Christmas Day Release of True Life's First Official Video Update

Merry Christmas everyone!

Well, here is my first ever video update for my blog. Wow! I hope this is not the last, but after finishing this project up I'm going to take a slight break from movie making (so that I will 100% ready to go for the next one.

Anyway, these videos are the story of my amazing adventure during the second half of this year. From June through November I lived and worked up in Virginia, and my hope with this video project is to just give someone a glimpse of the amazing time I had. Be sure to watch both parts for the full story.

Enjoy!

Part 1

Part 2

Official Statement on Virginia's Christmas Day Release

Merry Christmas! It has been many months since I last wrote in this blog. And thus why today's post is an announcement.

Yes, I am announcing my first ever video update on my life. The name of this film is Virginia and it tells the story of my life over these past few months. The release date is "gasp" TOMORROW, Christmas Day!

 This will be a two-part movie, but luckily for those who want to watch both, Part 1 and 2 both are going to be released tomorrow. My hope and dream of this film is simple: to tell the story of my unexpected adventure during these past 6 months.

 So with that, good night and Merry Christmas. Get excited for tomorrow's grand debut!

 Sincerely,


 Mark D. Schneider

Lost

My favorite TV show has been, and probably will always be the show "Lost". Unfortunately that title is now applicable to my life. Right now I am completely lost! I have not the slightest clue which direction I should take. I'm talking about my future! I feel hopeless. I don't even know what it is I want to work towards. This is why I hate Troy University with a passion. Here I am graduated with a bachelor's degree (which use to mean something I think, but now it seems worthless) and I haven't the slightest clue what to do next. Basically I am in the same position I was in leaving high school, just I am now short thousands of dollars. So why did I even go to school? Yeah it was fun, but it sure didn't get me ready for anything. All it really did was take my money, but anyway my hatred towards today's higher education is another story for another time. I can't just blame Troy for leaving me in this position, because its my life and if I don't take charge of it and make something happen then its nobody's fault but my own. Yet where do I even start? If only I knew...

The meeting and the change

Today we had good meeting. Today was a business lunch, a family gathering, and vision conference all in one! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Here is what I experienced:

It was simply a visit by the parents. They took me out to a local steakhouse! Very nice weather and so we sat outside. Talked about business (I signed my tax return) and fun (HUNGER GAMES!!!). It was relaxing and stimulating at the same time. Then afterwords we came back to the center of operations, Alumni Hall, where we began to hammer out some details.

The big question (and focus) right now is what's next. I am keenly looking for/awaiting an answer, as are my parents (they tired of paying for me...) and so we worked on my cover letter. In fact we/I got a lot done. Productive is an understatement.

I feel alive after today. I am suddenly motivated and excited about the future. I have nothing lined up for sure as of this moment, but today replaced my despair with hope. And hell, I've got one application almost done. But more importantly I have the motivation to fill out more.

Amazing what a change of perspective can do.

Following the clouds...

"Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night." Numbers 9:15-16

"Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp" Numbers 9:17-18a

"as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped...Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey." Numbers 9:18b,22

These passages I read in Numbers shocked me. This is taking place during the Israelites trek through the desert, and this entire nation of people is following not a human leader but rather the one true God. Now Moses was a leader among the people but his role almost seems more like a mediator between the Holy God and the sinful people. As for directions on where and when to go the nation of Israel followed a cloud.

Now obviously this cloud was a representation of the Spirit of God. Yet I'm sure there were those who doubted. Especially when the cloud wouldn't move for months or even a year (Num. 9:22) I'm sure the people began to wonder what was going on. Were they following the right cloud? Should we even be falling a cloud around? These questions probably were asked a lot. It would be really hard to live like that because there is so much unknown! They have no clue whether or not they will be moving the next day, let alone where they are headed!

Yet this is what God wanted of them. This is faith! This is what he wants of today's believers as well. After all, the cloud would reside above the tabernacle, and 1 Corinthians 6:19 declares that a believer's body is a "temple of the Holy Spirit." Thus He commands us to go at times and at other times He tells us to remained "encamped". We cannot expect him to explain to us the reason for being sent somewhere or being told to stay put. We just have to follow.

When not to fight

"Then He asked them again, 'Whom are you seeking?' And they said, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus answered, ' I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way.'" John 18: 7-8

"Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priests servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, 'Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My father has given me?'" John 18:10-11

"Pilate answered, 'Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have you done?' Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.'" John 18: 35-36

Why did Peter attack? Why did he even have a sword with him? Because he hadn't fully grasped what Jesus was doing, how much greater His plan was then the idea of a revolt or an overthrow of the local government.

So often I desire to fight, to not let others push me down with their talk or actions. There is such a strong desire in our flesh to fight back when threatened. In my life this most often means verbally fight back. When they say something, I must say something worse back to them. Its a cycle that just builds and builds towards destruction.

Yet when Jesus had the opportunity to physically fight back and save His own life, He instead showed us just how other-worldly and against-our-normal-instincts God's plan is. Peter thought he needed to save Jesus's life but instead Jesus fully intended on giving up his life!

So this cycle of fighting back, trying to get the last word in is broken by an amazing and perplexing God who's kingdom really is not of this world!

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

My Friend Robin...

I want to write a quick post about my friend Robin Mose. This dude is graduating!!!! He made it through, suffering through the tortures of genetics and the horrors of physics. But he made it! So I just wanted to congratulate him. I'm excited for him and can't wait to see what God has in store for the rest of his life.



Great Job Dude!!!!!