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2 Years Ago… a Broken Ankle

This weekend is the 2nd anniversary of a major turning point in my life. It was a major turning point because it was the first of a sequence of events that just really threw me for a loop. It spun me off in directions I never thought I would have gone. Two years ago this weekend I broke my ankle playing a pick up game of baseball.

I never intended on playing that day but they were short players so I said why not. The game was fun even though we were losing. Then in the eighth inning I made the mistake of trying to slide, and here is the result of that.

 
Yep, I have lots of hardware in my ankle now. If you count that’s eight screws and a plate. My ankle is surrounded by scars. I ended up breaking just about anything you can break with the ankle. I ended up giving my Mom a wonderful gift that year. 10AM Mother’s Day I went into surgery to try and fix this mess of my ankle. 
Many things happened after that from losing my job to breaking up with my girlfriend. My life was kind of like one of those sappy country songs. Luckily my dog didn’t die. Those events are actually what led me to start this blog. I hoped it would provide me an outlet to work through the rapid changes I was dealing with. These events are also how I ended up titling my blog. The title comes from the bible story of Jacob when he wrestles with God and receives the name of God Wrestler or Israel. You can read that passage in Genesis 32.
In the past two years I have definitely come through those trials I had to face. They have shaped me in ways I never expected to be. I am in a place now that I never thought I would end up, but its good. Life is good. God is good. God is sovereign.

Another preview of The Noticer

Book Review: The Noticer

The Noticer
By: Andy Andrews

I saw the description for this book and decided to give it a go. I have never read anything by Andy Andrews before and I have never heard him speak before. I knew nothing about his writing, his life, or why this book was getting so much hype. So I sat down at work and began to read this book. (I was allowed to read all I wanted at work since I was a night auditor at a hotel.) Before I knew it I was completely wrapped up in this wonderful story.

Every page turned added new insight to my life and kept me wanting to know more about the way one man could make such a big difference just by paying attention to those around him. The Noticer takes you through lives of people touched and changed in the most radical, yet simple, way I have ever heard of. An old man giving new perspective an advice by simply breaking people’s lives down to the basics. He takes out the complicated mess and provides a birds eye view.

This book, The Noticer, by Andy Andrews will entertain you and keep you wanting more. Then it will make you sit back and take a new perspective on your life all by looking at it in a simple way. It’s a short and fast read that will not leave you disappointed.

Andy Andrews has also launched a project based off this new book, The Noticer Project. This project encourages you to reach out to the 5 most influential people in your life. It’s not asking you to present a grand gesture to these people but in some way thank them for how they have influenced you. You can find more about the project here http://www.thenoticerproject.com/.

You can buy The Noticer by: Andy Andrews here.

On Twitter follow @AndyAndrews, @NoticerProject, and @Clyderandall

If you missed it :P

Here is some of what you missed if you didn’t make it to Chicago with us last weekend.

Kyle leap frogging everything.

Snapshots.

Henri Wisdom 3

Laying Down Your Life for Your Friends

Good Shepherds are willing to lay down their lives for their sheep (see John 10:11). As spiritual leaders walking in the footsteps of Jesus, we are called to lay down our lives for our people. This laying down might in special circumstances mean dying for others. But it means first of all making our own lives – our sorrows and joys, our despair and hope, our loneliness and experience of intimacy – available to others as sources of new life.

One of the greatest gifts we can give others is ourselves. We offer consolation and comfort, especially in moments of crisis, when we say: “Do not be afraid, I know what you are living and I am living it with you. You are not alone.” Thus we become Christ-like shepherds.

I love this. I want this to be a way that my life is described. That I layed my life down for my friends in such away that it glorifies Christ. 

Head, Shoes, Dog

I have a really bad headache right now and it just will not go away. I think its because I have worked so many days straight. Even though my job consists of me sitting here doing nothing its still very draining. Only two more nights and I will be done here at the Forest Park Suites.

I ordered new shoes. They are being delivered today. I am very excited because its been since October of 2007 that I got new shoes.

My dog, Marty, had a seizure last night and my Dad and I got really freaked out. Marty is our long haired chihuahua and he’s not the brightest dog but hes the cutest lil thing ever. He is so sweet and loving. I just love it when he lays in my lap and that he tries to play with the big dogs. We tried to take him to our animal clinic which is supposed to be a 24 hour place. When we got there around 10pm there was no one there and Marty was still breathing really hard and shaking really bad. I guess they aren’t 24 hour when the next day is Easter. By the time we got back home Marty was doing better but we’re still worried bout him. The interweb says that chihuahua’s are prone to seizures. So I guess I have an epileptic dog.  

Here’s Marty McFly chillaxin with my Dad.

Sorry if i have some bad grammar here, my head really hurts right now.

I don’t see any Twouble wit Twitter

Super News from current.com started a new season. Here is an episode about they did about the twittersphere. It pokes fun at the idea of what twittering really is. I don’t know if I should take offense to this or not, but either way the video is absolutely hilarious. It brings up a great question though, “Why do you twitter?” What possesses you to hurl your life moments out into a community of people you may not even know? Why do we think or feel that people want to read about what your doing? Honestly I think its because we all do want to know. 
Twitter to me is an easy way for me to gather information about topics I care about and then to stay connected with friends in a very simple format. Friends I have who live out of town love to see what I am doing back home and vice versa. The friends I see on a regular basis can cut through the formalities of what did you do earlier or yesterday and can cut to the deeper more meaningful discussions. Twitter is just a flat out easy way to share information with others. 
If you’re interested in what I do with twitter, follow me at http://twitter.com/clyderandall.

Daily Mugshot

I stumbled upon this site dailymugshot.com a few weeks ago and decided to try and keep up with it. Here is what i got so far. I think my hair is really funny as it flips through each picture. Anyways this is a prime example of how bored I can get at work.

Hover over the slide show for speed and caption options. 

Book Review: Coffeehouse Theology

Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life
by: Ed Cyzewski

I have been trying to challenge the way I process my thoughts about my faith. Not necessarily challenge my faith but just how I view the scripture and how I see God in my life.  Coffeehouse Theology by Ed Cyzewski has been a great read for me to learn new ways to challenge how I think. In this book Ed addresses how we can and sometimes need to view scripture and God with in the context of our lives today. He eloquently describes how that can change the way we interpret God through our everyday lives.

Don’t be scared by the fact this is a book on Theology. Ed puts everything in terms for anyone to understand. He uses great examples from life that you can follow along with easily. I was scared that this would be a postmodern rant about the church but it embraces thoughts from everyone and just challenges you to see things in a different light.  I found it to be a refreshing look at the way God is apart of our lives and in everything that we do.  It also makes a good argument why theology is not a negative part of our faiths and isn’t just for scholars. Theology can be for everyone. Start you study in theology with Coffeehouse Theology by Ed Cyzewski.

Flashback to Highschool

Here is the camp video from my senior year. I didn’t even know I had this video till the other day. I can’t believe how old I am now.

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