I have arrived

So, it's FARM time. I am excited to finally get here and be able to just kind of let go of all the things that usually have a hold on me and my attention. It was about an hour and a half drive to Dick's (actually uncle's sister's husband) farm here in Wakarusa, IN. So glad to be here too.

Before I left my house, right before actually. Dick called me to say that there were a few break downs, and that I may stand stagnent for a while before there is anything to do. I assured him it was perfectly alright. And that I would see him in an hour and a half.

When I pulled onto his property, I saw the combine all opened up, and it's blood (hydrolic fluid) all over the ground.

This thing is really quite an amazing piece of machinery. To be able to walk around in the engine compartment and just get an idea for how MASSIVE it is, well it's something to behold. Now, Tyler, Dick's farm hand was over at one of his other farm locations working on a blower (dries corn off before storing it) that had just broke hours before the combine. Dick says, "when it rains, it pours." Good ole, Tyler. Working with corn up to his belly button. This is not too uncommon of a typical task you might see him doing around the farm. For sure not an every day type of job, but stuff breaks and has to be fixed on the farm all the time.

Now, as soon as the combine was fixed and the dryer was drying. I got to start driving as well. I was driving Semi-Trucks. The combine would fill up the truck, I would take the truck back to the main farm where the silo's were, and empty them, and then take an empty truck back to the field. Here are 2 of the 3 Semi-Trucks I was driving.

There is just something about driving a truck, 50 MPH, with 1,000 bushell of corn (56,000+ or - lbs.) in it that get's my blood flowing. "I think that is the correct figure, don't quote me though." Call me crazy, but I feel right at home in the driver seat. Good thing too, because I had to learn fast how to handle myself in that truck. After a few rough starts, I felt pretty comfortable, and was good to go.

Thursday, the day after Wednesday

Today was sweet. I took my test in OLS (Organizational Leadership & Supervision), and felt extremely confident about it. I am sitting in my English class right now updating, because I didn't get to bed till late. It is actually 9:00AM, Friday as I type, but I do this often. When I have missed a day, I go back to that day and talk as though I am still in it. I am so pumped, because in like 45 minutes I am going to be leaving for the FARM.

Back to yesterday. After I got done taking my test, I headed down town to check out this bead place. It is a place I am trying to speak to the owner about. I want to see if Tony could possibly fill some orders for her bead shop. She was not in. But, when I got done, I went to the library to kill some time. I saw this huge sign on the side of a building. It kind of made me slightly frustrated, because what the heck does that mean? HOPE, as if one man, in a position that doesn't even give him that much power can change the way everything works. It should have a picture of Jesus next to it. That would make more sense to me.

When I got home later on in the evening, I held the ladder up for my dad while he scooped out leaves and pine needles out of the gutter.Yes, I thought I would take a nice butt shot. Your welcome dad. I made some bad choices later on in the evening, sometimes it's so easy to be pathetic. Sometimes it's too easy to "not stand firm." Hummm, doing right isn't always easy or simple. GO FIGURE!!

I am really ready to get to the farm. To talk with God while in a tractor or a semi. Love those big machines, it's where I love to be. God is good, God is great, and I thank him for this day.

A boastful, prideful, sinner. But Grace has set me free! It's a beautiful thing.

first CCC

Yes, indeed today was the first CCC. You might ask yourself, "now what could CCC stand for?" For which I would reply, "CCC Stands for first Coffee Cafe Club." Umm Humm, and it was grand. After much studious times of reading and writing which would prepare me for the test I have tomorrow in my OLS class, I went to work, and then went to CLUB. Check out these pictures.We got "JIGGY" with it. Yes, there was plenty of opportunities for those who choose to partake in such activities to get their DANCE on. :-O It's a little bit crazy. Okay, A LOT crazy, which is up my alley.Josh was pretty solid during his time of crazy character. He interviewed me when I played my character, "Meat Hands." Who is the new popular high school student who actually has meat for hands. Yes, it is unique and rather greasy. It will be interesting where we go with this Meat Hands fellow. Next week, I will have one of the kids take a picture of him...which is me....yeaThe talk was given by Tom, and it was awesome. It was just kind of bringing Jesus into a light that wasn't too bright, and didn't hurt your eyes to look at. It presented Jesus in a way that was okay to look at, but if the light was a little too much, then it was okay to look away from. And, there were plenty of people who choose to look away. That is the beautiful thing about Young Life. We (leaders) want to be there every step of the way. Ultimately God is in control, we (leaders) are just a tool that have the privilege to be right along side kids.

The drive home was my favorite part though. I gave these two brothers a ride home, and we smashed (sang to) some free style beats I have. It is like one of the only CD's of mine that didn't get stolen. It was super fun making up stupid and crazy rhymes with these guys. I have an OLS test tomorrow. I prepared for it, but I could have done a more thorough job. I have some time in the AM to study, but I don't have complete confidence in this one. I ask for prayers around 12:30, for that will be when I take it. If you are reading this BLOG post after 12:30, pray anyways, because God breaks the whole time thing. He's crazy good like that.

God Bless!!

Today was awesome

I had a great day today. I felt like I got a lot accomplished, and that always makes me feel super good. It all started out at school. Ya see, every Tuesday I need to read over the notes for BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) and this typically takes over 30 minutes, so before I went into the library to study, I just parked on the top of the parking garage, and got to it.It is so very wonderful up there. I love being on top of the university with the wind blowing. Just talking and reading about God, with God. It's good stuff.

Then I got to study some OLS, horribly boring and silly stuff really. But it was all worth it when I walked out of one of the buildings and got to see the most beautiful leaves crawling up the side of one of the buildings.Well, I just hung around school for most of the day. I ate lunch there and everything. While I was one of my "breaks" I happened to come across a bridge being built to connect one of the most westerly parking lots to where the new soft ball fields will be I believe. It is a neat looking bridge.It's really cool looking, and there were some HUGE cranes holding that thing up. It looks kind of high tech. I really like my University. It makes me feel glad to be a part of it. :-)

Well, eventually, off to work I went. We are doing this walk for fitness thing in the YMCA, and so I like to take the kids for a walk through a near by neighborhood. We found a little part yesterday, and I promised them time to play at it today. We just had to find a quicker way to get there. Well, we did, it was to cut across a low stream. I helped all the kids get over it by standing precariously on 3 small rocks, and hand by hand got all of them to the other side safely. It was fun.They liked the little park, even though the equipment is not as nice as the other one, but I think because it was different and just some new things to crawl on, it was good.

I went home after work, and eventually made it to the YMCA to work out. I ended up in the sauna before I showered off and went home. It was sweet because I ran into a in the SAUNA, who I got to share a little bit of my story with. I got to share just a little bit of Jesus with. :-) It could very well open up new doors in the future. I see him around often, so ya never know how God will work that one.

G'NIGHT!!!

push come to shove

Okay, I learned that the location doesn't have too much impact on the amount of work I am able to get accomplished. Today and tomorrow is my Fall Break at IPFW. This is nice, but for my schedule, won't give me much of an actual break. I planned to fill it with study time and meaningful work periods. Today wasn't a failure, but close to it.Yes, I went straight home from work, took about a 45 min. nap, and got to work studying for a test on Thursday in my OLS class. FAILURE was the general consensus for table time. So...I went to school, in the library to give it a try there. Ummm, it was the same problem. The subject matter is just so incredibly boring and lifeless to me, I really super struggle getting into it. But, that's the name of the game i'm afraid. I'll push through.

BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) was awesome tonight. So many awesome points, I just have to share a few. Over the last week we have gone through Exodus 5:1-14 through Exodus 6:26. Some general themes and ideas I have come out with are as follows.

- A right relationship with God requires me to listen to him.
- If I ever establish myself as a (g)od, then I have a problem with the one true God.
- You can't reason with an evil person, because their thinking is confused.
- Whom ever I rely on, my credibility is as trustworthy as their reliability.
"interesting thought" The more costly and precious a sacrifice the Israelites brought to the true God, the ore detestable a sacrifice the Egyptians would see it as.
- I must be careful to pay attention who I turn to during failures and discouragements.

God proclaims several times, I AM THE LORD. With this comes a very powerful statement.

Also, I am working on a POEM for a class/friend. I like how it has turned out, possibly some day I will share it.

G'Night

definition of beautiful day

If it was possible to look up "beautiful fall evening" in the dictionary or on wikipedia or something to that affect, it would have a picture of today. Seriously, so amazingly beautiful. I wished I was a runner or something, I would have taken full advantage of it.

This morning I took Matt to Grace Gathering again, and they were continuing to finish up on the House churches. Young Life actually got a chance to spit out what we are doing. It was sweet because Josh jumped in and gave his speal about who we are, and what we do. It was awesome. I of course, snapped a picture of it.
Yes, that was good. And the Young Life leader meeting I went to was good...but at 6:30PM when I met at Banditos for dinner with the gymnastics coach from last year...well, that was not so good. Yes, it sucked because I had to turn down a coaching position. It deeply sadened me, and made me think, why should I have to give something up that I love so much??? Well, I know the answer. In order for me to fully put myself into something good, for God. I must submerse myself in it. Instead of trying to do a million things okay, why not do a few things AWESOME!! Even if that means me having to give up a few things that I loved doing, I think in the long run it will be worth it. Yes, I really do.

GOOD NIGHT!!

P.S. I am not going to allow myself to get backed up like I have been getting the past two weekends. It isn't that hard for me to BLOG, I just need to starve myself of that much needed sleep. No biggie! ;-)

LOVE YOU READERS!!!

Saturday follows Friday....always

Yes in deed, today was Saturday and what a day it was. It mostly started out with me sleeping in as long as I possibly could. Ahhhh it felt good to catch up a bit on sleep. Well, once fully awake I got my butt in gear and went over to my sister Brandy's house. Yes, my sister and her fiance John needed a ride to go to my nephews B-Day party. 2 B-Day parties in one week, can you believe it!!?? Well, believe it. Not only did we get to drive out to Columbia City, but we got to see my brothers new house. It is good for him.......CHECK IT!There is Big Troy of course to the left, and Amy (his wife all the way to left). There was cake and ice cream, and a lot of Troy's family. Although it was super nice to see my niece and nephew, I felt some what out of place, but not uncomfortable. I don't know, maybe I am just being silly, but whatever. I celebrated Joel's (nephew) 3rd B-Day, and that was that.

Since we were out that way. We (me, brandy & john) decided to go see Grandma (brandy and mine). It was super nice, and I got to see her new barn apartment all finished and beautiful.I had a great time, and am planning on going back on Friday. Ohhh boy am I going to have a blast posting on Friday.

Also, Grandma's Bird took a bite out of my finger. Ummm, if I was smart, I wouldn't have put my finger in a place where this was made possible.....but I did......so that says what about me.....hummmm

SURPRISE!!! 2

So today was good I suppose. It was kind of a reminder of what I miss, what I don't miss, and just what life is. That sentence probably doesn't make sense to someone who is not "in" my head, but makes complete sense to me.
Yes, it was my best friends girl friends birth day today. Well, it was her party today anyways. Her actual B-Day isn't till tomorrow. I was part of this whole huge surprise party for her. You might ask, "What was your part Mikey?" To where I would reply, "I stood on a street corner," while a car approached with a vehicle full of her and Jared's friends approached me holding a sign with a brightly sentence on it: WILL WORK FOR ALLISON'S PARTY!! on it. The, I hopped in the car and we went off to the location where the night would unfold. It was so much fun, I had some beer and played some V-Ball in a court that had some really really cold sand in it. LOL. This isn't something I could do every weekend, or even every month. But it was nice to hang with old friends and celebrate someone important in my best friends life.

If you are an avid reader, you will remember a post from last year where Jared went off the CHAIN for Allison's B-Day. ~~CHECK IT~~

Concentrate on the little things I said in this post, those are the words that hold the most strength. :-/

frowns into crowns

I have every right to be extremely upset, and in a bad attitude. I have every reason to ask, "oooh WHY WORLD, WHY DO YOU SPAT IN MY FACE AND TREAT ME UNFAIRLY?" But, i'm saying none of the above. Today my Philosophy 11 class was canceled again. A lady popped her head in the classroom and told us that he was in court, writing someones disposition. I don't even know what that means, but I do know that I didn't have to sit through a class that I don't peticulairly like sitting through. Pretty much, me so happy. In light of this event, I decided to get to the YMCA to work out and then go directly to school to get busy with it. It being my third of three (3/3) papers due for Philosophy 111 class tomorrow. Well, turns out life would happen a little differently. After I ate some lunch and packed a bag with clean clean clothes and toilitries, I headed off. I drove down a road I have traveled a multitude of times before. Well, this time was different.

CRASH!

I was about to cross an intersection, and apparently did not see that the traffic was not moving, well not moving fast, practically not moving. I was not speeding, I did not have my attention else where. This accident was, in fact an accident. Fault being in my side. When I realized I was moving too quickly, I tried to get into the left lane, but there was a car. My mind quickly decided it was better to crash into the back of the mini-van that it would have been to broad swipe a car. SO THEN, IT HAPPENED! I hit the back of this ladies 2005 Nissan Mini-Van. In all honesty, it scared the crap out of me. Of all the things that is really hard on my M/S, it's stress. Well, I may not have shown it, but I was shaking like a leaf. Thankfully, the driver was not hurt. To take it to the next level of thankfulness, of all the people I could possibly hit in Fort Wayne, I am so thankful it was Her. She was NICE, taken to the next level. She was calm, composed, gentle, and made it all so simple. I was immideatly relieved and it was okay. She proved to me that there are plenty of genuine people out there. We pulled over to a near by library, she had the right mind to make copies of each others information(for two people not knowing what your supposed to do in a car crash situation, we did alright). Then we waited. She actually works at the YMCA I was going to. We made small talk while the police officer made out the police report. I prayed that God would just calm me down, and make best of the situation at hand. Did he ever. I swear, this lady brought me into such a good mood considering the circumstances. I learned so much, and was also shown that situational anger is not only pointless, but damaging. I kept things light, and felt as though I was blessed by it. The stress was dropped as soon as I spoke with this lady. An Angel in the car crash scene. No injuries, her car will get fixed, my car still works. I AM BLESSED!

I got to the YMCA a little late, but worked out like crazy. I hopped in the Sauna when I was done with my routine, and just sweat and prayed for about 15 minutes. I really like that Sauna.


When I left the YMCA, I went to a empty parking lot by the highway. It is a place I knew I would get this radio station I really like in perfect reception. So I set up shop, and worked on making the outline for my third and final paper. Yep. Then I went back to school. We are starting this new WALKING program for the kids at work. It is cool, I get to just walk all over the place, and the kids follow me.It was SUCH A NICE DAY TODAY TOO! When we got back from the walk, the Fort Wayne Fire Department came with a fire truck, and did a little demonstration for the kids. The kids were, PERFECTLY BEHAVED, and Andrea and myself were so proud. :-D

When I got out of work, I went to IPFW, got on this third and final paper hardcore, and am feeling pretty darn confident about it.

G'Night!!

young life kick off

This morning started out pretty exciting/out of the norm because the lights went out at Lincoln Elementary. I got stories, (from the kids) that hit all over the spectrum of possibilities. One girl told me that the middle school accross the street has a basement where a teacher died in a long time ago, and the lights going out was just a result of her ghost haunting the school. Another kid told me that a transformer blew up. I like the ghost one better.

As soon as I got out of class, I went to Taco Bell (hell) to meet up with Tom (Young Life) staff member to buy some taco's to pass out to kids at Snider during lunch. It was awesome, and the kids were totally loving it hardcore. So many compliments.

So I went into a bathroom at school, and caught a good look at myself in the mirror. I believe my exact reaction was, eeeck."

So, I went to Walgreens and bought some razors for my Gillett Fusion. 8 blades cost like almost $28!! I almost threw up. But, the end result is a good one. Much to my fancy .

THEN THERE WAS THE YOUNG LIFE KICK OFF BASH!!! It was awesome, there were a ton of kids there. A lot of familiar faces, but also a bunch of kids that had never been there before. It was an awesome thing to see. We had a ton of awesome stuff for them. Slip & Slide, MASSIVE PILES OF WHIPPED CREAM/choc. syrup, slippery watermelon toss, soo messy, sooo fun!
It's great to have a post where there are more pictures than words. :-)

the TALK

Today was average to say the least. I didn't accomplish all the things I wanted to, but I worked my AB's when I worked out, and they are so, so that is good. My philosophy class was cancelled, so I went straight to the YMCA to get my work out on. I was suppose to go straight home, eat food, then work on papers due for Friday in my PHILOSOPHY class. It is 11PM, I am sitting in the library auxiliary 24/hr study room BLOGGING, because it is obviously more important than doing my study. DO'OH!

Before I came here, I went to have dinner with my sister and her roommate. I forget what it was called, but it was SOOO GOOD. Traci (to the left) is a super good cook. Apparently my sister is too, because when I gave Traci all the credit, I got barked at. ;-) I love my sister Merideth so much, and wish I could spend so much more time with her. DARN YOU SCHEDULE AND LIFE APPOINTMENTS!!

BUT, right after work was the highlite of my day. I got to meet with Dave, my old youth pastor gone mentor (guy who I meet with every Sunday). Well, if I had any kind of gut, I would share the topic. But I am spineless, so we will just call it a Christ talk. No, that's lame, not lame, but not sufficient. It was more of a learning and realization time for me on some specific areas that have needed addressed for quite some time. But I came to find that it isn't so much as what I thought needed fixed, but needs to be left to what God want's to reveal. I learned so much about the way I approach things, and was really challenged in a powerful and meaningful way. YESSS!!!

Back 2 study time.

Peace, Grace & Peace. First the Grace....then comes the PEACE!

Love is where it's at

At work, I had fun with the kids. Can you believe it?? I could sit from afar, and watch, pointing and yelling, but I actually get down and dirty with um. Is this a hard concept to pull together? I am hanging upside down, there were three little ones running and laughing around me. It was much fun. Later I became the SLIDE TROLL, and would tell the kids if they wanted to get by me to go down the slide, they had to figure out the password. If your kids to be loved in a real and genuine way before and after school, well Lincoln Elementary is where it's at. FO SHO!


God some things accomplished today. Crap I have lots to do this week. But, it's all good, I will accomplish them all. BSF was awesome as well. There are 215 (with an 82% attendance average) guys signed up for BSF, and it is so powerful to see a huge body of grown male influences desiring to impact their own personal spiritual walks, but the walks of their families and communities, be it work, clubs, etc. It is such a good and awesome thing for me to be involved in. Dang, some other sweet things happened today, I don't have the finger power to share them all, but I will share this one specifically.

~STARBUCKS~

Okay, so this is pretty cool. I am driving home from work. There is a Starbucks on the way home (yea, not a big surprise) if I take a kind of "out of the way" route. I did, not even considering the Starbucks. Well, I was approaching it, and extremely tired. Knowing that I had a night of Bible Study Fellowship ahead of me, which involves a lot of sitting and writing and listening, I knew I was going to need some extra help. I NEVER go to Starbucks, it is way too expensive...and for what? Coffee? I don't care if it is the best of the best beans, it is way to expensive. I really pondered going, and finally gave in, and justified it by saying I would just get a small whatever. I pulled up to the drive through. As soon as I got to the window, this girl (name not mentioned for certain reasons) from my past was at the window, and said, "Ohhh my gosh, Mikey Riley, this is so weird, I was just talking about you yesterday with Clint!" I said, "Clint (good friend from way old past) works here, no friggin way!" She said, "heck yea he does, and we both just got into a conversation about you yesterday, and yadd yadda yadda." Just then, Clint pulls up. She asks me what I wanted, and I explained my position, I gave her my debit card, and she handed it back to me. She asked me if I wanted 1 or 2 shots. Then handed me the largest Moca Cream I have ever seen in my life. I then, went inside and talked with Clint about how Jesus is working in his life, and it was good good good. How friggin cool is that? Worry cuz it's too much, and I hate spending money on stuff like that, and I end up getting complemented, a free drink, and hearing about how God is working. Triple good. :-b

Church & Study

Matt (cousin) went home on Friday. His dad came and picked him up so he could be home for a bit, so see my cousins (his sisters) little girls and family. Well, he came back yesterday afternoon (his dad, my uncle brought him) because he wanted to be able to go to church at Grace. I was kind of planning on waking up early, not going to church, and going straight to the library so I could get to work on work. BUT, I decided to take him to church instead, because it seemed more important in the grand scheme of things. It was a good decision too!!It was a sweet service. Ya see, I really like how they do things at Grace, because the physical church building and pastors and elders and what not are really there to facilitate the house churches in every possible way they can. This is awesome, because personally, I believe that is where the real connection with believers and growth takes place. Not in a building you go to once a week and get "preached to." Now, I am not saying that is a bad thing, I just really like the outlook Grace Gathering is taking on the subject. So, today and I think next week or maybe for the next two weeks they are going to have the house church leaders come up and discuss their groups. Things like what the individual groups mission statements are, their names if they have one, what they are doing or will be doing in order to impact the community, and things of that nature. Pretty cool stuff, really got Matt amped for the whole church group body.After I dropped Matt off at home, it was Library time. It took me entirely way too long to accomplish what I accomplished. I am not going to say how long I was here, or how much I got done, let's just say I could have done better. Sure, I could have done worse, but I could have done much better I believe. Also, I have a headache now.

Grace & Peace!!

BOX BALL / FOUR SQUARE

I was so lazy today. It was as if I had nothing to do....but I had much to do. I think when you have weeks and weeks of non-stop going, going, going, it is just so extremely NICE to take a Saturday off. Well, sort of off. I sat around for most of the day, after I got done with my BSF study. THEN, I WENT TO PLAY SOME SERIOUS BOX BALL at one of the other leaders houses. What a night!Yes, Yes. Young Life will be in full swing. It was so much fun, and the guys and small hand full of ladies had such a good time tonight. I waited and waited for this kid to come who I was so hoping would. But, after an hour went by, I called him up and talked to his mother. Sounded like quite a crazy day for him. I am so glad I called, that way I didn't allow myself to assume things. I will just look forward to seeing him on Wednesday when I go to Snider. That is that. Tomorrow will be filled with studying, reading & writing. Ohhh boy.

Bishop, 70's, stripper

As soon as I walked into my English class this morning, my prof handed me this book. It is a compilation of what different college students have to say about their prayer lives. Things like how they enter into prayer with God, how it affects their lives and how it is used as a relational building tool. He said he was at a book store, and the man working there thought highly of it. So, good ole Tom A.K.A. TKO got it for me. I have had time to read through the first chapter, and I am really liking it. It is put out by The Catholic Company. It's so cool, and I have never had a prof do anything for me like that. I have been extremely blessed so far with some darn cool prof's too. Well, Tom invited me to go to a mass/service this late morning/afternoon. I didn't have any thing else to do, except go work out at the YMCA, so I said what the heck. Off we went to St. Joseph Hospital, which is downtown Fort Wayne, Tom drove. It was a really good experience. I actually had time to see who the Bishop is for Fort Wayne, and South Bend Indiana. Anyways, I got a chance to go through a Catholic mass and sit down and have lunch with Bishop John D'Arcy. He is an extremely grounded individual, and quite fun to listen to and talk with. Although my time with him was brief, he gave me a good look at the role of a Bishop in the Catholic faith.Now, although I view Bishop D'Arcy as just a man. One who sins just as any other man, and put no type of significance on him any more than the next guy. I do have a better understanding, at least I think I do of his place. When he walked into the hospital, the people in Tom's Serra Club which is a group of devoted catholic men and women who want to make a difference in the community by spreading the "catholic love" if you will, jumped up and just kind of put him on a pedestal. To me this isn't the case. BUT, from what I saw and experienced, these people love the Lord. The repetitive actions of a Catholic religion may just seem like boring words and movements to me, but from what Tom told me, it means so much more and is much deeper to him, and the majority of the people in the Serra club. So, from that experience, I can say this. While it is not for me, and I can see much better ways for my own self to impact people's live in Christ, I can't say it is wrong.

Tom took me back to school, and I finished the day pretty regularly. When I got out of work, I went over to a coffee house/Christian book store where my friend would be playing a "gig." Ryan is a fellow Young Life volunteer, possibly becoming on staff here in the near future, God willing.

Ryan was great, the crowd was sweet too. Most of the people there were from different campus ministries from School. I hope to be getting more involved with these kinds of people. I thought tonight would be a good time to start. SO, I went to a 70's theme dance party. Held at someones apartment. It was time for me to step out of my comfort zone, and get jiggy with it. I went to my best friends parents house, and borrowed some clothes as well as talked with his mom and brother for a while. Here are some pictures from the parteezy. Also, this is pretty much the first party that I have had fun at, where there wasn't any alcohol. It is all a mind set. It really is. If you wanna have fun, you have to make that fun for yourself.I had some slick shoes on too. (Zach, Ryan, Tom)(Zach & Tom)

Strutting their stuff to say the "LEAST!"

It was a lot of fun. It was a lot of like minded individuals, I am super glad I went.

On my way home, I remembered a phone call I got from my friend Tony. He called to tell me he got his Liquid Oxygen tank, and has set up shop. He has started to blow some glass. I had to go over there to check it out on my way home.

Yes, Tony has got it up and running, just like he said he would. It was so strange going over there. I went from a positive up beat, Christian influence, to a place totally opposite. Don't get me wrong, I love every single person in there just as much as any Christian. It was just amazing how different the mood was, the everything. For instance, One of the girls that was over there works in a sex shop type place, that is actually inside a strip club. She politely told me about this "local" stripper who is coming to the club tomorrow, and wondered if I would be interested. I politely explained that wasn't really my thing, and that was that. I just got to see polar opposites today. Both sides are loved by God, both sides need loved by man.

That was my day.

this is what it comes down to

Good day today, good classes, good kids, good stuff. When I got off work, I went to pick up my cousin. He took the bus to the mall, and I picked him up there. I dropped him off at work this morning. We had to leave the house at 5:45AM in order for me to make it to work by 6:30AM. I did, and all was well. So, back to getting off work. I picked Matt up, and took him home. We ate dinner, and my parents and I talked with him, and it was awesome.See my moms hands to the right. Those are "talking hands." When she wipps those things out, it is time to listen. :-) I would know, I have seen those enough in my life time. Not so much recently, but plenty of times in my life, especially my former life(one like 1.75 years ago and earlier). It was so cool to see my family function in the way it was functioning tonight. Mother, Father and boy acting together as a body of believers to spur Matt on. It was a beautiful thing, and I really felt the Holy Spirit working in him. Felt, and saw, physically saw his demenor change. GOD IS GOOD!!

G'Night

Here's It at........just deal

Busy, forgetting, tremendous, impact, frustration, goofy, stress, child child, happiness, cold fingers. Those words alone explain my whole day and then some. I suppose I can put some pictures on and let ya'll in on the KNOW though. I went to work, then class, then SNIDER for lunch time. It was great ya know. Saw the usual peeps, plus some new ones. I didn't get to work out today, which sucked, because I hate it when I don't get to work out. Time just wouldn't allow it today though. When I got off work, I went back to Snider for their Powder Puff game, and then a homecoming dance.Yes, Yes. Although the kids were having lots of fun brushing up against each other in a very sweaty and close fashion......I still do not miss high school.

Young Life made a pretty cool presence known there. We passed out Freezie pop's. It was fun, and kids are goofey. SO GOOD.I am so friggin tired. I will explain at a later date, but tomorrow I have to get up super early for a very specific reason. I am happy to do it though. I really am.