I’ll be leaving for Colorado Springs within two hours for the Edge Corps Preview. The roads contain some snow, so I’ll have to leave a bit sooner than I was planning on. I’m looking forward to seeing friends from UNL at the Preview (our Edge Corps team and Jenny) and being in an atmosphere that encourages spending time with God and thinking about spiritual things.

Being at home has been a nice break from life, but it’s also been a break from the things that matter most, and that’s been a downside. It’s hard to concentrate on anything of value when surrounded by computers and televisions, or when spending time with friends in the bars and being barraged with sin and its affects. (Just for reference, in this situation I was the driver.)

Anyway, I should get ready to leave. I’m just hoping this little retreat is what I need.

Categories: Life
Tags: Colorado Springs, Jenny, Navigators

Today included many things in three categories.

Category 1: Pre-Brunch
• Wake up to a country radio station
• Review some TMS verses
• read Philippians 1 (verse 29 says “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, …” Life as a follower of God is difficult and includes suffering, but I will continue to trust in his promises.)
• shower (yay!)

Category 2: Brunch and Afterwards
• brunch (whee…)
• painting for an hour (only 1 window left to paint! 4 to scrape. So close! While I was painting, I listened to country radio. You can take the girl out of the honky-tonk, but you can’t take the honky-tonk out of the girl Yes, those are lyrics to a song. Now I know where Jenny’s floor sweatshirt’s came from. ;)

Category 3: SCRUM (If you were wondering what it stands for… don’t. I can’t even remember.)
• wallyball (volleyball on raquetball courts)
• “Chipotle”:http://www.chipotle.com/ (beware of the medium chille sauce)
• Grace Chapel for discipleship workshops, discussion, and prayer (I’ve heard these things before, but some content newly sunk in)
• The Mask of Zorro

Yesterday:
Remedy’s show rocked. They’ve got some new songs now that’re on their upcoming studio release (recorded in Canada, I hear). For the encore they did the song (anybody know the title?) with Phillip’s bass solo that lasts a couple minutes and then the whole band kicks in for a wild ride. I love the parts in it where they do synchronized jumps.

Other thoughts
I wish one breath could convey all the things I’d like to say. I’d love to pull out a magic marker and with one stroke portray the sky. A lot of things in my life are changing. Under the surface. It’s good times. And… gosh. We’ll see where it goes. I don’t know what my future holds, but I am not afraid for God is with me. (Isaiah 41:10)

Categories: Life, Religious
Tags: Bible, Navigators

Today and tonight simply have been spectacular.

Things God’s blessed me with:
• life
• joy
• amazing friendships
• hope
• wisdom (Bible, Holy Spirit, some manly influences in my life [Matt W., Phil, Chase, Ray, Dennis -- you guys rock], and MANY other people)
• peace
• a future

Tonight was the Navigator’s Halloween Par-tay. Prior to that was a one-hour Nav Nite with six different workshops, 20 minutes each, pick 3.

I picked Meditation, Sabbath, and Spiritual Warfare. A couple of Navigator staff from Africa lead the Meditation and Spiritual Warfare workshops. Both of these were interesting.

The Meditation workshop used an analogy about scripture I hadn’t thought about before: taking the scripture, reading it, defining words, inquiring, and looking at the content and the emphasis are part of finding a rough jewel and polishing it into a dazzling gem which reflects light and beauty.

Jenny lead the Sabbath workshop. She brought up a lot of good verses on finding rest in God, having a Sabbath day, and that it’s a gift. It’s something she’s been learning about lately and she did a good job of conveying it.

The Spiritual Warfare talk held my interest. The presence of demonic activity and demonic influences isn’t something given much credit in America, or is usually ignored. I found it interesting that some of what people dismiss as pscyhological problems could be a spiritual struggle. Nelson’s also going to email information and scripture about it to me.

After all of that, the Nav Halloween Par-Tay commenced. I got up there, paid, went in, and Jenny asked if I’d go get something to eat with her since she hadn’t eaten dinner. “Sure.” Jenny, a girl from Kauffman, and I went over to Amigos, got some food, and had good conversation.

Then back to the Par-Tay. Dancing, etc. Only one country-swing dance while I was there, but it was enjoyable. Lots of techno. Different. Jenny and Jake shared their testimonies and talked about how knowing God has changed their lives. They both did a good job.

Eventually I left and came home. Now I’m tired. I’ve had a good conversation with Mandy (my cousin) on IM(Instant Messenger) and that’s been nice.

I’ll be going to bed soon. G’night.

Costumes of Note:
• Jake - Scary Uncle Jake
• Jenny - hispanic dancer
• Tracy - woman in a Poodle skirt (I never realized a poodle image was actually supposed to be on the skirt.)
• Phil - 80s Army Man w/ short shorts
• Hatfield - William Wallace
• me - McDonalds employee or after-work McDonalds employee

Categories: Life, Religious
Tags: Jake, Jenny, McDonalds, Navigators, Phil, Tracy

I’m back at school. It actually starts on Monday, but I got back to town yesterday. I’ve started unpacking and already had one Navigator’s meeting (several more Nav related events/meetings over the next week).

The rest of my time at home went well. I was able to spend a lot of time with Mark and Mark, my family and grandparents, and even Moriah one evening (Mark’s ex-girlfriend).

Got two new CDs from the mail today: Lucerin Blue and New Comers Home.

I blame Tracy’s computer entirely for this post. The ethernet in the dorms is turned off due to computer viruses and worms (and a bit of perhaps justifiable paranoia).

Jake and I came over to Tracy’s apartment, cooked some gyouza, Jake made some mugicha (tea), and we ate it. It wasn’t quality gyouza (it fell apart) but it tasted good. (Mom: “It still tastes fine even if it is in pieces”) Jake had a lot of Japanese anecdotes to share. Now we’re sitting here discussing Seinfeld and Tracy is sewing a pillow.

Categories: Friends, Life
Tags: Crawford, food, gyouza, Jake, Japan, Mark, Moriah, Navigators, New Comers Home, Tracy

When I got off work tonight, I was waiting for my manager to open the door and let me out (2AM… door is locked). I looked at the handle for a mop bucket and thought of a girl.

No, no, I know what you’re thinking. “This poor shmuck is reminded about a girl… probably a certain girl… no matter what’s going on.”

That’s not it at all! You are mistaken!

My newest thought on love, truuuue love: It starts with a spark. The spark ignites a flame which lights a twig, the fire absorbs a bush, and then the fire spreads and all of a sudden the whole forest is on fire and you’re getting married!

starts waiting for the spark

I spent last night in Omaha con mis amigos! My friends rock. I stopped by Jenny’s house and we talked for a while until a couple of her other friends got there. We ended up going to see “League of Extraordinary Gentleman”. (10 Second Review: An action movie, with the plot being an excuse for the action. This didn’t diminism the fun.)

My car’s soul and aspects of its personality died a sad, sad death today. This is partly due to a comment made by Travis (one of Jenny’s friends) last night related to offensive bumper stickers. Not offensive in the sense that the content is vulgar, but could offend people who don’t have the same beliefs. Anyway, one of my bumper stickers fell under that category. Another of the stickers was beginning to peel off anyway (and was taken out of context). Another one I didn’t believe any more (”Love is random; fear is inevitable.” –> if my car were a Hummer or some other monstrous car, the “fear” aspect might have actually applied somehow.) And the other one… eh. The rest were gone, this one might as well follow.

Now my car is sad. Aside from its personality change, it’s also badly in need of new rotors. A digital homie of mine told me driving the ~100 mile round trip to Omaha with the car shaking above 70mph and brakes clunking when stopping from above 50mph = bad idea. Whoops. Time to find those parts.

The new UNL Navigator’s web page is up and running. Check it out. Let me know if you find problems.

Oh, and God is awesome.

Categories: Life, Movies
Tags: Jenny, Navigators, omaha