Jesus is better than temperamental characters

This instance of God's sovereignty struck me tonight-- John 21 not only records Jesus's reinstatement of Peter (much like the reaffirmation of the Tabernacle's logistics!), but also Jesus's prediction of Peter and John's futures.

" 'Feed My sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you [Peter], when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.' This He [Jesus] spoke, signifying by what death [probably crucifixion] he [Peter] would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, 'Follow Me.' Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, 'Lord, who is the one who betrays You?' Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, 'But Lord, what about this man?' Jesus said to him [Peter], 'If I will that he [John] remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.' " 
-John 21: 19b-22

Jesus tells Peter here "It's not your place to decide how you'll die. It's not your place to decide how you'll serve Me. It's not your place to decide whether you survive the coming apocalypse and write Revelation or whether you minister to the Jews and write I and II Peter instead of I, II, III John and one of the accounts of My gospel. It also isn't your place to decide whether you follow Me or not; I prayed for you that your faith will not fail, and I reinstate you into the service of My kingdom."

 Let us be content and work diligently with the part written us, that we may sing with the Psalmist: "The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance." (Psalm 16:6)

BOR_Chapter 8: Middle School

Valley Christian Middle School was really a large turning point in my life in a few different, but related ways.

Firstly, my elementary years were very secluded and sheltered from all kinds of evil, and the pure statistical standpoint of broadening my horizons to include not close to 30 children, but close to 300 children could not possibly help to corroborate the way that Junior High would affect the mind of a skinny twelve year old Christian. Valley Christian Middle School was quite an environment shock of reality to me, but in hindsight, I can see God's gradual push to mature me through that experience. The weekly chapels were new to me, but the idea was not: my elementary had singing practice every day in the morning and afternoon, and every song we sang was in praise of our Father. The sports and P.E. were about the same [FSAE: Hah. I had no idea what I was talking about regarding P.E.], but the classes were frankly a waste of my time, and because both academics and sports were so easy during middle school, I began to slack off because I could, [coming from the strictness and academic rigor and excellence of my previous school].

A good thing was that I first began to see the other side of girls. Like my dad predicted, girls lost their "cooties." However, I'm still struggling today with the right approach towards women, (that is, with marriage as the ultimate goal [FSAE: of a more intimate relationship with a girl. Also, this struggle is still present in a far smaller amount, three years after High School. Very intuitive, Senior self!]) and back in middle school I was a total fool around girls. I mean, Laurel  Burkhart's mother still recognizes me as "that one kid who sprayed people with a hose that one time." I swear I can't remember [FSAE: I remember. It was for a STRIDE clean-up day.] what she's talking about, but I wouldn't argue too much; I may have been the one.

One of those weird best and worst things about Middle School is that it introduced me to "cliques," and I found the friends that I've kept for the past six years. They're great people, and I've watched them grow and mature alongside myself over the years, and I will definitely miss them when I don't return to their familiar faces next year. [FSAE: Word.]

I was never bullied in Junior High, but I do remember everybody calling me "High Pants," because I tucked my shirt in and wore a belt for the first few months of school, until I got sick of standing out. I don't know if it was a good thing to conform like that, but it sure saved a lot of hassle, and I don't think it did any harm other than lowering my resistance to further conformity; but a belt buckle wasn't worth dying over. [FSAE: grammatically correct: X wasn't something over which it would be worthy to die. Gross. Furthermore, in retrospect, it seems strange that long legs would be spotlighted at a majorly Dutch school.] I did like seeing how my older cousin, August Herrema [FSAE: now Ligtenberg], acted around her friends when she was in 8th grade. I looked up to her, as all 7th graders look up to the big bad 8th graders, and her integrity and consistency made me re-evaluate how I behaved when nobody was watching me.

The best thing about 8th grade was the way it prepared for leadership, and the way the 7th graders looked up to me made me realize the importance of innate leadership role of being the older brother meant, and that I needed to become a compassionate and loving big brother, not the feared privacy-invading and unforgiving "big brother" found in 1984. [FSAE: pop culture reference! I hadn't read the book, I haven't read the book, and it's not even on my long list. I guess I threw it in for brownie points, as these assignments weren't graded for content.] The discounted trips to Disneyland were a big hit for everybody too, and it gave an organized chance to spend time with friends at the happiest place on earth.

My Father is the God of providence.