10 Things You Should Do This Summer

Summer break is always an exciting time of year. For me it is a chance to slow down a little bit and enjoy life at a different speed. It's also a chance to recharge my batteries and prepare for the next leg of campus ministry.

1. Read a good fiction book.

2. Volunteer to serve someone or somewhere.

3. Play in the water.

4. Go on an adventure.

5. Grow a vegetable.

6. Reevaluate your New Year's Resolution.

7. Watch a sunset (and possibly a sunrise) from a beautiful place.

8. Cook meat on an open fire.

9. Invest extra time in your relationships, especially your family.

10. Go see Man of Steel! (Premieres June 14)

11 Lessons College Teaches Beyond the Classroom

I have worked in college ministry for a decade. My wife teaches at the local university. We were talking about things we see people learn in college outside the classroom. There are many many more things that could have made the list, but here are 11 that came to us pretty quickly.

1. No one but you is going to wake your lazy butt up every day.

2. Time is valuable. You can spend it well or waste it worthlessly.

3. Laundry doesn't do itself.

4. You're responsible for your own actions.

5. Some people like you. Some people don't. Sometimes you'll change that. Sometimes you won't.

6. Math is important. Intro to Film is not.

7. Money doesn't grow on trees, puppies, or hubcaps.

8. The Internet lies, especially Social Media.

9. Choices have consequences and the future is real.

10. Friends that tell the truth, even hard truth, are better than friends that don't.

11. There are more important things than homework, but not very many.

Search Engine Queries

Search engines are great. You can type pretty much anything you can think of into one and it will probably connect you with something that lines up pretty well with your query. My blog host allows me to track all of the web searches that result in a hit on the site. This is a list of some of the humorous 2012 web searches that lead to nathanology. They are only funny because they are completely removed from the context of the article they arrived at. I hope you enjoy. These are completely unedited. 1. the face book post about hanging jesus for being a hippie liberal

2. slacktivism christianity

3. God hiking

4. where do liberals hang out on facebook

5. oh you have swag i bet that looks great on a resume

6. merica

7. what does "situation number 2" mean in storytelling?

8. huckleberry finn moral maturity

9. things that can be learned from spiderman

10. exploded brain

11. what in the heck is a doily

12. blistering sword

13. windows8 eats your soul

14. comic character in speedo

15. know me for my idiosyncrasies

16. football is idolatry

17. picture of the people walking with problems

18. who is francis chan going to vote for

19. they are just humanity’s way of trying to rationalize our own selfishness

20. people who pick up trash

10 Things We Say & What We Really Mean

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. We have a lot of little things we say that don't really mean what a careful interpretation of the words would lead someone to believe. Whether they are catch phrases, idioms, web/text speak, shorthand, or whatever. Here are ten things we say and what they actually mean.

1. "Maybe." — "I don't really want to commit myself to anything."

2. "This goes without saying, but..." — "I really think this is important enough that you should know what I'm about to say before I even say it, but I am going to say it anyways. Probably because I like the sound of my own voice."

3. "Lol" — "I have nothing else to say, but I want the conversation to continue."

4. "Yeah ... yes .... uh-huh" — "I'm not paying attention to you."

5. "I just want to be me." — "I just want to be who I think everyone wants me to be." or "I want to be as strange as humanly possible and get a lot of attention."

6. "I'm starving." — "It's been at least an hour since I ate an extra large double cheeseburger."

7. "I love (nonhuman variable)!" — "I have an unhealthy affinity for (nonhuman variable)!"

8. "It's good to see you this morning." — "Oh, hey we are passing each other in the hall at church again this week."

9. "That is so EPIC!" — "I don't know what an epic is!"

10. "Outreach" — "We want people to come to an event at our church on a night not typically associated with going to church."

10 Soap Box Thoughts

Some of these thoughts I gleaned from other places. Some are original. All are important ideas to me, which is really the only commonality that they share. 1. If we give our favorite political ideologues more time than we give Jesus, we are following the wrong master.

2. The Youth Pastor isn't called to disciple your kids. You are.

3. The American Church desperately needs to redeem the concept of religion and religious activity within the context of Christianity.

4. You don't have to be right. You don't have to prove your point. You don't have to win the argument.

5. A political change can not fix a moral dilemma.

6. I am called and commanded to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), but that starts at home. Church leaders who can't lead their own family have no business trying to lead God's people.

7. Humility, Humility, Humility. You're not nearly as smart as you like to think you are, and by you I mean me.

8. Political correctness is stupid.

9. Everyone with a valid high school diploma or recognized equivalent should be able to attend any public university full time for one free semester at the beginning of their college career.

10. Your present is God's gift of now. Use it well.

If I Were the New Grand Poobah

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying.

Like you I am sick of politics. So, I promise that this is my absolute last blog about politics for a long time. At least until my next one. This is a list of ten policies I would implement if I were the Grand Poobah.

1. Pedantry and Reality TV would be crimes punishable by death.

2. All professional sports would be permabanned, with a one time concession that NASCAR, golf, and bowling are actually sports.

3. FedEx, UPS, and other similar shipping companies would be forced to hire drivers from the pool of suddenly unemployed NASCAR drivers, who would only be allowed to make right turns.

4. I would reestablish space exploration by sealing Lady Gaga in a time capsule and launching her into space, towards the Sun.

5. My national bird would be Woodstock from the Peanuts.

6. Chemical warfare would mean dropping dirty diapers via drone.

7. Tony Stark, I mean Robert Downey Jr., would be Secretary of Defense...and Chris Evans would have to legally change his name to Steve Rogers.

8. George Lucas must go door-to-door to every American home apologizing for Jar Jar Binks.

9. There would be no such thing as money, or dubstep.

10. I would start this thing called The Hunger Games, where once a year 24 political commentators fought to the death with whiffle bats and sock puppets.

11. No Christmas music before Thanksgiving, no exceptions.

10 Things the Church Must Not Forget

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. This week's Ten was written by lovely wife Jamie. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

1. When everything is going well, pray and praise! Don't wait for the downtimes. People are watching you in the good times to see who gets the glory.

2. You can not tell other people their convictions. You must pray God convicts them through His Spirit.

3. If you can't love them while they are in the church there is no way you can love them outside it.

4. Christians have been Supernaturally sustained and provided for in historical periods, under terrible government, in wicked countries, and endured persecution that is far worse than anything you are probably dealing with.

5. Yes if God brings you to it he will bring you through it, but you must be fully armored for the spiritual warfare. Eph 6:13

6. There is no biblical commandment to hoard. The command continuously is to give and go.

7. When you have done everything stand firm. Eph 6:13 Firm. Not back on your heels in fear. Not on your toes trying to do too much.

8. The biggest lie Satan convinces people of is that they simply don't have the time for Christ. Christian and non-Christian.

9. To covet someone else's blessing is to tell God, He doesn't know what's best.

10. The heartbeat of Christ can be summed in three words: Love, Give, and Go. [He LEFT heaven cause He LOVED you and GAVE everything].

Some Reasons Why I Did Not Watch the Debate

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. Last week was the vice presidential debate between sitting VP Joe Biden and probable future vice president Paul Ryan. I watched it, and enjoyed it. I chose not to watch this week's town-hall style debate between President Obama and Gov. Romney. Here are some reasons why.

1) I was eating ice cream while cuddling with my wife and son.

2) I was pretending to __________ (verb) _____________ (carnival food) in __________ (fantasy land).

3) My mind has been made up concerning this election since 2009.

4) Listening to President Obama makes me miss President Clinton.

5) I can get a word for word breakdown from 200 pundits and several million wannabes via Twitter.

6) Both candidates have repeatedly shown their ability to fill time quotas while saying absolutely nothing.

7) I didn't want to.

8) I had an episode of "Last Resort" waiting for me on the DVR.

10 Things I Learned Via Missions

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. I have worked as a Missionary Associate with the U.S. Missions Department of the Assemblies of God for almost a decade. Crazy how fast that time has flown by! When I started I was incredibly focused on reaching those nearest me, with a singular, and often narrow-minded purpose. In the time since I have come to understand the remarkable value to be found by participating in missions on a greater scale. Here are some things I learned along the way.

1. Airplanes aren't as bad as I once believed. I used to be terrified of flying.

2. I paid much better attention in Spanish class than my report card may have indicated.

3. God is not American. While I have instinctively known this for many, many years; both my time abroad and Gungör helped to reinforce the idea.

4. Nail + Foot = Terrible Pain

5. When you commit yourself to loving and serving others unconditionally, you will humble yourself to do just about anything.

6. Most Americans are spoiled self-entitled brats.

7. If it doesn't fit in the bag, you don't need it.

8. A 3 oz. bottle of shampoo/conditioner will last for at least twenty showers.

9. Worshipping in a multicultural international congregation that transcends language barriers is incredible!

10. No matter where I go, or how important my work there seems, it has always had a more profound impact on my own life than that of those I have tried to help.

10 Almost Serious Rules (to Protect You From Dumbness)

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. Living life can often be tricky.  Luckily I'm here (sarcasm) to offer a few pointers with this Tuesday  Wednesday 10.

1. Never underestimate the stupidity of humanity. People are dumb. Lots of them. Learn it. Remember it.

2. Mr. Pibb is not Dr. Pepper, and is an incredibly inferior beverage. That's a well known scientifically ignored fact.

3. If you get an email from someone saying you inherited a fortune and they need some basic info (like bank stuff) it's hooey. Legal Eagles don't use hotmail to notify beneficiaries of their awaiting millions.

4. Windows 8 will break your soul and eat your Facebook profile if you update. Luckily iOS6 will fix both as long as you don't want to use a map.

5. Cartwheels under ceiling fans make for exciting injuries and lame stories.

6. It's important to fasten the seat-belt strap on your child's car-seat. This isn't even semi serious.  It's completely serious all the way.

7. "Friend" doesn't mean that at all where social media is concerned.  Kind of like when people write "LOL".  No one is really laughing out loud, except for that one girl in the library.  They just don't have anything else to say.

8. Texting and driving is dangerous.  Firing a shotgun while driving is more dangerous.

9. Not all "10" lists have 10. Don't believe everything that you read, hear, say, do, find, smell, or walk over.

10 Temptation Truths

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. Temptation is real.  We all deal with it.  Some of us deal with it poorly, and some of us think we deal with it not-so-poorly, but we all could use a little, or a lot of, help.  Temptation is like bait on a hook.  Something used by the enemy of our souls to drag us away from all that God has for us.  It's a fight.  These ten things are some things we discussed in my Sunday School class this past week.  For more, and better, insight go read Luke 4:1-13.

1. Satan is a real enemy. We are born into a real war and he is a subtle, crafty, and sly joker.

2. Satan will hit you. He's not going to leave you alone. He will attack when you're physically weak whether it's when you're tired, hungry, or alone. Solitude is good, but isolation is dangerous.  Being connected to God's people helps.  Sometimes we create the atmosphere for our own temptation by doing something that might not be outright sinful but puts us in a physically, spiritually, or mentally weakened condition.  Staying up too late, excessive time on the computer, time with people we would be better off not being with--these are all things that set us up for temptation, but might not be sinful in and of themselves. It’s better to be preventative than reactive.  Take measures not to get in a precarious place, circumstance, or state of being.

3. Jesus is our victorious warrior King. Society teaches us to be proud, to have esteem, because we’re all winners.  We're not.  We're all losers.  All of us.  Yes, you're a loser.  We've been programmed to believe that we're the best thing since gravity, but we're not. We're wretched sinners by acts of willful commission and/or omission.Pride doesn’t give us high esteem, it makes us a proud loser. It causes us to ignore our need for God because we think we're awesome. We’re not our own hope. Christ in us is our hope for glory. He triumphed over Satan at the cross, we triumph over Satan through His resurrection. Condemnation is debilitating, but conviction is liberating. There is conviction in Christ, but there is no condemnation.

 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. - Colossians 2:13-15

4. The Holy Spirit is your Power. Jesus resisted temptation for 40 days through the power of God the Holy Spirit. You can live as He did, full of the Spirit of God.

5. The Bible is your counter punch.Just stop making excuses.  Read your Bible. We take it for granted.

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. - Proverbs 30:5-6

6. Christ is your identity. Sometimes temptation is much less about sin, and a lot more about Satan trying to deceive you about who you are and who you belong to. Whatever your issue, be it promiscuity, perversion, or pride, it is not who you are.  It does not define you. Relationship with Jesus renews in you a new identity.  His identity.

7. Escape is always possible. There is always a way out. God makes the way. We have to pick whether we want the hook or the door. When temptation comes keep your senses.  Look for the way out.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. - 1 Corinthians 10: 13-14

8. Satan eventually taps out. He's a quitter.  It's his nature. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

9. Repent when you tap out and fight again. Repentance is acknowledging that you bit the hook instead of running out of the door. It happens.  There are a lot Christians who have let Satan trick them into thinking that's not true. Don't let religious pride blind you to your own inadequacies. But don't beat yourself up about them either. Take them to Jesus, that's where they belong.

10. Life is a battle with many rounds. Discipleship and sanctification take time. You will win against the devil. Some things that used to be serious temptations are no long even remotely an issue. He'll bring some new temptations to the fight. He'll find new bait. Keep your head and your heart firmly at the feet of Jesus.

10 Things Guys Can Live Without

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. As guys we usually think there are a lot of things we need. Most of these things are really just things we want. Many of them we can do without. Here's my list of 10 things every guy could live without.

1. Conversation: This is pretty obvious and most guys would probably agree. When it comes to extensive conversation it's just not necessary. Our compulsive need to speak is rarely longer than our immediate want or need.

2. Doilies: Many men will read this and think What the heck is a doily? It's that frilly, lacy, flowery patterned thing that your mom and your grandma put on their dining table where the plates are supposed to go. Yeah, men don't need those.

3. Consuming hobbies: Sports, Video games, and other consuming hobbies: pretend war, fake conflict, and the endless time sink are poor replacements for meaningful engagement, a worthy cause, and good--responsible time management. Put down the controller, turn off ESPN, and do something that will still matter tomorrow and the day after.

4. Pride: So many times we cast around for something to be proud about. Many times it has to do with our consuming hobbies, but not always. Pride is a catalyst for a lot of unnecessary conflict.

5. Image: This is just barely different than pride, but it is different. Concern for your image revolves around the meticulous cultivation of self-worth derived from others based on flawed values.

6. Furniture: Have you ever been to a bachelor's house? Remember that "chair" made out of cinderblocks and a milk crate? Guys don't really need furniture.

7. A Girl: No, I'm not advocating homosexuality. I'm just pointing out that some guys think they always need a lady on their arm, and they are wrong. Some of the most meaningful growth and maturing takes place in many men during an extended period of singleness.

8. Laundry Baskets: We typically prefer our clothes to be moved in piles. I'm pretty sure a woman came along and invented the laundry basket to make the piles easier to move.

9. Dancing: nothing good ever came from a man dancing. You know it's true.

10. Violence: many things we enjoy as men involve violence. Most of my favorite movies involve explosions, gunfire, or battle of some kind; but the truth is that we could live completely without viewing, consuming, or participating in violence.

10 Things I Learned from Spider-Man

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten.

It's no big secret that I love super heroes. Anyone that knows me very well at all can tell you that. I have loved super hero mythology as long as I can remember. And while my favorite member of the long-underwear club is Captain America, his frequent ally and fellow Avenger Spider-Man is a close second. I've been collecting and reading Spider-Man comics longer than I've even known what a comic is. Spider-Man turns fifty this month and to honor this colorful character this week's Tuesday 10 is a list of ten things I learned from Spider-Man.

1. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't: I grew up in an age when the good guy always beat the bad guy, a cliche of modern story-telling that just doesn't hold up well in real life. Spider-Man was the first super hero I can remember that actually lost about as often as he won.

2. Never, under any circumstances put on clothes if you don't know where they came from. Also, there is never a good reason to wear your underwear on the outside of your clothes.

3. It's good to have a sense of humor, but a joke at the wrong guy's expense might hospitalize you.

4. Sometimes willpower is better than muscles: Numerous times throughout his fictional history Spidey has reached the peak of his physical ability, and had to rely solely on inner-strength to prevail. A powerful physique can never surpass the will of the one who wields it.

5. Life is sacred: unlike a lot of fictional "heroes" Spidey doesn't kill his enemies, ever. That doesn't mean his stories haven't faced their own moments of intense tragedy, but they are never senseless acts of killing perpetrated by the wall-crawler as a facade for heroism.

6. Clones, symbiotes, deranged editors-in-chief, SONY Pictures, and emo dancing montages are all Spidey's worst enemies.

7. If you want to tell good stories they need a moral core, an identifiable hero, and a mounting conflict.

8. Editors-in-chief have way too much control.

9. Money affects everything in this life.

10. Power and responsibility: Spidey's costumed career took a turn for the heroic when his Uncle Ben was gunned down by a thief he had refused to stop in an earlier robbery. This event set the tone for a phrase that is as inseparable from the Spider-Man mythos as web-swinging, with great power comes great responsibility. If you have the ability to do good for someone, or the ability to prevent evil from happening, you have a moral obligation to intervene. This is a philosophy that is stated very plainly in the New Testament--James 4:17.

11. Stan Lee is a nerd's best friend. ~ Excelsior!

Guest Blog: 10 American Blunders

I love America, but we (Americans, first worlders, ect) tend to do a few things that don't make sense. Here's 10 (okay 11 because American's don't always follow the rules) common American blunders. 1. Lawn sprinklers. Why do we waste water watering our sidewalks and streets when drinkable water is a luxury many countries can't offer?

2. Spend $250 on a pair of jeans. I promise, you can find some for less than that, which will still make your butt look awesome. In many places around the world $250 is considered to be a good monthly salary.

3. Rent storage buildings. Why spend so much money on junk that won't fit in our house so we have to pay money to store it?

4. Buy SUV's and complain about gas prices. (guilty)

5. Take our kids to the mall instead of the library.

6. Accept the use of foul and degrading language around us.

7. Have more TV's in our home than people. Have more computers in our home than people (majorly guilty).

8. Buy homes we can't afford, decorate them with things we don't love, to impress people we don't like.

9. Do anything (including having risky surgeries and taking strange untested medications) to lose weight. It's amazing what you can accomplish if you eat less and get in a little exercise.

10. Take no responsibility. Blame everyone.

And one extra:

11. Worship athletics. Million dollar grass. Billion dollar stadiums. Million dollar salaries. Thousands of gallons of fuel for one sport. Enough said.

10 Thoughts on the Olympics

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. I'm not a hater. I can appreciate the athleticism involved in reaching that level of competition in many of the events, but I really do not enjoy the Olympics. Here are ten thoughts I've had recently in regards to the 2012 Summer Olympics. And it's a day early, so I get a 1.34% gold medal for punctuality.

1. They are incredibly boring. It almost, almost, makes me wish golf was on, or NASCAR.

2. It never fails to astonish at how badly we like to make things seem far more important than they actually are.

3. Phelps should play Aquaman in the inevitable crappy Justice League movie.

4. Dress it up all you like. You can even call it a race if you want to, but walking is still walking.

5. I recently realized that I spend more time in the shower during a typical week than I do watching TV. Thank you Olympic Games for helping me remember why.

6. According to the research of some smart money crunchers, we will spend well over $55 billion on the Olympics this year.

7. My favorite thing about the Olympics has been Google's search engine logo.

8. Tape delay still exists? Some of this stuff was on YouTube before NBC aired it.

9. There is never, NEVER, an acceptable time to wear a speedo.

10. The Olympics would be far more interesting without the commentators. Since when did we need a talking head to tell us about how people swim and run?

10 Ways to Simplify Life

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. If your life is anything like mine it is probably hectic and messy. And it runs the risk only of getting messier. Here are ten ways to simplify life.

1. Don't buy everything you want.

2. Realize that if you take on a new hobby, interest, or commitment you'll probably have to drop a different one.

3. Tell the truth, even when it sucks.

4. Love people to a fault.

5. Trust your gut.

6. Pay off and cancel your credit cards.

7. If you don't use it, or need it, give it away, or throw it away.

8. Say no often, and mean it.

9. Don't procrastinate.

10. Realize that some things we see as choices are really not choices at all. They are just humanity's way of trying to rationalize our own selfishness.

10 Reasons Why I'm Voting for Romney

I've known Skot Covert for several years. In all the time I've known him, he has been politically active. In fact, his interest in politics extends well beyond the day he first came to Arkansas Tech University. I've seen him grow into an incredibly bright young man, full of faith, and integrity; and although I'm not a Republican, I am a conservative. Skot is the kind of young man that gives me hope for the future of conservative America. When I asked him to write this guest blog this week, he graciously accepted, in spite of a rigorous travel schedule as the newly elected Vice Chairman for the College Republican National Committee. Skot is also the current Chairman of the Arkansas Federation of College Republicans. These are ten reasons why he is voting for Mitt Romney, and thinks you should too.

1. Youth Unemployment – In 2008 Barack Obama earned the support of Generation Y, with 66% of young Americans (ages 18-25) supporting then Senator Obama. Coming out in massive waves, America’s youth were mesmerized and strongly committed with the idea of electing Barack Obama. Now, this same generation faces the highest youth unemployment rate since the great depression at a staggering 16%, which is double that of the national average. Furthermore, 1 in 2 recent college graduates are unable to find meaningful employment. Four years later Generation Y is asking “why?” Why did Barack Obama not deliver on his promise of hope and change? Why did Barack Obama let us down? Why should we give President Obama another chance? Why?

2. Supreme Court Appointments – In the coming four years there will likely be multiple vacancies on the country’s highest court. A position on this bench is a lifelong appointment, which guarantees that whoever is chosen to serve will likely rule on very importance cases. Even this year alone the US Supreme Court made some very historic decisions, that from my conservative viewpoint, didn’t happen as I would of hoped. For example, Obama’s signature piece of legislation, the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) was ruled constitutional on a 5-4 vote.

It’s my belief that when these vacancies are to be filled, Governor Romney will appoint true conservatives and strict constitutionalist to the high court. If President Obama is allowed to make more appointments, we are assured decades more of a SCOTUS with a strong left leaning.

3. National Debt – When campaigning in 2008, President Obama promised to cut the national debt. It has since then doubled and is currently at 15 trillion dollars, correct, TRILLION with a “t”. The cost of President Obama’s out of control and irresponsible spending practices will be placed on my generations tab.

Governor Romney has a proven record of cutting spending and not spending more than what is taken in. Our country is desperately in need of a President with experience in balancing a budget. Governor Romney’s experiences as Massachusetts governor coupled with his record as a successful businessman more than qualifies him.

We have a moral responsibility not to spend more than we take in. Governor Romney has a record of embracing this fundamental building block that thus far, has made our country a great one.

4. Experience Matters – Being president is no easy task. There is absolutely no room for on the job training, which is what Barack Obama demanded. Formerly serving as a US Senator, he had only been exposed to one branch of government. The pace in the US Senate is, frankly, slow. Not acting on much legislation and only having to make an up or down vote.

Being President requires one to make decisions, often times hard decisions. Mitt Romney’s experience as a governor has prepared him to lead and to make the tough decisions that confront the issues our country is facing.

5. Because Barack Obama Said So – On February 2, 2009, referring to the economy and the stagnant job market, President Obama said in an interview with the Today Show “If I don’t have this done in three years, then there’s going to be a one-term proposition.”

Mr. President, it’s been three years. 23 million Americans are still unemployed. Time’s up.

6. High Expectations - John F. Kennedy sought to send an American to the moon. Ronald Reagan wanted to tear down the Berlin Wall. What’s the goal of our nation today? What direction are we working towards? I’m afraid there isn’t an answer to this. Our President has disappointed Americans, much less inspire us.

Governor Romney has a vision for America. A vision that embraces freedom and prosperity that will allow for innovation, job creation, medical breakthroughs, and restoring faith that the American dream is still alive and well today.

7. Timing – Every few decades, turns in the business cycle, changes in culture and policy mistakes conspire to make us question ourselves. Is the “American dream” still alive? After 200 years, is our country finally in decline?

In 2008 our country was facing some very serious problems. We looked to the untested, brand new freshman Senator from Chicago to show us the way. Four years later, we are much wiser. We now know the “Chicago way”, and it’s not the “hope and change” that it was hyped up to be.

Our country is in a desperate need for a turnaround. There is no better-qualified politician in America to execute a turnaround than Governor Romney. It’s what he has done his whole career.

8. His Faith – Yeah, that caught you off guard didn’t it. You thought I was embracing Governor Romney’s Mormonism as a reason to support him. Well, frankly, kind of. Governor Romney has been faithful to his wife, a great father to his many sons, and never once has be been accused of any scandal. He is a man of integrity because of his faith, not in spite of it, and if he makes it into the Oval Office, we’ll know that his values are grounded in something far more profound than political expediency, opinion polls, or purely personal philosophies.

9. Fundamental Differences – The two candidates for president have very fundamentally different opinions on the role, size, and scope of government. I personally believe that government should be small because the people know best how to live their lives, spend their money, and make decisions about their family. The government only complicates this. Whether it be choosing health insurance or not, choosing which school to send one's children to, or what kind of vehicle to purchase, the government should never be the middle man standing in the way of the people, ultimately hampering potential prosperity.

Governor Romney believes in a small government. One not of regulation, but one that rewards success. He supports a smaller, simpler, and smarter government.

10. 58 States – In May of 2008, Barack Obama famously stated in a campaign stump speech that there were “58 states” in our union. If a sitting US Senator can make such a gaff and still be elected for his poor math skills, then I can submit this blog post with only 9 points. There are 10 points, that's a joke.

Check out these links to keep up with Skot, as well as the College Republicans. Website: www.CRNC.org | www.ArkCR.com Twitter: @SkotCovert, @ArkCR

10 Predictions for the 2nd Half of 2012

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. It doesn't really feel like it, but 2012 is already halfway over. I have a few thoughts and expectations concerning the remainder of the year and thought that I would share them. Understand that this is purely speculation on my part. I don't know the future. That's obvious. In six months I might be able to revisit this list and see that it is really obvious. Or it might be prove to have been frighteningly accurate. Here are my predictions for the second half of 2012.

1. The world will continue to get crazy, and the global economy will not substantially improve.

2. John Cusack will not save the world, but he might ride on a big metal boat.

3. Glee will remain the craptastic assault on our pop-culture senses we all either love or hate, but mostly hate.

4. People who watch the Total Recall remake will remember why Colin Farrell disappeared for a while.

5. Conspiracy Theorists and doomsingers will live to conspire another day as the Mayan Calendar rolls to an end, and the world keeps going.

6. Michael Jordan will still be the best basketball player that ever lived.

7. My son will walk, and talk.

8. I will make significant progress on my book and my Master's degree.

9. Mitt Romney will defeat President Obama in the presidential race. Many conservatives will claim it's a huge victory, but no one will really be that happy about it, except for Mormons, rich people, and hyper-sensitive culture warriors.

*note* I consider myself an independent conservative, but have a fairly low opinion of pretty much every presidential candidate that took the field this round.

10. Regardless of how the rest of this list turns out, Jesus will still be the one and only Savior, Redeemer, and hope for mankind.

10 Tips for Making Good Decisions

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. It is a fact of life. We make decisions daily. Some of them are almost inconsequential while others are potentially life altering for ourselves and others. In the case of that latter kind, I'd like to offer ten tips that help me when faced with weighty decisions.

1. Weigh the pros and cons. Make a list. Jot them down. But remember, not all pros and cons are equal.

2. Prayer is important. If you aren't already doing that I'm not sure anything else on this list will help you. Remember, God is your Heavenly Father. Talking to Him about your choices should be like asking your earthly father, or someone you love and respect, for advice.

3. Get counsel. Not a lawyer (unless the situation calls for it). A key individual or small group of intelligent people you trust. Find someone that has faced a similar decision before. It's generally a good idea to ask people older than you if you don't have a lot of life experience. (If you're in college or younger, chances are you don't have a lot of life experience.)

4. What does the Bible say about it? Chances are that someone, somewhere, within those 31,103 verses faced a similar situation, if not the exact situation.

5. WWJD: "What would Jesus Do," it's a really old saying, but it's also a timeless litmus test for all believers that really can apply to every situation. Number 2 & 4 tend to make this one a lot easier.

6. Ask yourself what will help others. Is there an outcome that will greatly benefit others?

7. Ask yourself if it's selfish. It's ok to be selfish sometimes, but not every time, and certainly not to the point of self worship.

8. If this is a decision involving another party directly, such as in a job or relationship situation, ask them direct questions and get direct answers. Don't be fooled by noncommittal responses. Find out their expectations and make yours known.

9. Some people say not to trust your gut, I disagree. What most people call "gut feelings" I actually believe are promptings from the Holy Spirit. As Christians we believe that God made us, and He lives in our hearts. Why would we not trust that? Just remember, feelings and emotions are a speedometer not a steering wheel.

10. Find out what other people who were faced with a similar decision did. Robert Frost was a great writer, but he was also kind of an idiot. Sometimes the road is less travelled because bad things lie down that path.

10 Things I Love About America

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. I really love this country. My heritage goes deep. I'm part Native American, and part English immigrant, but one way or another my family was here from the very beginning of this great nation. I've always been patriotic, as anyone that knows me well at all can tell you. Here are ten things I love about this wonderful land we live in.

1. The Bill of Rights is pretty awesome. Owning guns and being able to read the free press are WIN scenarios any way you slice it.

2. Captain America. I don't believe that requires any further explanation.

3. Charity; people all across the board like to point fingers and gripe about everything from entitlement, perceived socialism, welfare, deficits, and stinginess, but facts are facts. The U.S.A. Is the most charitable country on the Earth both inside and outside its borders. Whatever side of the political aisle you find yourself on, next time you want to gripe about charity, you would do well to remember that once upon a time that word actually meant LOVE and not HANDOUT.

4. Creativity; thinking and doing are appreciated in a myriad of ways. We aren't the only creative culture around, but we manage it with a sense of style that is uniquely American.

5. Freedom of Expression; some people choose to exercise this particular freedom like bone-headed-nincompoops, but that is their prerogative. For every flag burning moron out there, there are an army of sensible artists ready to wow us with their beautiful minds.

6. Protection; if you come to my house and threaten the life of my family, I will kill you, and it will be legal.

7. Natural Beauty; this is a remarkably beautiful place. I can drive less than an hour from my home and see sights that take my breath away.

8. Military; we have the most powerful armed forces in the world, and it's made up entirely of volunteers.

9. Capitalism; for the most part I decide where my money goes. Do I want to buy seventy bags of Corn Chips? That would be ridiculous, but if I want to I can...or I can buy a pile of ground beef and grill burgers for my family. Not everyone handles this freedom responsibly, and plenty of people wish they had a little more wealth to be (ir)responsible for/with; but if you have it, it's yours to do with as you please, or as your conscience dictates.

10. Worship; I've been reading a lot of stories lately about churches in my movement facing violent persecution around the world. I can sleep easy knowing no one is going to come into my home and attack me for my faith...but if they do I can always fall back on number 6 (Kidding! Kind of.)