Ramblings

Well, I definitely haven't been writing on this thing in a good while and I've been meaning to for about a week now. Last week I received a phone call from one of my long lost roommates who has been in St. Louis, MO this summer doing an M-Fuge (or Merge, or whatever...) camp where he's like the pastor and director or something crazy like that. Basically, if you're in need of a job that'll shave a couple years off your life, then holla at this position! Anyways, Toph and I are huge Saved by the Bell fans. The message on my phone was about the new season 5 DVDs that were just released on the 19th. The next day in class, I asked one of my friends in class, JonMark, if he knew about the release--bc he is also a SBTB fanatic--of season 5 and of course he told me that he had just went out and bought it the day before! If you're a huge SBTB fan like Toph, JonMark, and I then you should definitely go out and get season 5 today! I've found that Wal-Mart has the cheapest price on it, but I couldn't find them at either of the Wal-Mart stores here in Waco. However, you can buy them online from Wal-Mart and the shipping is real cheap and the price comes out to be less than if you were to buy it at the local Best Buy or wherever. So, there's my pitch for the day. If I were to have posted this last week, I'd probably come off sounding a little more crazy bc I was pretty pumped up about this release but some of the ecstaticness has since worn off. I digress...

For those that actually know me and read this, it looks like I'm definitely going to be in SC one way or the other this upcoming school year while I complete my mentoring requirement for my degree. I have a phone interview this Wednesday w/ Furman for the chaplaincy internship job and then if I don't get that job, I have another definite back-up that would be equally incredible! So, I'm pretty excited about that! The other opportunity is still kind of hush hush even though I keep finding out more people that know about it. We'll see soon...

This weekend was absolutely wonderful bc I spent most of it doing absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be! I did write for about 6 hrs on Saturday, which was one of the most productive writing times I've had in a very long time (aka ever). I can't wait to pull that stat out in the Truett Writer's Guild tomorrow. This is a group of guys and girls at Truett we have pulled together who share a passion for writing--whether it be short stories, novels (of all genres), memoirs, etc.--and desire to meet w/ each other once a week to share what we've been working on, encourage one another to keep writing, get critiques on some of our works, and so on and so forth. It's been a true blessing from the diverse group of writers we have. Another great thing about this past weekend was that I received a call from my cousin Heath back home. He and his girlfriend Jessa--who I've known since kindergarten and her mom was my kindergarten teacher--just got engaged on Friday! I'm very happy for them and I know they are going to be very happy together. Heath and I are exactly 3 mths apart and so we've always been very close, so it really does matter to me who will be his wife and I do have to say I highly approve of this move!

Anyways, I'm gonna end this by giving a big shout-out to my main girl Evie whose picture is of course the new background on my computer. It's pretty much impossible for any other girl to steal my heart right now from this one!

Bumper Sticker Witnessing

So I was driving down the street just now and the bumper of a car caught my eye. There was a sticker on the left hand side of the car that said, "If you can read this, I can slam on my brakes and sue you." Then, mine eyes slide over to the right side of the bumper and land on the ever-so popular "John 3:16" bumper sticker.

ATTA BABY!!

Just Wait

Ok, so I put in the album Four by Blues Traveler the other day and was taken back by what I never noticed when I used to listen to this in middle school (I believe it was). What a great cd! The song "Hook" that was really popular back in the day is one of the funniest songs and I don't think I ever noticed it back then. He is totally dawgin' on everyone listening to it! Anyway, one song I listened to and caught my ear was one called "Just Wait." Wow. It's such a great song and written beautifully. I know some people who probably need to hear this song right now for whatever reason. I'm not in one of those depressed w/ the world, woe is me, won't somebody give me a hug, love hates me, no girl will ever want me and I'm gonna die alone, it would be great to have a dog right now, nobody knows the trouble I've seen kind of moods. I just thought it was a great song and felt obliged to include the words so I could hear what you think. Ohokay, peace out!

Just Wait by Blues Traveler

If ever you are feeling like you're tired
And all your uphill struggles leave you headed downhill
If you realize your wildest dreams can hurt you
And your appetite for pain has drinken it's fill

I ask of you a very simple question
Did you think for one minute that you are alone
And is your suffering a privilege you share only
Or did you think that everybody else feels completely at home

Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come

If you think I've given up on you you're crazy
And if you think I don't love you well then you're just wrong
In time you just might take to feeling better
Time is the beauty of the road being long

I know that now you feel no consolation
But maybe if I told you and informed you out loud
I say this without fear of hesitation
I can honestly tell you that you make me proud

(Chorus) x 2

If anything I might have just said has helped you
If anything I might have just said helped you just carry on
Your rise uphill may no longer seem a struggle
And your appetite for pain may all but be gone

I hope for you and cannot stop at hoping
Until that smile has once again returned to your face
There's no such thing as a failure who keeps trying
Coasting to the bottom is the only disgrace

(Chorus) x 3

Anti-Fashion Trend

Ok, so I haven't really been all about the whole bracelet fad that's been going on for a little more than a year or so now. Now, don't get me wrong at all about the "Livestrong" ones and the pink breast cancer bracelets, etc. that are truly wonderful and I fully support. I'm talking about the ones that are like from Nike and other random ones that just say catchy things. However, one has come along that is very close to my heart--not to say that the breast cancer and Lance Armstrong cancer ones aren't--and I definitely went on and purchased a box of 10 (the lowest amount you can buy) that should be here any day now.

If you know me and know also where I live, you know that I see the devastation of poverty every day. The past year that I've lived here in "The White House" on 15th and Bosque, I have had some of the most moving and memorable experiences and conversations w/ the people in the neighborhood. It truly has been a blessing to live life w/ these people--the prostitutes, crack addicts, alcoholics, homeless, and any combination of the forementioned. I have come to love these people. I look forward to seeing them everyday and seeing their smiling faces and emphatic waves as I come and go from the house. I never would have guessed this would happen. It seems more likely that I would be trying to avoid them and not have to hear their drunken and drugged rambling mixed w/ the smell body odor, cheap malt liquor, and stale cigarette smoke. On the contrary, over the past year, God has allowed me to more truly see these people through his eyes and I cannot put into words how beautiful it is. These are the people Jesus continually talked about in the Gospels who truly know the kingdom of God and know what God's grace is all about. They have taught me more than they can ever imagine. Imagine that, the uneducated homeless have taught me more than any person w/ a doctorate could ever imagine. These people are not a burden on society, but a blessing to me. Therefore, the One campaign to fight poverty and AIDS in Africa and the rest of the world has rung loud in the depth of my heart and I would encourage everyone to educate his or herself on what the campaign is all about. The best part about this campaign is that the main thing they're encouraging people to do is not to donate money, but to educate theirselves on this epidemic of poverty and to be a voice behind the fight to end its oppressive reign in Third World countries and in your and my neighborhood. I am hardly ever a "spokesperson" for something, but as you can tell this hits a part of me where I can't not talk about it.

I mean, seriously, Pink Floyd came together and played at Hyde Park in London after so long of bitter break-up! And, I might add, were absolutely incredible! They haven't missed a beat and the fact that they came together and sang, putting aside all their passed differences for this speaks an incredible testimony to what this campaign is all about!

May we all learn more and more each day to see through the eyes of Jesus who sees people for who they truly are--the Beloved of God! God bless the world!