Wednesday, August 31, 2005
new light on an old lesson...
I know this is one of the most well known verses in the bilble...but it hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday...thought some of you might appreciate it... "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance...will come from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come...for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 God's plan will not be stopped by our unwilliness to surrender to it. Instead, it is our job to decide whether we will be the ones to carry his great loving plan. ....carry on...
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
update from scovil hall...
so I'm sitting here in the new business school, taking advantage of the wireless access and digesting the sandwich I just had (first nourishment all day...feels good!!). I started classes this morning, which was really good...I was well ready to get out of "summer camp" mode and into a routine, however rigorous it may turn out to be. I'm excited about the teachers I've had so far...one is older, totally off the wall, and a really fun person (she wears shorts and hawaiian shirts and often dramatically gestures or hops around the room). The other is a petite, younger woman, who seems to be very intelligent, kind, and interesting...and not a bit pathetic either. She may be about 5"1' but she won't let anyone slide. my enter key, I just discovered, doesn't want to work, so bear with the long paragraph. Anyway, I'm a bit overwhelmed after looking at the syllabuses (is that a word??) but excited about the depth of the class, and my classmates. My honors seminar is going to be great. Tomorrow I have both of my science classes, which should be interesting. And I'm in the process of being put into a choir...which I can't wait for. I'm enjoying this so far...good stuff. well, it's time to head out and do some more reading. Hope that your day is great!! later
Friday, August 26, 2005
a praise....
i met a girl.
her name is Lauren
and last night during a really crass movie we started talking...
turns out she's a christian
just recently recomitted her life to christ and started reading the bible
and is looking for a church
needless to say, Riverside will have it's first visitor on Sunday
and I am jazzed beyond all belief
thanks for the prayers
there must be more seekers out there
love to you all...
her name is Lauren
and last night during a really crass movie we started talking...
turns out she's a christian
just recently recomitted her life to christ and started reading the bible
and is looking for a church
needless to say, Riverside will have it's first visitor on Sunday
and I am jazzed beyond all belief
thanks for the prayers
there must be more seekers out there
love to you all...
Thursday, August 25, 2005
The little things...
It's the little things in life that make it the best
*babysitting for 6 kids on a great summer night...helping the littlest boy on his art skills via the magnetized drawing board, keeping the baby in the grass and away from the older kid's bikes, and judging the driveway races from the sidelines (and giving a talk on "winning isn't everything" to the middle siblings)
*getting your teeth cleaned (especially when they squirt that little thin stream of water over your teeth right after they are polished. I like that part the best)
*listening to your little brother sleeping over with a friend in a tent on the deck
*watching the sun rise through the hospital window...and knowing it's the last time I'll do it, perhaps for a very long time. :)
*Listening from the hallway to the little old men that were my patients on Monday talking about my "future plans." I especially liked the part where the 85 year old declared that I will never get to do what I planned because I will meet a boy and "that will change everything."
I enjoyed these and other "little somethings" this week and maybe that's what made today seem so BIG!! I went to Millikin for the first time tonight...it was move in day but we went for dinner tonight and met a few people there...then had a motivational speaker of sorts who talked us through time management and internships (I didn't quite understand the last part). That was OK I guess. Mary and Angie came here during dorm floor meetings and we played with my new technology, which has me a little confused. (tonight I locked my phone and couldn't get it undone...not to mention the fact that the password I thought I entered for my voice mail doesn't work. Guess I'd better call them tomorrow...tee hee!) Then we went back to the Student Union for Karaoke and pizza...that was really loud and crowded, but we met a few more people and I got to talk to my small group leader, which was good. she's a bio major and very helpful.
It's weird to have a class that is 6 times the size of my whole high school and has so many different kinds of people. Tonight I got a kick out of just sitting and watching everyone. The athletes are interesting, there are punks, there are clean cut guys, there are girls who have never been taught the difference between underwear and a shirt. poor things. there are outgoing people who made it a point to introduce themselves to everyone. There are shy ones that stand in little groups in the corner (we met several of them...they are easier to approach than the others somehow) and there are people that look pretty normal. Funny how I say normal, when there really isn't such thing. I guess that's what struck me the most tonight. Individuality and uniqueness has never seemed so obvious...and something that I don't notice very often. Perhaps that's a fault of christians, that we surround ourselves with people that are exactly the same as us. just a thought.... It's cool...and exciting...and scary. My only regret is that I'm afraid it will be a little difficult to break in since I don't have a dorm floor to call home on campus...but we'll be doing lots of activities in the next few days to get us aquainted, so hopefully we'll get to spend some time with lots of new people. In the meantime I aim to find some little things on campus to enjoy....and hopefully some new friends who can enjoy them too.
Peace...
*babysitting for 6 kids on a great summer night...helping the littlest boy on his art skills via the magnetized drawing board, keeping the baby in the grass and away from the older kid's bikes, and judging the driveway races from the sidelines (and giving a talk on "winning isn't everything" to the middle siblings)
*getting your teeth cleaned (especially when they squirt that little thin stream of water over your teeth right after they are polished. I like that part the best)
*listening to your little brother sleeping over with a friend in a tent on the deck
*watching the sun rise through the hospital window...and knowing it's the last time I'll do it, perhaps for a very long time. :)
*Listening from the hallway to the little old men that were my patients on Monday talking about my "future plans." I especially liked the part where the 85 year old declared that I will never get to do what I planned because I will meet a boy and "that will change everything."
I enjoyed these and other "little somethings" this week and maybe that's what made today seem so BIG!! I went to Millikin for the first time tonight...it was move in day but we went for dinner tonight and met a few people there...then had a motivational speaker of sorts who talked us through time management and internships (I didn't quite understand the last part). That was OK I guess. Mary and Angie came here during dorm floor meetings and we played with my new technology, which has me a little confused. (tonight I locked my phone and couldn't get it undone...not to mention the fact that the password I thought I entered for my voice mail doesn't work. Guess I'd better call them tomorrow...tee hee!) Then we went back to the Student Union for Karaoke and pizza...that was really loud and crowded, but we met a few more people and I got to talk to my small group leader, which was good. she's a bio major and very helpful.
It's weird to have a class that is 6 times the size of my whole high school and has so many different kinds of people. Tonight I got a kick out of just sitting and watching everyone. The athletes are interesting, there are punks, there are clean cut guys, there are girls who have never been taught the difference between underwear and a shirt. poor things. there are outgoing people who made it a point to introduce themselves to everyone. There are shy ones that stand in little groups in the corner (we met several of them...they are easier to approach than the others somehow) and there are people that look pretty normal. Funny how I say normal, when there really isn't such thing. I guess that's what struck me the most tonight. Individuality and uniqueness has never seemed so obvious...and something that I don't notice very often. Perhaps that's a fault of christians, that we surround ourselves with people that are exactly the same as us. just a thought.... It's cool...and exciting...and scary. My only regret is that I'm afraid it will be a little difficult to break in since I don't have a dorm floor to call home on campus...but we'll be doing lots of activities in the next few days to get us aquainted, so hopefully we'll get to spend some time with lots of new people. In the meantime I aim to find some little things on campus to enjoy....and hopefully some new friends who can enjoy them too.
Peace...
Sunday, August 21, 2005
t-3 seconds and counting
Greetings all-
Well...it's the last weekend before school starts and so I thought I should write something...not sure what yet, but it will evolve as always I hope.
Gosh, the last week has totally flown by...my schedule became so packed that I'm lucky that in all the time I didn't drive to the wrong city, lock my keys in my car, or fall asleep in the middle of some random building (I did leave by gas cap at the station...but that's not TOTALLY eccentric, is it??). Craziness! I had a great time though, seeing everyone off...getting in on 4 different packing sessions with my friends (family dynamics are always heightened during these times...it can be pretty funny...), and lots of parties to say goodbye for "the last time." We spent more time recording, went to Kim's for a night, went out on the boat for the last time, had a church picnic, and generally made the most of every waking second. Thursday night we had a few of the church families over to our house for some ice cream and a goodbye for Jackie and Andrew. I felt that it was a little unfair that I had to say goodbye to both of them in the same night. They have made this year so fun in so many different ways...it's hard to imagine school without them. However, if we are going to introduce the rest of the world to our craziness (which we spent the last 4 years perfecting) we will have to split up some time I suppose. Love you guys tons.
I've been doing a lot of reading and shopping trying to get all ready for school myself. Last night I went to spend some time with Zach and Tina before Zach left this morning, which was fun. And tonight and tomorrow I work again for the last time (no more 12 hour night shifts!!)
This time next week I will be fully emersed in the "college world" and trying to keep my head above water and perhaps even make a difference there. Prayers are appreciated...peace to you all!
Well...it's the last weekend before school starts and so I thought I should write something...not sure what yet, but it will evolve as always I hope.
Gosh, the last week has totally flown by...my schedule became so packed that I'm lucky that in all the time I didn't drive to the wrong city, lock my keys in my car, or fall asleep in the middle of some random building (I did leave by gas cap at the station...but that's not TOTALLY eccentric, is it??). Craziness! I had a great time though, seeing everyone off...getting in on 4 different packing sessions with my friends (family dynamics are always heightened during these times...it can be pretty funny...), and lots of parties to say goodbye for "the last time." We spent more time recording, went to Kim's for a night, went out on the boat for the last time, had a church picnic, and generally made the most of every waking second. Thursday night we had a few of the church families over to our house for some ice cream and a goodbye for Jackie and Andrew. I felt that it was a little unfair that I had to say goodbye to both of them in the same night. They have made this year so fun in so many different ways...it's hard to imagine school without them. However, if we are going to introduce the rest of the world to our craziness (which we spent the last 4 years perfecting) we will have to split up some time I suppose. Love you guys tons.
I've been doing a lot of reading and shopping trying to get all ready for school myself. Last night I went to spend some time with Zach and Tina before Zach left this morning, which was fun. And tonight and tomorrow I work again for the last time (no more 12 hour night shifts!!)
This time next week I will be fully emersed in the "college world" and trying to keep my head above water and perhaps even make a difference there. Prayers are appreciated...peace to you all!
Monday, August 15, 2005
The Good Times....
wow...there have been so many of them lately. Cramming in every last minute with my friends has caused me to resemble a chicken with no head lately...but that's not a problem. We had a great family night with the Costerisans on Friday...the WHOLE family, including Annie, which was odd but so much fun. She's about the only girl in the world who could sweeten that barrel any more. Aaron, you did good. :)
Saturday we practiced for our quartet...which was fun cause only 3 of us could make it. No problem though, Andrew can play the drum, pluck out a bass part, and sing all at the same time! Saturday night I headed to Texas Roadhouse with Matt, Zach, and Tina...we had fun eating way to many rolls with cinnamon honey butter and steaks. Yeah fun! Then we went to vernons were a whole slew of people were waiting for Matt...to wish him well and give him some goofy presents. We had a blast, a good time of prayer for the departing college students, some great food, and a long game of mafia. Once the gang had fizzled slightly the foursome sat back down because Zach and Matt decided that this once they could beat tina and I (the lengendary, telepathic team) in spades. They put up a good fight but they both suffer from ADD I think and we ended up beating them in the latest game of spades I've ever played. In fact, once we prayed once more I just beat 2 am home. Yikes! It was tough to say goodbye to my good buddy Matt and realize that he is just the first of several tough farewells this week. But then again, he's jazzed, and I know that he won't completely change before I see him again.
Sunday morning the quartet worked hard to pull the song together and we had fun singing it on Jackie and Andrew's last sunday before they depart. Good times...we've spent so much of this year singing together, it was a fitting way to end...and an awesome song too! I also got to chat with Jessica from RBC who is going to be a sophmore at Millikin about how we can draw some students to the church. Her attitude got me excited about the possibilities...and about the potential friend I have in her. After evening service we went to DQ with Jacks, the Bosticks, the Costerisans, and their missionary cousins (very cool people) ...that was fun. Then we had a movie night and helped Jackie keep her head on straight during her packing. This morning my mom woke me at noon to remind me that I had an 11 am lunch date with Heather. Sorry sweetie!! We had a good time with what we had left though. Then tonight TJ, my (amazingly!) 11 year old brother, had a birthday party at the bowling alley. Right now he and his best friend are camped in a tent on the deck and probably having more fun that I can imagine. I love that kid...he is so cute. ...and I hope he'll keep his air soft gun away from me! :)
The rest of this week is already almost booked with recording, church stuff, get togethers, sorting out finances, buying books, and more cleaning. ...that last one is probably my favorite.
I watched a toon on homestarruner called "bug in mouth disease" on saturday night. Homestar swallows a bug and runs around, frantically dramatic, yelling "THE GOOD TIMES ARE OVER STRONGBAD!!" for the whole show. When he finally rids himself of the problem he goes back to normal life like nothing ever happens. I realized between Matt's laughter that I may have had some of the same behavior lately...frantically grasping at each "last time" and dreading the day when I have to say goodbye to the awesome highschool years I had. I'm sorry for being so annoying, for anyone who happens to read this. ...I'm going to try harder. God's really been working on me to see the potential he has for me to fill in the FUTURE, not the past. Tough lesson to learn for me, but there are people who need me, people who I need, and work to be done around that corner that I can't see. Faith...I need some. the good news is that despite the hard times that will come, the good times are far from over.
To those of you who have or will be moving on this week...I love you all and will miss you dearly. Let me know about your times, good or otherwise, so that we can make more when you come back. Blessings on you as you embark on new journeys.
"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; fondly remembering your work prompted by faith, your labor produced by love, and your perseverance inspired by hope in our lord Jesus Christ, and in the sight of God the Father"
1 Thes. 1:2-3
Saturday we practiced for our quartet...which was fun cause only 3 of us could make it. No problem though, Andrew can play the drum, pluck out a bass part, and sing all at the same time! Saturday night I headed to Texas Roadhouse with Matt, Zach, and Tina...we had fun eating way to many rolls with cinnamon honey butter and steaks. Yeah fun! Then we went to vernons were a whole slew of people were waiting for Matt...to wish him well and give him some goofy presents. We had a blast, a good time of prayer for the departing college students, some great food, and a long game of mafia. Once the gang had fizzled slightly the foursome sat back down because Zach and Matt decided that this once they could beat tina and I (the lengendary, telepathic team) in spades. They put up a good fight but they both suffer from ADD I think and we ended up beating them in the latest game of spades I've ever played. In fact, once we prayed once more I just beat 2 am home. Yikes! It was tough to say goodbye to my good buddy Matt and realize that he is just the first of several tough farewells this week. But then again, he's jazzed, and I know that he won't completely change before I see him again.
Sunday morning the quartet worked hard to pull the song together and we had fun singing it on Jackie and Andrew's last sunday before they depart. Good times...we've spent so much of this year singing together, it was a fitting way to end...and an awesome song too! I also got to chat with Jessica from RBC who is going to be a sophmore at Millikin about how we can draw some students to the church. Her attitude got me excited about the possibilities...and about the potential friend I have in her. After evening service we went to DQ with Jacks, the Bosticks, the Costerisans, and their missionary cousins (very cool people) ...that was fun. Then we had a movie night and helped Jackie keep her head on straight during her packing. This morning my mom woke me at noon to remind me that I had an 11 am lunch date with Heather. Sorry sweetie!! We had a good time with what we had left though. Then tonight TJ, my (amazingly!) 11 year old brother, had a birthday party at the bowling alley. Right now he and his best friend are camped in a tent on the deck and probably having more fun that I can imagine. I love that kid...he is so cute. ...and I hope he'll keep his air soft gun away from me! :)
The rest of this week is already almost booked with recording, church stuff, get togethers, sorting out finances, buying books, and more cleaning. ...that last one is probably my favorite.
I watched a toon on homestarruner called "bug in mouth disease" on saturday night. Homestar swallows a bug and runs around, frantically dramatic, yelling "THE GOOD TIMES ARE OVER STRONGBAD!!" for the whole show. When he finally rids himself of the problem he goes back to normal life like nothing ever happens. I realized between Matt's laughter that I may have had some of the same behavior lately...frantically grasping at each "last time" and dreading the day when I have to say goodbye to the awesome highschool years I had. I'm sorry for being so annoying, for anyone who happens to read this. ...I'm going to try harder. God's really been working on me to see the potential he has for me to fill in the FUTURE, not the past. Tough lesson to learn for me, but there are people who need me, people who I need, and work to be done around that corner that I can't see. Faith...I need some. the good news is that despite the hard times that will come, the good times are far from over.
To those of you who have or will be moving on this week...I love you all and will miss you dearly. Let me know about your times, good or otherwise, so that we can make more when you come back. Blessings on you as you embark on new journeys.
"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; fondly remembering your work prompted by faith, your labor produced by love, and your perseverance inspired by hope in our lord Jesus Christ, and in the sight of God the Father"
1 Thes. 1:2-3
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Revolt Against Full Sentances...1st draft
Cleaning
recording for Andrew's new album
reading "Diary of a Wombat" (a new favorite soon to be a classic)
getting to know sarah riemer
listening to her song for the above mentioned book
playing with blow pens
seeing the Muni production of "Beauty and the Beast"
eating chocolate
listening to Nickel Creek's new album
praying hard
cleaning again
cooking
dreading the "week of goodbyes" that starts sunday
practicing for a special in church
boating
skiing
tubing with my sis
screaming loudly during the above mentioned
falling
playing games
eating awesome food
hearing great music
sleeping...
recording for Andrew's new album
reading "Diary of a Wombat" (a new favorite soon to be a classic)
getting to know sarah riemer
listening to her song for the above mentioned book
playing with blow pens
seeing the Muni production of "Beauty and the Beast"
eating chocolate
listening to Nickel Creek's new album
praying hard
cleaning again
cooking
dreading the "week of goodbyes" that starts sunday
practicing for a special in church
boating
skiing
tubing with my sis
screaming loudly during the above mentioned
falling
playing games
eating awesome food
hearing great music
sleeping...
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Back in the cornfield...man it feels good!
Greetings from cloudy florida where it rains every day and is clear in the nights! That's about the only "Darn Tootin'" that I can summon from the last ten days. It was an AWESOME trip, even if I didn't get enough of a tan to share with all of you like I promised. :)
We saw two of my cousins and my aunt and uncle for the first time in 9 years...this meant that one of the cousins is now pregant and married (the other two are well on their way...) anyway, that was neat. We saw wedding pictures and caught up on all the news. My two oldest cousins are brothers (26 and 23) and the funniest guys around. One is bald and in the navy and as boisterous as they come. The other is into martial arts, totally a people person, and can recite any word backwards in about a second. He unleashed this phenomenon during dinner one night and had all 14 of us rolling on the floor. we were shooting words out right and left, and he returned all of them without difficulty. He also recited the alphabet backwards in about 3 seconds. Darn photographic memories. When the laughter subsided my dad said "that's incredible!" Without skipping a beat, Ian said "elbidercni?" Both of them were total gentlemen...the type that seem to live to serve. Casey and I agree that we are totally spoiled for the rest of our lives. My youngest cousin Bryan is 13 and a hoot. He had fun learning street fighting from Ian and then trying it on me. :)
We also had a great night to celebrate Grandma and Grandpa's 60th wedding anniversary. (that's so many years to live with a person!!) ...it was so cool...casey and bryan dressed up in the hat and navy uniform that they were married in and we had cake and did swing dancing and looked at old pictures and let them reminice. We were really glad to have the week to spend investing...and they did some investing in us. We had our own service were my grandfather blessed us all, wrote out our strengths and encouraged us with a scripture. It was cool.
Somewhere in the midst of one of the 15 hour trips we realized that we had been in the car for 12 straight hours 3 days out of the past week. YIKES!! it is time to be home for a while.
When we got back yesterday, we decided that vacation didn't need to be over quite yet, so we went boating with Costerisans, re-taught mom how to water ski, and then went to dinner with them. Lastly we went to check out the decatur celebration, which was cool because I have never been in town for it. Anyway, we are hoping to head back there tonight to see Jars of Clay. Yay fun. My only regret is that I didn't get to see Chris before he left today. There were just a few too many people at that concert last night!!
I'm eating up the prospect of the last two weeks with minimal schedule issues...blessings on you all.
We saw two of my cousins and my aunt and uncle for the first time in 9 years...this meant that one of the cousins is now pregant and married (the other two are well on their way...) anyway, that was neat. We saw wedding pictures and caught up on all the news. My two oldest cousins are brothers (26 and 23) and the funniest guys around. One is bald and in the navy and as boisterous as they come. The other is into martial arts, totally a people person, and can recite any word backwards in about a second. He unleashed this phenomenon during dinner one night and had all 14 of us rolling on the floor. we were shooting words out right and left, and he returned all of them without difficulty. He also recited the alphabet backwards in about 3 seconds. Darn photographic memories. When the laughter subsided my dad said "that's incredible!" Without skipping a beat, Ian said "elbidercni?" Both of them were total gentlemen...the type that seem to live to serve. Casey and I agree that we are totally spoiled for the rest of our lives. My youngest cousin Bryan is 13 and a hoot. He had fun learning street fighting from Ian and then trying it on me. :)
We also had a great night to celebrate Grandma and Grandpa's 60th wedding anniversary. (that's so many years to live with a person!!) ...it was so cool...casey and bryan dressed up in the hat and navy uniform that they were married in and we had cake and did swing dancing and looked at old pictures and let them reminice. We were really glad to have the week to spend investing...and they did some investing in us. We had our own service were my grandfather blessed us all, wrote out our strengths and encouraged us with a scripture. It was cool.
Somewhere in the midst of one of the 15 hour trips we realized that we had been in the car for 12 straight hours 3 days out of the past week. YIKES!! it is time to be home for a while.
When we got back yesterday, we decided that vacation didn't need to be over quite yet, so we went boating with Costerisans, re-taught mom how to water ski, and then went to dinner with them. Lastly we went to check out the decatur celebration, which was cool because I have never been in town for it. Anyway, we are hoping to head back there tonight to see Jars of Clay. Yay fun. My only regret is that I didn't get to see Chris before he left today. There were just a few too many people at that concert last night!!
I'm eating up the prospect of the last two weeks with minimal schedule issues...blessings on you all.
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