Well,  nowaday's when a teen goes on a date in a movie, they expect to sleep with each other. Heck, they even show them doing it.... Classy right? The characters in this movie showed nothing but the utmost respect towards one another. the thing I also admire about this movie, is that this movie encourages men to show courtesy, respect, education, and delicacy with his interactions. In movies of the 21st century, men are portrayed  as stupid, predictable, and simple minded dogs, "who are only after one thing." The second thing I notice about this move, is that parties back then, were kids dancing and having a grand old time of it. Good music, swing dancing, laughs. Today? Beer, drugs, grinding (if you call that dancing), and sex. It grieves me to see that guys in our society have so little respect. For themselves and girls. And that girls think they need to use their bodies to attract these drooling buffoons into "loving" them. Neither side shows much class or sophistication. There are very few times I witness men show patience, subtlety, courtesy, and respect for women theses days. Their are hardly any men. Just boys. My generation is filled with a bunch of selfish, feeling driven idiots who think sex is something to be won. They are too lazy to love. They are too lazy to wait. They are too lazy to spend time to get to know each other. It's just easier to get in bed, do your thing, and then never see each other again, until an "unexpected" surprise comes in 9 months. I feel that I sound too harsh, but it needs to be heard. Now, I am not going to pull the splinter out of your eye, and ignore the plank in mine. I am sure my notions of love are scattered in their own ways. All I want is to find someone who I can respect, and love, and in return show respect ans love for me.

   It is impossible for me to find a love that is as pure as the kind found in, "Miss Annie Rooney," and I will certainly not hold out for the PERFECT women, when I just might up and miss the RIGHT woman. Even an imperfect woman would deserve more than me... and imperfect man. An added note that may help you understand love better, is to recognize that love is not a feeling. Love is sacrifice and devotion.

Last, Something that God made known is that love is an important trait necessary for man to live. Romantic love in particular. I was talking to my friend about "The right person." About how love is a lot like a box of chocolates. You need to read the ingredients before you eat a chocolate, because within that chocolate… you may find something that could harm you. That’s pretty much what dating is. Looking at what makes that person tick before you make any life choices! You might end up getting hurt and then that chocolate is soiled for someone else. Not only are you scarred, but that other person is too. God has created a box of chocolates that is meant just for you, so wait, be patient! When you find the right person, you’ll find that they are as sweet as God created them to be!

Looks like I didn't dive into the movie, but I got my point across I hope. 

Guilt & Shame

Shame... What is shame? What is guilt? Most importantly, how do they contrast? By definition, shame is "a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior." Guilt is "the fact of having committed a specified or implied offense or crime." They both are similar, but the difference is extremely important to remember. To put it simply, shame is admitting to yourself that there is something wrong with you, while guilt is admitting to yourself that you have done something wrong. So, where does that put you? Which one of those states is deadly? With guilt, you recognize you are in a cycle, and that you have invested your passion in something that will not fulfill you, and that "something" is ungodly.  With this knowledge, you can try to break out of this circle. Well, really what you are doing is humbling yourself and relying on God to pull you out. Your dignity and pride are broken and you recognize that, "I can't do this on my own."  With shame, your dignity is broken, but you cling to your pride. Even if you don't realize it. You see, what you are doing is putting yourself in that cycle and staying in that cycle. You are saying, "I am already a bad person, I might as well  keep on this path." Don't get me wrong this is an easy mentality to slip into. However, you must realize that if you think that there is no hope of getting out of this cycle you are saying that God cannot help you out. That there is no hope. But there is hope. If you are already with God, you cannot fall from him... It's called Perseverance of the Saints.

Every Man's Battle

I will try to be as frank and honest as I can be in my writings as possible. It can often be difficult growing and living as a man of God in today’s society. Temptation to give into the desires of the flesh grow ever stronger as the days pass. I will admit that I have fallen. I have occasionally given way to the Godless sin of lust. My word of advise is to call upon a brother of Christ to assist you and hold you accountable. I ask God to inspire and encourage me to immerse myself in his word. Thank you, God, for saving me from Death’s embrace. May I ever grow stronger in you.    

Darth Vader: "Aidan... you are a father!" Me: "Nooooooooo!"

I was playing with the little girl my mom takes cares of at the park, and a random mom came up to me and told me that I was such a sweet father.... I really didn't expect that. Although it did give me some encouragement and insight to what my future would hold, should I ever become a dad.... But that will be a long, long time away. ;)