A Merry Christmas...without deppression

This Christmas was alot more merry since my others here in Dallas. Saturday 12-23 we had our 2nd Fellowship alumni reunion dinner. We all met for the 7pm service at FC and then went to dinner at Cantina Laredo. My two ex roommates and their wives also came with. Christmas Eve day and and Christmas Day was spent with David and his family. I picked him and his family up for church Sunday morning, and then we came back to watch his brothers while they went out to celebrate their anniversary. We all picked up the house, then went to the last Christmas service at Fellowship which was their first time. We came back for pizza and hung out and talked.

I had to work Christmas day, but then headed over to David's for another amazing turkey dinner. We then exchanged gifts between David and I , while his family watched, then watched scrooge the movie, tossed the new football around that David got me and then I had to head home.

Last night David wanted all of his best friends to hang out with him and do something adventurous. We got snacks and then headed to downtown Grapevine, Texas and started walking down the train tracks for over 4 hours till 2am in the morning. We had a really good time, lots of laughs, lots of rapping and of course David making us all feel right at home with his humor.
This Christmas was alot better. For over 10 years I have suffered from depression, it really sucks, it almost got the best of me, but I am glad for my close friends that I have call at times in the night to let them know I am not doing good. Very appreciative for David and Josh who would swing by on the way home to check up on me, and make sure I got to sleep alright before they would let themselves out. David, and Matthew Smith finally talked me into getting on medication, last Friday the doctor ran test and since I have never been on medication, it has taken affect right away. I am so glad for that, because I was starting to ruin some friendships.

Tomorrow my parents get in town, and David and I will go pick them up at the hotel and then our parents are going to hang out and go for dinner. Saturday night they will be going to FC 5pm service and then head back home, this will be dads wife first time at FC. I also remembered I have my first ever blind date this Sunday night. Yes I am nervous. It can't be to bad, I am going out with one of the "Coors Light girls" YEA

living for an audience of ONE...

Waiting for the sun to shine again...

I know it is probably hard for people to imagine, but for many, many years I have been suffering from depression. It is hard to admit, but if I want my friends and family to be real, open, and honest with me, then I need to be as well. Well over 10 years, I have had depression spells through out year. However, these past two years have been really hard, and I have really tried to find my inner peace with God to continue to keep going. I know I am suppose to be here, but the voices keep telling me, that I am nothing. I know that is not true.
With the strong support and influence I have around me, I have found a doctor, and I have my first appointment this Monday at 2:30pm. Since my friend has been so on my ass to get checked out to see if I need to be on antidepressant medicine, David was the first one I called to say hey, here is when my appt is. Without hesitation, or me asking him, he said " You know I am going with you to that appt". I told him that was not necessary and he said , "YES, it is, I am one of your best friends who really cares and I want you to know, it will be OK" How cool is that, a friend needs no excuse to be a really good friend when needed, and I don't even have to ask.

Today is the passing away date of my mother Patricia Jean Thompson, I can't really believe it has been 8 years, but time does fly by. I am glad she still guides me through my day, and I know her and Christ still have a guiding hand on my life.
living for an audience of ONE...

Pearl Jam visits FC... A new past time sport

This weekend at FC was amazing, Ed did a salvation message with video from one of his hunting trips to Andros Island. He did his message from the inside of a really nice fishing boat they brought out on stage. The opening song was "Life Wasted" by Pearl Jam. After the message he had an invitation for everybody who said the prayer and accepted Christ into their heart to come to the front and talk with someone. The first service must have had at least 150 people come down, it was awesome.

After the service David called to find out where I was and I met him and Joshua at the tennis courts for a quick game. We drove back to his house to change, swung over to my house to cook some food and wait for Skittlez to call so we could go meet him. David and I are starting a new sport, it is boxing, of course with full protective gear, but I will be kicking his ass in. Us 4 head over to this park at 11pm and begin to box. David and I have never, so we decided that it will be a real light match just to see how it goes. Well if you know me, about 30 sec. in I popped right into the mouth and cut his lip open, and the rest of the fight was not so light. It was really fun and we are going to be doing it 1 a week, just to get our frustrations out. This week will be kind of hard because it is the passing week of my mother and her birthday. I will end with that..

living for an audience of ONE...

7 months of change-worth it...

I have been here in Texas for some time now, and 4 years to be exact have led me down a long road. My thoughts have been not a waste, but a question as to why God did you bring me here? Last night was an exclamation point on 4 good years. David Thompson led his first bible study and I was apart of history in the making. He let everybody know up front that he was given this CD on love and a friend of his tries to live out this CD, which is me. My faith was so encouraged, my spirits were lifted, my hope was restored, my vision for life was reborn. I am not perfect but if there is one thing, I try and live out is a life of love. With all of my friends that know me, one in particular has been experiencing new life with me in it, showing him what it is like to live a life of love, demonstrated through faith, hope, peace and of course lots LOVE,

Love is patient, Love is kind, Love does not envy, Love does not brag, Love is not proud, Love is not rude, Love is not self seeking, Love is not easily angered, Love does not keep a record of wrong, Love lets go of hurt, Love does not delight in evil, Love does not hurt people.
Let's go deeper shall we...
Love always protects - love covers the wrongs of the other person.
Love always trust - and believes the best in someone else.
Love always gives people the benefit of the doubt.
Love always says, "I believe in people".
Love is to risk being burned over, over, over, and over again.
Love always believes and trust in people too much.
You will believe the best out of the people you trust the most.
Love always hopes.
Love is hopelessly optimistic - Love NEVER stops hoping.
Love is not about me, but you.
Love refuses to take as failure as final.
When you love somebody, you are hoping for the best in them.
Love always goes the distance.
To Love is to risk getting burned.
When you stop loving, you have lost.
Love never dies, Love never says, "I quit", Love never says, "Im finished", Love never says, "im through", Love never says, "no more", Love never says, "I give up"
Love will never give up, it will die trying.
Without this Love, we have nothing.
The only thing that counts is Faith expressing itself in Love.
I have been burned, and burned again, but I have come to the conclusion that I don't really know how to love my God, my self, and my friends and family like I should. I desire, and deserve a heart of love. I don't want to protect myself anymore, that is selfish. I have learned without love nothing else matters. I hope this Valentines Day, your love is like the one I am longing for in my own life.
LOVING you through faith expressing itself in love. randall paul thompson
living for an audience of ONE...