Tag: journal

Truth and Reconciliation

James HoganLeave a comment

Hello friends!! I am currently at Beans coffeeshop and just finishing up my lunch. I decided I can eat lunch and write at the same time. Shocking, no? I’ve definitely been here far too long(it’s almost 3 o’clock!), but I’ve enjoyed my time here. Started out with a mocha and apple bread before moving on to my lunch of lentil soup and toast. Delightful. And of course, in the middle of my two courses, I got some good reading done. Along with some computer maintenance. I really really need to start seriously considering getting a new laptop. I do love my Vaio, but it’s over six years old and I don’t know how much more loyal service it’s going to give me. Any laptop recommendations, good people? I fear I’m a bit out of the game, technology wise.

Any other updates? Well, besides having a busy work week, not really. Did have a delightful evening yesterday! Me and Chase went over to the Rice University fields and played Ultimate with a bunch of people there. I haven’t played Ultimate in at least five years, so my skills were lacking, but it was still great fun. Going to need to make a habit of this. And afterwards, got some tacos(at this sweet joint, Torchy’s Tacos. Quality fare) Of course, it was a Friday night, so couldn’t go home quite yet! Drove Chase home and then played Halo for a couple hours before calling it a night. We’re currently making our way through the original campaign, so much fun!! Even though I think Chase is doing most of the work. I just run around and try not to die!

Anyways, it’s now 3 o’clock and my soup bowl is looking very sad and empty and I think it’s time to go. A perfectly beautiful day outside. The sunny blue sky calls my name!! Tonight is game night at Abby’s, and I need to get some errands done first. Have a delightful day, my dear friends.

Lockout

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So, it’s late this Sunday evening and I’m going to go to bed soon, but my sheets are currently whirling away in the dryer, so guess I can spare a minute!! I honestly don’t feel like in much of a writing mood, but just want to chronicle how awesome the past few days have been! From playing Halo with Chase and Zach on Friday and Saturday(…I haven’t played in about ten years. And yes, I’m just as bad as I always was! But much homicidal fun was had!!)…to having a sweet relaxing morning at Beans on Saturday morning…to having Ben Hur night with Chase and Zach and Ruth on Saturday night(I always forget how much I love this movie. Top Five Movie, no doubt. What a film.)…then worshiping the Lord at Bethel this morning. Beautiful. And tonight, a good evening service(on “The Gospel in Marriage”. I’m not quite there yet, but edifying all the same!) followed by some stellar basketball with Chase and Christina and Stef. And now, it’s Sunday night, almost bed time(once my sheets are dry!) and I am at peace. Here in Texas. My heart is broken up in little pieces all over the world(ok, mostly Florida and Aberdeen!), but I live here in Texas now, and all is well with my soul.

Peace, my friends. Peace and love.

Swallowed Sleep

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So it is Tuesday night and I really should be thinking about bed soon. But no. Not quite yet.

I just got back from community group a few minutes ago…awesome times with the group, as always! Delicious pizza, good chat…and ever so lovely time in the Word. John 4 tonight. Beautiful. Christ declaring his divinity to a broken woman. Love and joy abounding. And she went out to declare to all the story of her salvation! So should we all! The fields are white for harvest indeed.

Oh and my apologies for switching subjects so rapidly…but I must record the results of the fad du jour…Star Trek personality quiz! We’ve all taken it and results…*drumroll* Dad is Spock. Mom is Chekov. I’m Kirk. Maryanne is Scotty. And Laura is Spock too! This makes me smile, y’all. And fairly accurate, too..if I do say so myself. Don’t say anything to disabuse me.

And now, with this most glorious amalgamation of evening thoughts over, it is time I sip on my nighttime chocolate-tinged coffee and read a bit. Owens The Glory of Christ tonight, I think. I would like to dwell on such.

Peace and love.

Heart Unbound

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Happy Saturday, my friends!! And welcome to February! I’m sitting in my little coffeeshop and enjoying a most relaxing morning. Sorely needed, and very much appreciated after a long week! And I was going to write a bit more here and attempt to translate my thoughts to page, but my omelette has just arrived and it is tempting me. So I shall sign off and leave this fragment as a testimony to this beautiful day I have been given. Farewell, my friends!!!

Son of Gondor

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Lasagna almost ready to eat and Fellowship of the Ring almost at its conclusion. What a beautiful evening! Every time I see this movie, I’m reminded why it’s one of my favorites. To see the veritable clash between good and evil. Darkness is out there – yet we fight. I just saw one of the most moving scenes in cinema history, the farewell between Aragorn and Boromir. “I would have fought with you, my brother…my captain…my king.” Oh love.

And so with one of my favorite movies winding to its end(Sam and Frodo sailing across the river together!), I just thought I’d post quickly this Saturday evening before I eat my lasagna. All good things come from the Father of lights, and it is Him to whom I offer my thanksgiving this night. Farewell my friends! Now, it’s lasagna time for me. Mmm delicious. Peace and love.

Great and Terrible

James HoganLeave a comment

Good evening my friends! And Happy Friday!!

I’m sitting on my comfy couch this Friday evening, content and at peace. Content because I have a delicious dinner in the oven and a warm flat and clothes to keep the cold at bay. At peace because, despite what swirls around and within me, I am a child of my Father God. And it is well with my soul.

After that opening salvo, I shall attempt to write just a bit more this night. But first, while I gather my thoughts, I’ll describe my dinner! For I truly am looking forward to it. Lemon rosemary chicken, complete with squash and potatoes. It’s really not as fancy as it sounds, but it does smell delicious. And now with dinner out of the way – let’s get to the heart of the matter!

I just finished reading Malachi(and thus the Old Testament) a few minutes ago, and it’s such a delightful book to read. Truly. And maybe delightful is an odd word to use, yet I can’t think of a better. Just reading the words of God, pondering His coming. Thinking of the return of my Lord – the bringer of wrath and the purveyor of justice – the Lord who cares for the downcast and the humble man – and who despises the arrogant and the unjust. Our God will return, one day. And it shall be most awesome. And I truly long for that day, when there is no more pain or suffering or injustice. I long for that day when all the earth cries out – Glory to the Lord! – and all the nations bow before the King of Kings. What a day will that be. Yet who may abide the day of His coming? Those whom the Lord loves. Who can stand when He appears? Those whom the Lord delights in, because He has chosen them as His own and purified them as purest gold by the blood of His son. For our Lord is like a refiner’s fire – holy is the Lord!

Pardon the above paragraph – I fear it’s a bit disjointed, but thus are my thoughts this night. Also – reading Malachi reminded me of how much I enjoy listening to Handel’s Messiah. There are few – if any – pieces of music that bring as much glory to the Lord as that one. Praise the Lord, my friends. Praise the Lord – all the earth!!

And now my dinner is almost ready, which – I suppose – means this entry should be coming to a close. Just think on the Lord Jesus this night. Think of His beauty. Bask in His love. Fall to your knees and pray to Him. No matter what this world throws at us, no matter how our emotions rage – we are children of the living God. We are known. We are loved. Hallelujah!!

Peace, my friends. Peace and love.

Hope in the Darkness

James HoganLeave a comment

Good morning, my friends!! Thought I’d just post a quick few words here. It is delightfully and ferociously cold this morning! At least by Houston standards. 27 degrees currently. And falling! (That’s -3 for all you on the east side of the pond) I’m quite enjoying this weather, gotta say. I get to wear my sweaters and coat and scarf and just enjoy the crisp bite of the early morning breeze. Glorious, I say. And so I have decided that this cold weather is one of God’s gifts to me these past few days. Now, it is time to get some work domination done – so I am off. Have a wonderful day, y’all!!!

2013, In Memoriam

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And so does 2013 end. And so does the year 2014 AD begin – may it truly be a year of our Lord. So it is and so it will be.

And with those words, let us celebrate and praise the Lord who this year has made! Happy New Year, one and all!!!

I have thought about doing a year-review survey, but truly, I think I could get much more words in by just rambling on, and I think my rambling might be more interesting than answering survey questions. Of course, possibly not, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. Anyways – 2013! What a year it’s been. I was talking to some friends at our party last night and was remarking that 2013 was a year of great change for me. And I am most intrigued to see if 2014 will be as life-changing as this past year has been! We shall see. We shall see.

Anyways, before I bore you all to death(already too late? Oops), what’s been the highlights of 2013? Truly, too many to mention. I did a brief review of my journal entries from this past year. My discoveries? Apparently I’ve spent a lot of time in coffeeshops. I’ve drank lots of hot beverages. I’ve often promised to just write a few words and failed miserably at doing so. I’ve witnessed many glorious mornings. I’ve been continuously overwhelmed by the glories of our Father God. And that about sums it up.

And now I sit in a coffeeshop(Beans!!) eating my ham and cheese panini(with tomatoes and onions!). Yes I am a creature of habit at times. What can I say? Truly, though, it’s wonderful to enjoy this day off work and sit here sipping my mocha and thinking back over this past year and thanking God for what He has done in my life.

And that’s really what this post is about, is it not? I think sometimes we can be so self-centered as we reflect upon our past, but let that not be the case here. As I write these words of memory, let they bring glory to our Father in heaven. So let His praises be sung in all the earth!

And so 2013. I started out this year living in Aberdeen and I have finished it in Houston, Texas. I have returned to my homeland(in a manner of speaking). I have left friends innumerable behind in Aberdeen and I still miss them deeply. But now I am living in Texas and I am determined through the grace of my God to discover all the wonders and works He has in store for me. Texas is my home now. And I have already met and become close to so many people here, I can truly not complain!! Last night, bringing in the new year at the Youth Reach party with all my Bethel friends was simply fantastic. A few minutes after midnight, a few of us(Zach, Angela, Stef…) sang worship songs together as we stood in a field and watched the fireworks paint colours across the sky. Is that not a simply wonderful way to start off 2014? I say it is. (Of course, it was also pretty sweet to be able to go over to Andrew’s place afterward and play cards for a few hours. The girls had never played before, so we attempted to enlighten them in the dark arts of poker!)

But I have got off track. I keep meaning to talk more about 2013, but what shall I say? Shall I recount every shining moment in that year? There were too many. I could discuss what we call ‘highlights’, such as Maryanne and Laura’s trip to the UK and our awesome adventures. I could talk about my trips to Oxford and Northern Ireland. I could talk about the trips I had home for Maryanne’s graduation and later on my repatriation to the United States. I could recount the beyond awesome times I have had at home in Florida with Dad and Mom and Maryanne and Laura…all the ice cream we consumed and the Jack Bauer we enjoyed!! I could discuss the countless conversations I had with my dear friends. Sweet nights with John in the Calsayseat flat. Watching movies with people at Union Square – I think Les Mis was probably the highlight movie event of this past year! Coffee mornings with friends at Books and Beans. Now in Texas, coffee mornings with friends at Beans! I could talk about evenings drinking tea and chatting about life with so many dear dear friends(John, Ruth, Zara – did we not have some awesome nights together??). I could mention the remarkably awesome evenings I had with Chris and Jo(and oh do I miss our times together!!)…sadly no more playing Tomb Raider with Chris and no more watching Lord of the Rings and no more driving home from Gilc wednesday nights together. I could talk about the sweet birthday brunch I had with Ruth and Zara and John and Alec and Pip and Chris and Jo…best birthday ever!!! I could dwell on Gilc and the most wonderful worship that went on there every single week. I could think on all the friends at Gilc who I spent time with and encouraged and was encouraged by. I could think of the sweet times I had with Rosemary and April at their flat, eating scrumptious food and watching quality TV(Sherlock is playing today in the UK and I am missing it!!). I could talk about the breakfasts I shared with Graham and Joel and Ben…praying and talking together. I could discuss the beyond-awesome times me and Graham spent, just talking about life. And I could discuss so so much more. But truly, rather than spill even more virtual ink, just know that God has blessed this past year. And although I have talked mostly about Aberdeen and Scotland and my friends contained therein, my thanks to God for this year also extends to the Houston portion! I have become part of a special fellowship here, and I am oh so thankful to God for leading me to Bethel. My community group is a most wonderful group of brothers and sisters and I am ever so grateful. I greatly look forward to the coming days and weeks and months of getting to know them even better! I can’t wait to see what God will do this year.

And now, I’ve noticed I have created a rather awkward paragraph above, but I will let it stand in all its glory. I realise it may be a bit unwieldy to read. My apologies. I apparently cannot properly structure year-end posts! But this post is already far too long, so let me it end it quickly. You have read some of my thoughts on this past year. You have seen how God has blessed me. Know this – I am ever so thankful to Him for all He has done. Sometimes it is so easy to forget the blessings we are given when we are in the middle of a rough and exhausting day. Sometimes the storms and fog of the present troubles are all we see and we cease to gaze upon the majesty of Jesus Christ and we cease to dwell on His glory. And our world becomes small and mean indeed. But then should we stop gazing inward upon ourselves and our pleasures and our fears. Then should we turn to the most sacred Word of God and marvel at the words contained therein. Then should we turn in prayer to the Almighty God. Then should we think upon the glories of Christ. And then our heart burns in adoration and fiercest love for Jehovah God.

Be still, my friends – and think upon all God has done for us.

Happy New Year, my dear friends!! I am now off to do some shopping and try to decide upon the dinner menu for tonight! I wish I could watch some of the Outback Bowl(Iowa-LSU – currently wearing my Hawkeyes shirt!!), but no TV. Ah well. Michigan St. plays Stanford in the Rose Bowl, and I won’t be able to see that either. Alas – guess I’ll just have to get my updates from Dad!!

Jack

James HoganLeave a comment

I fail at keeping this up-to-date, even when I’m on holiday and (supposedly) have plenty of time! Just now, I’m sitting here in the family room and thought I’d write a brief update on this day-after-Christmas(or as it’s called in other lands, Boxing Day!). This day was just lovely. A relaxing morning with coffee and family. Going out with Mom to Best NY Pizza for lunch…and of course the best part of that isn’t the yummy pizza(although that doesn’t hurt…), but just being with Mom and talking with her…which is always one of the highlights of my trip home. Always.

And then once we got home, I got to talk to Chris and Jo over Skype – truly, technology is a wonderful thing!! I got to see Lily as well!!! So so exciting chatting with the three of them for the first time since…well, since I left Aberdeen, three months ago. We talked about Christmas and Lily and Gilc and Buffy and Hobbit and I got to share some of what I’m going through in Houston…and well, I won’t be scandalous and chronicle my whole conversation! But it was just lovely chat. And I miss them so. And I am deeply thankful to God for giving me such friends and for blessing me by enabling us to stay in contact and get to have such sweet conversations. God is good, my friends.

And after I said farewell – what next? Well, Desolation of Smaug of course! Me and Maryanne and Laura and Mom went to see Hobbit II – hurrah!! I’d already seen it, of course, but no one else had. It was much enjoyed, with all the dwarves and Legolas(!!) and barrel-riding and dragony goodness. Oh and Kate from LOST(er, Evangeline Lilly) was the Mirkwood Elves’ Captain of the Guard! Fantastic role, I liked her a lot. Especially her conversations with Kili about starlight. Very non-canonical, but I don’t care, I loved it.

So yes, good times with everyone seeing that, I do declare!

Then we stopped at Blockbuster and grabbed a bunch of ’24’ episodes(Blockbuster going out of business…tragic, tragic) and had a sweet dinner of leftovers at home(because we’ve eaten too much good food this past week and have too much food in the fridge!!) and then me and Laura got to listen to some Tarja(my Christmas gift to her – I think she enjoys!) and me and Dad went for a walk in the cool evening air…and I have no idea how to end this sentence, so I shall just say – now we’re about to watch some ’24’ – classic Hogan Christmas tradition. Season Five, I think! Hopefully we get some ice cream too. Mint chocolate chip, I say.

Hope y’all don’t mind this rambling entry – I shall close as the family calls my name!

Buffalo Gals

James HoganLeave a comment

So – I’ve really been meaning to write a proper Christmas entry, but I’ve been procrastinating dreadfully! Yes, it’s been a simply lovely and most fabulous day here with Dad and Mom and Maryanne and Laura. And yes, I really will write more at a later time(possibly tonight!). But now, it’s family time and we’re about to finish watching It’s a Wonderful Life. Good night, my friends!!

And – Merry Christmas!!!!