The Most Important Visit We've Ever Made
7 years ago
2/27/2009
Moving Time.
Well, on Monday I move. I found a house with 3 other dudes. Two live upstairs and rarely come down. Two of us live downstairs. I have never met the other guy who lives downstairs. The landlord told me he is in his 50s, is somewhat hard of hearing, and rarely leaves his room. He and I share a bathroom, living room, and kitchen. I am not super excited about the move. I like my current roommate and apartment. But this was open, and I think it is better than the other place I was looking at. Unfortunately, it isn't any closer to work and it will be more expensive than my current location. So all in all, it seems like backwards progress. The one good thing about this is it's month-to-month, so if something better comes up I can move in April. And who knows, maybe God wants me to get to know this mysterious apartment mate with a "Private Property, Do Not Disturb" sign on his door.
2/25/2009
Good day
It feels kind of weird having a rough day and a good day back-to-back, especially since most of the things that went wrong yesterday were still wrong today. Today, though, I had a lot more peace. My run was frustrating until I realized that I had run farther than I thought, so I'm not as out of shape as it seemed. I found a number of radio stations that might possibly consider hosting me and sent them emails to that effect. I wasted at least an hour on the ebay mess but I learned a lot of useful things about spam and feel like I have closure on it, as long as my shoes arrive in the mail when they are supposed to. My training sessions went well. The mother of one of my trainees called for help on homework and then told me that she loves my photos and wants to buy one. And I had another unexpected blessing drop in my lap. More details will probably be posted here soon. Plus one of my coworkers made a huge, delicious cake for her culinary arts class (she is in cooking school) and brought it to work.
2/24/2009
Rough Day
Today was a long day. I was really frustrated and irritated when I got done with my run this morning, which is a bad sign. Normally that is my happiest point of the day. I ranted to God for half an hour or so, and then spent the next hour or two praying. By the end of that time, I had a lot more peace and also a couple of ideas.
I almost missed my session with my first trainee at work because I haven't yet adjusted completely to the schedule and I was thinking that I meet with him an hour later than I do. Fortunately God popped the idea into my head that maybe I was wrong, so I managed to leave the apartment in not too much of hurry. At work, one of my trainees had a meltdown. Kicking and screaming and all kinds of stuff. Fortunately I have seen most of that before, so it didn't phase me too much. Still, it puts a damper on life.
And then I won an ebay auction, paying $26 for shoes (including shipping) that normally cost 70 or 80 in a store. So that was pretty sweet. But then the company sent me an email saying that if I hadn't already paid through ebay I could pay on their own website. I fortunately had the intelligence to pay through ebay rather than trusting them, but I am still nervous about it. The ebay site says to ignore any email telling you to buy elsewhere because the whole thing is against ebay policy and may be a fraud. So now I am praying that it really is all above board, and if it isn't that I don't have to deal with it. I notified ebay, so they are conducting an independent investigation and won't contact me about it unless they need more info.
End of the day analysis: Life is hard, but God is faithful. Get a helmet, be thankful.
I almost missed my session with my first trainee at work because I haven't yet adjusted completely to the schedule and I was thinking that I meet with him an hour later than I do. Fortunately God popped the idea into my head that maybe I was wrong, so I managed to leave the apartment in not too much of hurry. At work, one of my trainees had a meltdown. Kicking and screaming and all kinds of stuff. Fortunately I have seen most of that before, so it didn't phase me too much. Still, it puts a damper on life.
And then I won an ebay auction, paying $26 for shoes (including shipping) that normally cost 70 or 80 in a store. So that was pretty sweet. But then the company sent me an email saying that if I hadn't already paid through ebay I could pay on their own website. I fortunately had the intelligence to pay through ebay rather than trusting them, but I am still nervous about it. The ebay site says to ignore any email telling you to buy elsewhere because the whole thing is against ebay policy and may be a fraud. So now I am praying that it really is all above board, and if it isn't that I don't have to deal with it. I notified ebay, so they are conducting an independent investigation and won't contact me about it unless they need more info.
End of the day analysis: Life is hard, but God is faithful. Get a helmet, be thankful.
2/23/2009
I love love love this picture
I took this picture from the passenger seat of my coach's car as we drove back from a wedding a few summers ago. It always makes me want to fly away, but it needed a castle or something to really capture what I felt. So I took pieces out of a several different pictures taken in Ohio and Iowa, edited them a whole lot with the Gimp, and put them together to make a castle. Now I just need a knight and lady on a horse riding up to the castle. I don't have any pictures of that, so it will have to wait. I was originally planning to sell this but I realized that the castle is made up of a bunch of different buildings and I don't have property release forms for any of them. Probably not a big deal, but I am always cautious. So I am giving the electronic file free to anyone who wants it.
2/18/2009
When Plans Go Out The Window
This morning my macbook didn't start.
That capped off a long evening of trying to figure out what I would say today to the college Communications Department about using comm. skills.
When I got to the college, without my computer, I went to the Comm Arts room and was kindly informed by the department head that he didn't know I was coming. I quickly found out that the professor who invited me (and who used to be the department head) was now the department head of only the English department. So I quickly skampered over there, adjusting my speech in my head as I went, and told them about how God can use English majors. That was a really good time and I got to talk to a couple of people in depth afterword. I also ran into our recruiter, who I didn't know would be there. While talking to her I ran into another several friends, who had actually read the letter I sent out yesterday (amazing!)
Then I talked to two of my old teammates and my old coach. Good times. On the way to work from the college I got a call saying that my student had a 102 fever and wouldn't be coming in. Poor kid. Pray for him. So I went to Mac store at the mall and told a guy there that I had sick macbook.
"It isn't puking, is it?" He asked.
"Nope," I said, "It just doesn't like to wake up in the morning."
He recommended two shots of espresso and jumper cables.
Okay, fine, I made up half that conversation. But he did ask me if it was puking. He told me to bring it in. When I got home I tried it with the battery removed, and it started. So I have a feeling that if I bring it in right now they won't be able to find anything wrong.
Such is life. For now I am extremely grateful to God that it is working. When it didn't start at all this morning I got a little concerned. I hadn't backed up anything on my computer since June, and even then I didn't back up the whole thing. If my hard drive had fritzed, I would have lost tons and tons of files. So right now my computer is copying itself onto my external hard drive. Funny how things can rapidly move up on my to-do list.
That capped off a long evening of trying to figure out what I would say today to the college Communications Department about using comm. skills.
When I got to the college, without my computer, I went to the Comm Arts room and was kindly informed by the department head that he didn't know I was coming. I quickly found out that the professor who invited me (and who used to be the department head) was now the department head of only the English department. So I quickly skampered over there, adjusting my speech in my head as I went, and told them about how God can use English majors. That was a really good time and I got to talk to a couple of people in depth afterword. I also ran into our recruiter, who I didn't know would be there. While talking to her I ran into another several friends, who had actually read the letter I sent out yesterday (amazing!)
Then I talked to two of my old teammates and my old coach. Good times. On the way to work from the college I got a call saying that my student had a 102 fever and wouldn't be coming in. Poor kid. Pray for him. So I went to Mac store at the mall and told a guy there that I had sick macbook.
"It isn't puking, is it?" He asked.
"Nope," I said, "It just doesn't like to wake up in the morning."
He recommended two shots of espresso and jumper cables.
Okay, fine, I made up half that conversation. But he did ask me if it was puking. He told me to bring it in. When I got home I tried it with the battery removed, and it started. So I have a feeling that if I bring it in right now they won't be able to find anything wrong.
Such is life. For now I am extremely grateful to God that it is working. When it didn't start at all this morning I got a little concerned. I hadn't backed up anything on my computer since June, and even then I didn't back up the whole thing. If my hard drive had fritzed, I would have lost tons and tons of files. So right now my computer is copying itself onto my external hard drive. Funny how things can rapidly move up on my to-do list.
2/17/2009
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Yes, another blessing has flowed my way.
This song also makes me think about heaven.
I long to observe the heavenly hosts praising God.
I can hardly believe that some day I will have that
privilege, and even more, that I will be invited to
join in. It makes me want to practice my worship
now, on earth. Not just my singing, but everything
I do. I want to develop a heart that beats for God,
a mind that sets itself effortlessly to His will. I
want to feel the rhythm so I don't end up being
that person who is constantly clapping on the off-
beat. I feel that heaven will be something like a
massive, elaborate, multi-media jazz performance,
where each person contributes his or her talents
and takes his turn with one the others and with
the angels, for the sole purpose of worshiping God.
You will probably find me with Eric Liddell, running
around with our heads back and mouths open,
cherishing the delight of our father.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Yes, another blessing has flowed my way.
This song also makes me think about heaven.
I long to observe the heavenly hosts praising God.
I can hardly believe that some day I will have that
privilege, and even more, that I will be invited to
join in. It makes me want to practice my worship
now, on earth. Not just my singing, but everything
I do. I want to develop a heart that beats for God,
a mind that sets itself effortlessly to His will. I
want to feel the rhythm so I don't end up being
that person who is constantly clapping on the off-
beat. I feel that heaven will be something like a
massive, elaborate, multi-media jazz performance,
where each person contributes his or her talents
and takes his turn with one the others and with
the angels, for the sole purpose of worshiping God.
You will probably find me with Eric Liddell, running
around with our heads back and mouths open,
cherishing the delight of our father.
2/16/2009
The Long Journey
This week marks the beginning of my training for Grandma's Marathon. My feelings war about this from minute to minute. Mild panic turns quickly into excitement, which then gives way to confidence, which slowly erodes into doubt. I would excitement is the dominate emotion at this point. As miserable as it is to get up, my day has rarely been right unless I started it with a run. As much as my muscles moan, I am deliriously happy to know that I am no longer just a fair weather runner. As much as I have often wondered why I run, right now I feel like I was born for it. As much as I dread it, I love it. I can't wait to race.
2/14/2009
VDAY
To all single men:
Here we are again, February 14th. Still single. So, to honor our singleness, I vote that we do something today, on the day of unmatched romantic mushiness, that we could probably never get away with if we had a girlfriend. Like playing hockey. Or watching football. Or going for a run. Or eating frozen pizza for supper. Or sending valentines to all our single female friends so they don't have to feel lonely. Or BLOWING STUFF UP!
And then, if we still feel lonely, or even if we don't, spend some one-on-one time with Jesus. Because I don't know about you, but for me it isn't often enough that I just sit and talk with Jesus. He is my first love and greatest love. If I am to one day love a wife, I must start by loving Him.
Have a great day!
John
Here we are again, February 14th. Still single. So, to honor our singleness, I vote that we do something today, on the day of unmatched romantic mushiness, that we could probably never get away with if we had a girlfriend. Like playing hockey. Or watching football. Or going for a run. Or eating frozen pizza for supper. Or sending valentines to all our single female friends so they don't have to feel lonely. Or BLOWING STUFF UP!
And then, if we still feel lonely, or even if we don't, spend some one-on-one time with Jesus. Because I don't know about you, but for me it isn't often enough that I just sit and talk with Jesus. He is my first love and greatest love. If I am to one day love a wife, I must start by loving Him.
Have a great day!
John
2/10/2009
Oops!
I accidentally posted my last two blogs to my exercise blog rather than this one. Anyway, here they are:
Yesterday:
Ooooo, I feel yucky today! Threw up three times this morning, pretty much been sleeping and drinking water since then.
Two Days Ago:
This weekend was a little rough with the passing of Grandpa, but it was also very good. There were enough stories told about him that I feel like I actually know him better now than I did when he was alive.
His death also gave much of the family an excuse to get together 4 days in a row, a feat that has possibly never occurred before. Believe it or not, I'm still not sick of them, either. I love my cousins so much. We almost treat each other more like siblings than cousins.
Today was a potluck after church and a talent show. My brother and I, with the help of a friend, threw together a quick script right before lunch and performed it. It was the "2 minute" version of a 2 hour play our church has done many, many times. Most people wouldn't have understood our antics, but our audience thought it was great.
Then I went to my cousin's birthday party and we went skating. That was cool. I had never gone ice skating with any of cousins.
And then I drove back to the cities. And even that wasn't dull. As I drove along a car was holding pace just behind me for half a mile or so. I didn't think much of it until he suddenly accelerated past me and I saw that it was a police car.
A mile or two later I had come up behind an early 2000s silver car. This was odd because I was going the speed limit. Most cars in the cities go 5 over and I would never catch them. Another police car came down the ramp, so I merged over to let him in. As I pulled away from the other car (which was still going less than the speed limit) I kept watching my rearview mirror to see what the police car would do. I kept expecting him to go around the car, since it was going slow. But for about half a mile the police car stayed behind the other car, and then suddenly he turned on his lights and pulled it over. So I figure the police were out looking for a silver buick for some reason or other. Even though mine is a '91, they decided to run my plate # just in case.
Yesterday:
Ooooo, I feel yucky today! Threw up three times this morning, pretty much been sleeping and drinking water since then.
Two Days Ago:
This weekend was a little rough with the passing of Grandpa, but it was also very good. There were enough stories told about him that I feel like I actually know him better now than I did when he was alive.
His death also gave much of the family an excuse to get together 4 days in a row, a feat that has possibly never occurred before. Believe it or not, I'm still not sick of them, either. I love my cousins so much. We almost treat each other more like siblings than cousins.
Today was a potluck after church and a talent show. My brother and I, with the help of a friend, threw together a quick script right before lunch and performed it. It was the "2 minute" version of a 2 hour play our church has done many, many times. Most people wouldn't have understood our antics, but our audience thought it was great.
Then I went to my cousin's birthday party and we went skating. That was cool. I had never gone ice skating with any of cousins.
And then I drove back to the cities. And even that wasn't dull. As I drove along a car was holding pace just behind me for half a mile or so. I didn't think much of it until he suddenly accelerated past me and I saw that it was a police car.
A mile or two later I had come up behind an early 2000s silver car. This was odd because I was going the speed limit. Most cars in the cities go 5 over and I would never catch them. Another police car came down the ramp, so I merged over to let him in. As I pulled away from the other car (which was still going less than the speed limit) I kept watching my rearview mirror to see what the police car would do. I kept expecting him to go around the car, since it was going slow. But for about half a mile the police car stayed behind the other car, and then suddenly he turned on his lights and pulled it over. So I figure the police were out looking for a silver buick for some reason or other. Even though mine is a '91, they decided to run my plate # just in case.
