props

I love wireless internet. I am sitting in McAlister's blogging and checking email. How amazing is that? I am ready for the day that it is everywhere...free.


I need to tell a story.


Tonight I was studying at Barnes and Noble. Well, okay, so I wasn't getting much studying done. I am trying to get research done for a paper, but it is slow going. So I spent some time talking to my friend Pam and reading some other books. Then I decided I was falling asleep and it was time to go.


As I was leaving I saw this cool new magazine so stopped to glance at it. On the other side of the magazine rack is a chick. I didn't even notice her until I saw this guy walk up. Here are his words (as best I could hear):


"Hey I've never seen you around before, do you go to Baylor."
"Yes," she shyly responds.
"Me too, what are you studying?"
Small talk continues but who cares about that part. Here comes the best part:
"Well I've seen you around before and I think you're pretty cute."
She said something I couldn't hear.
He said, "Yeah, I think your pretty cute and I would like to know if I could take you out some time."


SUB preacher just preached at me in McAlister's. I have a hard time not being cynical of this.


I've kind of lost track of my story thinking about preaching boy. I can't figure out why this is the way he chooses to show Jesus to the world. I respect his passion and conviction. Maybe I criticize because my faith is too weak to do things like that. Maybe I criticize because I can't think of what passage in scripture would support what just happened.


Now that I have at least temporarily left the story let me talk about this event I sit in. Mark often blogs around people; I tend to do it in private. This being around people sure sparks thoughts. There are cute girls on the left of me that just got back from Six Flags. I am jealous of the trip. I want so badly to go play like that right now. I also wouldn't mind sitting with the girls instead of alone with only my large sweet tea and my chocolate chip cookie. There is a dad (Baylor Dad T-shirt confirmed) eating with his Zeta daughter. I can't really hear their conversation so I just imagine what might be being said. There are a few others scattered here and there. I am on the quiet side of the restaurant. I can't see those speaking on the other side of this curtain thing.


Back to the story:
I can't actually hear the response I just assume she says she is dating someone by the bummed out, "oh okay," I hear.
He casually walks away, sits at a table in the cafe with another girl he was studying with.
She turns back to the magazine. I wish I could have see her face.


I have to tell someone. I rush back to where I was sitting to share the story with Pam. All of the sudden he is back there too. He came to tell another female friend the story. She thought he was lying. He told her, she didn't believe him. But even if she did she told him that would never work the girl would just think he was a freak.


This is when I joined the conversation. "He's not lying." I heard the whole conversation.
"Did you really?" she responds. "Tell him that this will never work and is a dumb idea."
"actually I have to say I was pretty impressed. But did you ever think it would actually work?"
We carry on a short conversation and I left both thinking this guy was a little too arrogant, but also might ballsy. I was jealous of his courage and embarrassed by his mode of presentation.


Gotta go; late for a meeting.

dinner guest

I had a rather amusing experience last night. It was 8:30 or 9 and I decided to go get dinner. I walked down the street to Chili's too. The place was empty. There was one big table there and all of the workers were off doing busy work trying to not get too bored.


I ordered and sat down to start reading a book and catching up on some phone calls. While I was on the phone with Opie I thought I saw something small run across the floor on the other side of the room. Surely it was just a shadow; I was imagining things as I sat alone in the empty restaurant.


Then suddenly there it went again. Holy cow! There was a mouse running around the floor at Chili's. I had never seen that happen and got a pretty good laugh out of it. I so wish the place had been full so that people would have started screaming and jumping on tables. That would have been great comic relief to my otherwise not so interesting day of playing catch-up.

breaking and cathing-up

Ahh, Spring Break!! Do you capitalize that compound word? I don't know but you should. It is such a wonderful chance to experience life differently than the way I have been for the last several weeks and for several more. I agree with the words of one of my favorites, Dr. Hulitt Gloer, when he told us last week, "It is really more of 'Spring Catch-up' then 'Spring Break' for both students and professors." This year especially it is exactly that. Today I decided I would do both break and catch-up.


I am sitting at the park. I had Bush's chicken while I was hear. I read some Bonhoeffer for a paper I have to write. I caught up with the family by talking to all four members of it (well I talked to Mom through Dad). I took a nap (until the sun popped back out and was both in my eyes and too hot to lay in it directly). Now I journal/blog. Next I will respond to an email from a girl (long, funny story I'll tell later). Ahh, Bush's tea is so dang good.


After I conclude this work on the computer I will have to head back to campus to hit the library (yuck) and the mail room. I love being on campus when it is empty; it is peaceful and relaxing. I can just hang out; I can park where I want; I have no choice but to eat out!


The paper is about Bonhoeffer's views on community. I get to read Life Together(I was supposed to read it in college but don't remember actually reading it. Except there are highlight marks throughout it and no "used" sticker on it. So perhaps I actually read this one. Then I have to find other sources to both support and critique his views. At that point I get to voice my opinion and what I have come to understand. I have no idea what community is, but I am trying so hard to learn. It will be amazingly beneficial to me in Africa, in the states pasturing, and in life in general. It should be a fun journey.


I really love this new computer right now. My last one had about seven minutes of battery life. Now with this one I am sitting in the car at the park. The breeze is blowing through the open doors and I am typing as I listen to Coldplay, Hootie, Sheryl Crow, The Dixie Chicks, and Norah. How cool is it that I can have them all playing out of the same box I am typing on.


The girl I mentioned. A couple weeks after the last Truett preview I got an email from Kristen. She had received it from these people I spent about 30 minutes eating lunch with. The two of them (husband and wife) had decided that they knew the perfect girl for me. Of course I quickly thought this was one of the weirdest things I had ever heard. But I decided it would at least create a fun story. So I emailed them, got her address and emailed her. Becca and I are still in the basic get to know a perfect stranger mode asking questions about life, family, work, etc. I have no intention of seeing it become more than a new friend. It is kinda fun!


Not sure if I ever mentioned it or not. Becoming friends, never worked with Amy. I wonder if Harry is right. Is it possible for a girl and a guy to just be friends? Do the chances improve if there are more than just the two of them in the relationship? Who knows? Maybe we never will completely understand what it is like to try and become friends with the opposite sex because we never pull it off without making out or someone falling in love with the other one. I think I have experienced it a couple times, but maybe I just didn't know the truth about the other person.


By the way, this is the first time I have ever given anything up for Lent. At the moment I hate Lent and I'm not really happy with God for the whole idea either.

i'm trying...

I am not real good at this because I don't know what to share. I also rarely take time to sit down and think long enough to journal/blog.


I spend a lot of time reading the blogs of many of you who will eventually read this. As could be expected, I feel more comfortable reading and pondering over the thoughts of others than I do making my own thoughts known to others.


For some reason I still haven't discovered, I didn't like myself much this weekend. I don't share that to be psychoanalyzed or to beg for encouragement. I merely share it as a real struggle this week. I need time to ponder what this may mean or be based on. I can't wait for school to end and have time to just sit and listen.


I had some conversations and some thoughts about friends that I think forced me to realize that the large divide that exists between the real me and the me I hope to be is scary. I keep thinking that surely if I "do" enough I have the ability to bridge the divide between the two.


I hate self-discipline or at least my lack of it, but at the same time I live my life trying to pursue more of it. I find myself a difficult person to understand.


I got word from Africa the other day. The resource center is opening, or I guess did open Monday which is nearing two days ago over there. I am so ready to get over there. I am a little nervous about my coming interview though.


I have come to some great conclusions in the last day or two regarding the BF&M. 1. Personal thought - if Paul was willing to overlook his own thoughts of what was right and wrong (eating meat) because it wasn't that big of a deal, should I do the same thing? 2. Thoughts from Mark - If you read the BF&M with the preamble it becomes real easy to support it.


I'm tired of typing on my broken keyboard and need lunch. I bought a new computer. They have been putting it in the box for three days before it can be shipped. However building, testing, etc. took one day. Doesn't make much sense to me.


Have you seen Joan of Arcadia? Once I lost Ed I started recording it. Pretty good stuff. Great sermon starters, but still not Ed.


My prayer - peace and contentment to rest in the arms of God.

graduation

Assuming I can pass my classes, graduation will soon be here!! Praise Jesus!!!!!!

random ranting...

I am about as good at this blogging thing as I am at journaling...I suck at it. Oh well, that is the joy of it being mine, I get to choose if I use it or not.


I am sitting at Barnes and Noble with Christy; we are "studying." Actually she is off looking for something. She is as bad as I am at keeping focused on stuff. She just got back. It is kinda weird being here with Christy. I always wonder if people are going to think she is cheating on her husband with one of his accountability partners. What they don't understand is I live with them, well not really. Last night I spent the night at their house. Accept I never slept and they did; I just played Play Station all night. I played through an entire season and two off seasons. I won the National Championship both years, yeah for me.


I thought I got away with them not knowing I had been there all night. Little did I know Jason got up to pee as I was leaving. As he was going to the bathroom in the next room he thought I had just left the light on, then he saw the light go off and heard the door open. Dope! I was caught. It was 6am. Oops! Guess what - skipped church. And it was a very painful experience, okay so maybe not.


I gotta get married. I hate girls still - some things never change. But I need a kid to play with bad. I keep praying Jason and Christy will have a baby. I told her last night I am going to change her pills for sugar pills. There are all kinds of cute kids here; I'm not sure what they are doing at a bookstore - they are too young to read.


Christy is convinced I am going to be their nanny one day. Jason vetoed the idea. He is scared his kids would like me more than him. Of course they would - who doesn't. (No comments necessary!!)


The other day we were eating at this cool steak place. If you haven't been to Heitmiller's Family Steakhouse, GO! I became buddies with the kid sitting next to us. Before he left he gave me hug and we were playing games and all kinds of stuff. Mark said if I did that in Maryland someone would shoot me - I'm not sure I could ever live there.


Now on to relatively serious stuff. I love Blue Like Jazz. The guy consistently speaks my life right on the pages in front of me. It is so powerful. He spoke about grace a few weeks ago. It rocked my world. Now he is talking about belief.


I so often feel like he claims. It just doesn't all fit. "I have become an infomercial for God, and I don't even use the product." I talk about this stuff so often, but I don't live like I believe it. It is tough for me. I don't know what it is that has yet to click between my head and my heart and my actions. I keep hoping and praying God will grab a hold of me so tightly that I can't even breathe without begging him to let me. I long to realize I need God that much.