IntelligentlyRandom http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com Most recent posts at IntelligentlyRandom posterous.com Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:00:00 -0700 A Christian's Hope and A Warning http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/a-christians-hope-and-a-warning http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/a-christians-hope-and-a-warning
1st Peter 1:3-25
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

For all flesh is as grass,
and all the glory of man
as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth,
and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord
endureth for ever.

And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

This passage is full of hope for Christians, but it also has it's share of warnings. As we start the passage, we are encouraged by the inheritance we have in Christ. Peter reminds us that our inheritance is only through our Lord Jesus Christ, and places it as our sole hope in the world, even when placed in trials.
He encourages us to live with a faith that will last through fires, and bring ultimate glory to our Father. While we aren't able to see him, his presence is revealed through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Our faith is based solely upon this, and it is through grace by this faith that we are to receive our ultimate inheritance, the kingdom of heaven.

Peter continues on to speak of how we are to live our lives, resting on Christ. "rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ". He writes that we are called to be holy, warning to "conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed of corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot".

He makes it clear that we are to fear our failures, but place our hope in Christ's blood. A warning is made against "aimless conduct" or "corruptible things", anything not of Christ, which we inherit as our natural behavior from our fathers.

In the final verses, we are encourage to love one another; and the infallibility of God's Word is strengthened. "But the Word of the Lord endures forever", this means that it has always been, is, and will continue to be applicable in all areas of our life. It is also specifically preached for each and every one of us.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Sat, 15 May 2010 19:14:00 -0700 Flashes http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/flashes http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/flashes Flashes

The blades of lighting
Are silently striking
The outline of a distant horizon
Profiled by a raging storm
As crickets continue
A melodious drone
The hum of a thousand voices
Becomes one monotonous rumble
The flashes of a thousand fireflies
Bringing a surreal focus to the night
The fields, fences, and trees
Neither near nor far
Waiting on the dawn
To define them
Over this landscape
A spring breeze travels
Carrying on it's cooling caress
The scent of honeysuckle and cut grass
The occasional car passing
Breaking the tranquil peace
Whether by thumping bass
Or flashing squad lights
Within a matter of seconds
All has returned to rest
Content to continue this pattern
Until the sun rises
Creeping across the sky
Bringing along the bustle of life,
The cares of this world,
And the promise of another night

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Thu, 13 May 2010 23:14:00 -0700 Untitled http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/22573410 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/22573410
Dinner :) Just felt like sharing :P

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:06:00 -0700 Finally http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/finally-4473 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/finally-4473 So, I just found the Gears of War 3 launch trailer.... and yet again, it's stunning! The gritty feel of the trailer blends with the always haunting choice of song creating a beautiful trailer. Thought I'd post all of them here in order....

Gears of War (Mad World Trailer)
Gears of War 2 (Last Day Trailer)
Gears of War 2 (Rendezvous Trailer)
Gears of War 3 (Ashes to Ashes Trailer)

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:06:00 -0700 Rendezvous http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/rendezvous-41 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/rendezvous-41 Was reminded recently of this poem, it's one of my favorites, so I thought I'd share. I really like a lot of Alan Seeger's poems.

Rendezvous by Alan Seeger
I have a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
I have a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
When Spring comes back with rustling shade
And apple-blossoms fill the air--
I have a rendezvous with Death
When Spring brings back blue days and fair.

It may be he shall take my hand
And lead me into his dark land
And close my eyes and quench my breath--
It may be I shall pass him still.
I have a rendezvous with Death
On some scarred slope of battered hill,
When Spring comes round again this year
And the first meadow-flowers appear.

God knows 'twere better to be deep
Pillowed in silk and scented down,
Where love throbs out in blissful sleep,
Pulse nigh to pulse, and breath to breath,
Where hushed awakenings are dear . . .
But I've a rendezvous with Death
At midnight in some flaming town,
When Spring trips north again this year,
And I to my pledged word am true,
I shall not fail that rendezvous.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:20:00 -0700 Sleeping... http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/sleeping-1090 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/sleeping-1090 Ok, so in an effort to make my time more productive and to fit all the things I want to do into my day, I am trying a new sleep routine.

Bed at 9 up at 3.... We'll see how this works.

Supposedly, every hour of sleep before midnight is worth two hours after midnight, so any time lost should be made up for. I will do a lot of my studying in the morning, which should be better, as my mind is fresh and there are no distractions in the morning. I need to be more consistent in my daily devotionals and this will eliminate my excuse of "There's not enough time". I am also trying to work out every morning.

In an effort to be with friend I may change to 10-4... not sure yet :P or alternate on different days... we'll see how this all goes.

Last night I went to bed at 8:30 and even though I planned to wake up at 3, I slept till 4:30. But I did feel rather productive this morning, I got a good deal of studying in before leaving for classes. Though, my eggs did taste soapy... what's up with that?

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Sat, 17 Apr 2010 12:47:00 -0700 A Bump in My Thoughts http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/a-bump-in-my-thoughts http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/a-bump-in-my-thoughts
I am now 18.... and have been for a while :P I can now buy tobacco, porn, and Shamwows. I'm only interested in one, and I can't wait to do dishes with it :P

Joking aside, I'm also registered for selective service and can now register to vote..

>

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:18:00 -0700 Untitled http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/22573444 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/22573444 In the absence of my ability to write at the moment....

"Let the Waters Rise" - MikesChair

Don't know where to begin
Its like my world's caving in
And I try but I can't control my fear
Where do I go from here?

sometimes its so hard to pray
When You feel so far away
But I am willing to go
Where you want me to
God, I trust You

There's a raging sea
Right in front of me
Wants to pull me in
Bring me to my knees
So let the waters rise
If You want them to
I will follow You
I will follow You
I will follow You

I will swim in the deep
'Cuz You'll be next to me
You're in the eye of the storm
And the calm of the sea
You're never out of reach

God, You know where I've been
You were there with me then
You were faithful before
You'll be faithful again
I'm holding Your hand

There's a raging sea
Right in front of me
Wants to pull me in
Bring me to my knees
So let the waters rise
If You want them to
I will follow You
I will follow You
I will follow You

God Your love is enough
You will pull me through
I'm holding onto You
God Your love is enough
I will follow You
I will follow You

Ohhh

There's a raging sea
Right in front of me
Wants to pull me in
Bring me to my knees
So let the waters rise
If You want them to
I will follow You
I will follow You
I will follow You

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:41:00 -0700 Cloudburst http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/cloudburst-5 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/cloudburst-5
Wrote this thinking it applies to all situations in life, not just rain. There's always a brighter side to things, we just may not see them yet :)

Also, I was listening to Apocalyptica, so it's rhythmic...

Cloudburst
Outburst
And I'm lying
On the ground

Soaking
Breaking
Wishing to
Be drowned

Screaming
Not believing
I can't even
Look around

Wind whipped
Soul stripped
Can't utter
Just one sound

Sunbeams
They stream
They're tearing
Through the clouds

Green Grass
I laugh
God's helping out
The ground

Cursed?
It's heaven's verse
You're just
Twisting life around

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:33:00 -0700 25 Random Things http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/25-random-things-40 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/25-random-things-40
  1. I have lost 68lbs in the past year


  2. My dream home has a loft, and I keep thinking about it

  3. I have hit myself in the forehead with a hammer... hard

  4. Seeing people laugh makes me feel awesome

  5. Working out is really relaxing

  6. I find it really impressive when a girl is not worried about what everybody else thinks

  7. I'm so lazy, but I love to be on the move constantly. As long as I'm with people.

  8. Some day I want to take a backpack go into the wilderness

  9. I love the smell of rain and storms.

  10. I used to build forts :D

  11. I still love the songs and movies from when I was young.

  12. My favorite color boxers are green/dark blue plaid

  13. When I was little, I used a oatmeal cylinder as a oxygen tank when playing fireman

  14. I've punched a kid in the nose

  15. I would do anything for my friends

  16. I like to tease my friends

  17. I am amazed everyday of my life by the world around me

  18. Worrying doesn't solve anything. Relax.

  19. I am 18, have never smoked, and have no desire to.

  20. I pray for my future spouse every day

  21. For my 21st, I don’t want to go crazy. I want to go out and buy a fruity alcoholic beverage, and then hang with friends

  22. I love black, white, and tan. I do go overboard. Deal with it.

  23. I am running out of ideas

  24. I've been to speech therapy

  25. I love dancing, but I'm not very good at it.... One day.....

    Ok, since pretty much no one reads my blog, I'm tagging the first 5 people to read this... leave a comment once you're tagged :D

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:14:00 -0800 We Barter With Hate.... http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/we-barter-with-hate http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/we-barter-with-hate Brothers and Sisters
Why are we bickering?
All this harassment
Our witness is flickering
Can we just respect each other?
Rather we just hide and cover
Treading so softly
And acting out graces
We barter with hate
But never to faces
Instead of thinking best of others
Trying to stab our sisters and brothers.
Imagine one moment
If you'd stop complaining,
The results of a church
Without stresses and straining......

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:10:00 -0800 Snow http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/snow-4867 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/snow-4867
Snow, it keeps on coming......

Alone at home, I sit and wait
But my plans it does frustrate

It's beauty is amazing,
With storms of violent peacefulness
Entrancing those who gaze
The encapsulating glaze of glass
Is nature's photograph

I long to sled
I want to play
I yearn to laugh and sing.
The joy that friends and fellowship
Doth always seem to bring

But the winter isn't over
It's only halfway through.
It isn't that it's colder,
But it keeps keeping me from you.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:35:00 -0800 Hey, look, I have a blog.... http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/hey-look-i-have-a-blog http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/hey-look-i-have-a-blog I admit it, I forgot I have a blog...... It was lost in the whirlwind of the holidays, the procrastination of winter break, and the general din of life. Thankfully, I never ceased taking photos. I stopped editing them though, which leaves me with a task on par with fitting an elephant through the eye of a needle. Lord-willing, I will be able to squeeze some time out each week and update my blog with a post and at least a few pictures.

As I'm sure all six of you are wondering, my holidays were great :P Thanksgiving at the Burgs was amazing. An equally entertaining Christmas was spent at my Uncle's Christmas Eve (The funniest game of Apples to Apples ever), followed by a wonderfully closed Christmas morning with just my family. A trip to DC, where my Grandparents live, completed the festivities.

And so ends a wonderful year.....

2010, do you say it as twenty-ten, or as two-thousand-ten? I'm still not sure. With the new year, I can look back and see the abundant ways God has shaped my life. At the beginning of 2009, I truly lacked goals. This is something I think God changed in me, I have an idea of what I want to do, and the way the Lord is leading. It's just a matter of being patient, which can be exceptionally trying sometimes. He's also brought several new friends into my life, all of whom are completely encouraging and exceptionally inspiring.

Friday was my 18th birthday. I am now an adult, full of wisdom(I know, you're like "....What?" JK) and "legally" responsible. I have a new job that I love and I am working on graduation plans with my homeschool group. It's exciting, yet it leaves me wondering about the future.

I am working on a batch of photos and they should be up this week. Feel free to visit my flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/intelligentdesigninc/
and leave a few comments.

Also, due to the inspiration and encouragement of a friend ;) I may try my hand at some poetry in the near future. Hopefully you'll be able to stomach it, and continue to visit my page.

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. "
Friedrich Nietzsche

That's it for now,
Erik

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:35:00 -0800 New Pictures - New Method http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/new-pictures-new-method http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/new-pictures-new-method Ok, so after uploading pictures for my last post, I realized that Blogger doesn't do anything good for the photos uploaded through the site, So I'm going to repost some pics and add a few new ones, they link to my flickr page if you want to leave comments on specific pictures, or just to have a look around.
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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:30:00 -0700 Untitled http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/22573498 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/22573498
This past Sunday, Rachel, Camille, and I decided to take some senior pictures. We went to the Episcopal church in Culpeper and had alot of fun taking these.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:47:00 -0700 October Fun http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/october-fun-0 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/october-fun-0 So, despite the cold, damp weather, today has been pretty fun! Very interesting discussion at co-op about medieval views on chastity(and we had a visitor, talk about the wrong conversation to join :P).

Afterward, we had a awesome walnut fight(few bruises to remember it).

I've decided to take my camera with me EVERYWHERE, as I'm tired of seeing something and not being able to immortalize it. I just realized on Wednesday, while hiking, that I'd been burnt out. Now, with a renewed sense of purpose I hope to make the most of this wonderful season. Old Rag and Senior pics are coming up soon, and I'm glad of it!

Hopefully once I get my last midterm out of the way, life will settle down a little.

I will try and post pics of White Oak once I'm done processing them(I took 400 pics).

"Conceptual Inertia: If you think big enough, you'll never have to do it. "

Think about it :D
Erik

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson
Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:18:00 -0700 Por Fin!!! http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/por-fin-176 http://intelligentlyrandom.posterous.com/por-fin-176 Finally, after having this blog for almost a year, I have decided to actually makes use of it. My writing style will be absolutely lacking, and my thoughts will be completely garbled. I apologize in advance for these shortcomings. Hopefully, this experience will help me with improve upon both of these, and you may draw some sort of (sick) amusement from this.

I will update when I can, which isn't often, due to classes, work, and life in general.

I should begin by introducing myself, I am Erik, if you're visiting my blog it's probably case you already know me. I'm typing this from the library in Germanna. This will more than likely be the spot I blog the most from, as I have an hour between my classes on Tuesday and Thursday. When not busy with obligations of a teenager-almost-adult, I LOVE hiking, playing sports with friends, photography, reading, listening to music, playing bass, working out, and hanging with my friends. I'm hoping to get into running soon, as well. I enjoy working with computers and hope to go to Virginia Tech and major in Computer Science.

I'm ashamed to admit that the first two weeks of October have managed to fly by without me taking the time to truly appreciate the wonderfully crisp weather, the beautiful clouds, or to capture the brilliant colors of fall in a photograph. Hopefully this will be corrected soon, I have a hiking trip tomorrow to White Oak, then a trip up Old Rag on Saturday morning. These should give me plenty of chances to accomplish this, though you can never do it enough.

A tip from me to you, remember to plug your laptop in. Otherwise, you, like me, will find yourself most of the way through an inspired blog post and have to retype the entire thing :P

Hmmm, that's about it for now.

Erik


"By words we learn thoughts, and by thoughts we learn life."
- Jean Baptiste Girard

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/634258/26744_329920117735_525792735_3761040_2313297_n.jpg http://posterous.com/users/5Bclb1Hq1VGp Erik Balderson Erik Balderson Erik Balderson