Hey, what’s going on?

A lot’s been happening lately. Busy, busy, busy. Except, of course, for the long reading breaks I take. Lately, my book reading has involved The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. It’s an epic fantasy novel of immense proportions. The paperback is over 800 pages long, and this is only the first of over a dozen books. Unfortunately, I only own the first one, but that’s where the used book shop will play into future plans.

Last Saturday was a busy day. Navigator’s had a Fundraising Banquet around noon that my parents came to. After it ended, I talked to some people I know including a few UNL Nav alumni and friends. My parents left to head back to the hotel at that point.

Later Saturday evening, the Navigator’s 2004 Formal occurred. Good times, of course. We had a large group this year: Amy H. and I, Phil and Rachael, Double-J and Lauren A., Cora and Nathan J., Jake, Jenny, Tracy, and Hank. For dinner, we consumed food at The Olive Garden. They have excellent breadsticks if you were wondering.

The dance itself was great fun. Latrice deejayed with assistance from Steve and a few others. At my request, they played P.O.D. - Rock the Party. It was one of my favorites of the night ’cause it gives all the guys a chance to rock, jump around, and pretend to mosh. (Real mosh pits are much more painful, or so I hear.)

Amy and I both had a lot of fun. This year’s formal was different from the last two because there seemed to be less pressure and a lot of that is simply due to my own approach to the event. It went as well as and better than I had expected.

Today, I’ve got to rewrite the five page paper I messed up last week (wrote on the wrong topic). Thursday, I’ve got a fifteen page paper due. Basically, I need to start researching, forming ideas, and writing. Pray for me, please. Latez!

Categories: Friends, Life
Tags: college, Cora, Double-J, Hank, Jenny, Navigators, P.O.D., Phil, Robert Jordan, The Olive Garden, Tracy

Hmm, ChristianRock.net is gonna open a ChristianHardRock.net soon. Hardcore, metal, and punk. Awesome.

I saw the Passion on Thursday. I have mixed feelings. I had expected the film to follow the Bible more accurately based on the various hype I’ve heard and from evangelical leader’s responses to it. It’s not completely accurate and the influence of Mel Gibson’s Catholic beliefs are apparent especially in Mary’s role in the film. If nothing else, the movie gives people an opportunity to talk about what the gospel REALLY says. It’s the Word of God that does the real work to change people’s lives anyway, not the images of Gibson.

Nav Night last night. Prayer & Praise night. It was good. Afterwords, went over to the Hatcher’s to hang out. Good times, and I got to practice my Japanese with Kanako who’s in town from Japan. She’s from Shizuoka and knows Jake and the others who went there last summer.

Today, I’ve got some homework and other stuff to do. Should probably get started on it. Latez!

Categories: Life, Music
Tags: catholic, Japan, Navigators

On Saturday I turned TwentyNothing Plus Two. On walking to our freshman connection party that night, I asked a couple of guys from the Bible study I lead how old they are. Both are still 18. Ok, so I feel old. It’s time for me to get out of this college life.

My birthday was sweet. Thanks to my family for the stuff I got from them (fourth year straight with a birthday cake in the mail). Thanks to grandparents, Jenny, and Tracy for cards. You all rock. Thanks to the mysterious “happy birthday” voice mail from Misty (and Merry??). Thanks to Jenny for planning the party last night at Tracy’s. Thanks to everyone else who ever said anything remotely akin to “Happy Birthday”.

Categories: Life
Tags: birthday, family, Jenny, Misty, Navigators, Tracy

Last night was only the second Nav Nite I’ve been to this semester (out of three). I enjoyed it quite a lot. More than anything, I enjoyed being around my friends. I got to sit next to the venerable Jesse Luebbe and the wonderful Cora (both of whom are featured prominently in the quotes).

At dinner yesterday I discovered that I could interpret Jesse’s expressions to a third party. I was amused and so was he. I guess that’s one of the benefits of living around a person for so many years.

Nav Nite Message Summary: Don’t waste the opportunities you have, because life is short. Live for God and tell others about him.

After Nav Nite, six of us packed into Misty’s car and headed down to The Mill. Didn’t get anything to drink (I figure on being broke until at least 2007), but I played cards with The Varv, Cora, and Brian (an Edge member visiting from UNK). Brian and I ended up winning in a “winner-takes-all” hand playing 10-point Pitch.

After my initial dissapointment with having to take another three credits of arts/humanities to graduate, I’m not too angry about it. In all honesty, it’s a mistake of my own that caused me to still need that class. I’ve still got to hammer out the details, but I’m hoping they’ll still let me go through the ceremony in May, then I’d take a three week History of Rock & Roll class, and then Florida for a Navigator’s Summer Training Program.

I’ll let you know how it works out. (And maybe those CDs I ordered in December will finally get here today!!!)

As a final piece of joy and cheer, I leave you with the newest addition to the quote database: “My purity today has been compromised by a naked orange.” - Jesse Luebbe

Categories: Life
Tags: college, Cora, Luebbe, Misty, Navigators, quotes, The Mill, The Varv

Ok, I’m not prancing like Jake ’cause I’ve still got my major. Err… well, I guess he still has one of them, but all the same.

So far the semester hasn’t pounded me into the ground. Then again, it’s been a while since I’ve gotten seven hours of sleep. Last Friday night, actually. Oh well… I suppose a busy schedules necessitates certain compromises between lack of sleep or lack of preparation for classes. Unfortunately, it’s a negative relationship and putting more time into one (at least thus far) seems to mean getting less of the other. I need to work it out so I can study earlier in the day. This may mean studying on Saturday. Listens for a GASP

Things are going fairly well right now. I’m not _too_ behind in classes, I’m staying busy with various Navigators activities, and I’ve had some time recently to spend with God and that’s been good. Another encouraging thing is seeing the guys in our (Ray and I’s) Bible study this semester. We’ve got some guys that seem eager to learn and grow closer in relationship to God.

I’m thinking about going to Florida this summer. This year, Navs has started a new STP in Jacksonville, Florida. The idea is you get a 40 hour/week job and then you spend the nights and weekends receiving spiritual training and doing evangelism. It’s an eight week program in July and August. For me, this program would be a nice balance between getting an internship and learning a bit more about what kind of career my major could have and spiritual training that would further prepare me for taking the gospel of Christ wherever I go whether it’s the workplace or Asia or some bizarre combination of the two.

Categories: Life
Tags: Jacksonville FL, Jake, Navigators