The Genesis of Blogging?!

So here I sit on a Saturday night in my house with everyone else sleeping...super exciting I know. This year (the school year) I've really started to find myself becoming more opinionated about many of life's pressing issues. Personally, I am not a huge fan of debating with people over such issues in person. I don't think I've ever really had an argument where someone "won". Usually both parties involved become more entrenched in their initial positions than they were before arguing...hey, who likes to lose?? Often a person cedes to the other arguer only to renounce their surrender soon after the victor has left. That being said, I figured I'd try out the blogging world as a mouthpiece for what is going on inside my head regarding issues in my life, my faith, my politics, and the Green Bay Packers (sorry, big fan :) ).

So...for those of you who don't know me well. I'm pre-med at the University of Sioux Falls. Currently studying for the MCAT...the biggest test of my life (no pressure!). I have a lovely girlfriend named Taya, a great family who lives here in Sioux Falls and lots of friends at school. Most importantly I am a firm believer in my need for Jesus Christ. He is my savior and best friend. I am a blessed man, for sure.

I'm not sure how often I'll update this, maybe every day, maybe once a month, maybe once every 3 months...who knows. Lately, I've been so full of opinions about various issues that I figured a blog would be fun, plus I'm bored tonight and don't feel like studying for the MCAT any more today.

First off, I'd like to make a general comment about politics. I found a video clip of a conservative commentator, Rush Limbaugh calling out our new president and saying he hopes that he fails. Wow...our country is falling apart economically, we are in the middle of two long ugly wars, millions around the world are hungry and thirsty and this tool wants our new leader to fail? How does such a guy have so many listeners?? Granted, I'm sure (at least I hope) that this was a publicity stunt...a hyperbole to raise attention to his obvious disagreements with our president. Now, being a moderate (yay for the middle :) ) I will be fair and say there are an abundancy of radical liberals in the media who spew equally ridiculous comments, but lately it seems as though the radical conservatives have been getting under my political skin a bit more.

My inbox has been flooded with emails recently basically letting me know how flawed all of our new president's plans are for the economy and health care. Now, I do not in any way think socialized medicine is the answer, as most of these emails argued against, but I also do not think that we can immediately claim that all of these ideas are flawed. I especially love how the people sending the emails probably don't have the slightest idea what the health care system is like or will be like under the new plan (I confess I do not understand everything either), but let's give it a shot rather than completely shooting everything down like a week into the new administration. I stood by Bush's decisions to the end, and I plan on doing the same thing for President Obama.

Whew, my apologies if any blog entries about politics offend you and I do invite and encourage comments back critical or not about what I discuss. As a believer in Christ, I find politics important enough to discuss but not to overcome my faith. I challenge everyone to pray for our new president and leaders that they will make decisions that will better our world and please God.

In coming blogs I hope to make comments about the issues important to me such as poverty around the world and health care as well as chronicle the quest for med school (cheesey enough for ya :) ). I hope to elaborate on what God is teaching me so that he could teach you as well. It is my prayer that you all have a good day the day you read this.