Tonight at Campus View, we sang a song that struck a chord with me. As “every” church-going Christian knows, Jesus is the beloved Son of God; however, hearing that over and over can cause the reference to take on a bland air, regardless of the fact that God declared to him, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Too often we pass right over that reference: “Big deal, a father is affirming his son as he should.” But it is so much more--Jesus is so much more. Here are the lines from the song: “High and lifted up / Jesus Son of God / The Darling of Heaven crucified / Worthy is the Lamb.” Who is your darling? If anyone, it is a person very close to you, whom you care about deeply. Darling is defined as “1. a person very dear to another; one dearly loved.... 5. favorite; cherished.” I call Stephanie darling, and sending her to a fallen, corrupt planet to eventually be brutally tortured and killed is the last thing on my mind, and yet that is what God sacrificially did for me, for us. That is worth a pause for thought.

Thank you for the cross Lord
Thank you for the price You paid
Bearing all my sin and shame
In love You came
And gave amazing grace

Thank you for this love Lord
Thank you for the nail pierced hands
Washed me in Your cleansing flow
Now all I know
Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb
Seated on the throne
Crown You now with many crown
You reign victorious
High and lifted up
Jesus Son of God
The Darling of Heaven crucified
Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb
~Worthy is the Lamb - Hillsong

What does it mean to be in the world, but not of the world?

~Being at home again was not nearly as bad of a transition as I thought--and was “told”--it would be.
~I was able to work two separate jobs and learn some vastly different skills.
~Two things I thought I would be doing quite a lot of (soccer and running) were replaced by my two jobs, working and stretching me in other ways.
~Though there were definitely some rough spots, I think I dealt with my siblings much better than in the past.
~After working at HeBrews, I have a lot more ideas for my own small business...a coffeeshop/house with a twist... :-)
~I am nearly finished with the book of Hebrews and that leaves me with only eight books to read to finish the Bible before I depart for school once more.
~Through many events, both single and in series, I have been able to learn valuable lessons in work ethics, business responsibilities, personal interactions, problem solving, creative assimilation and analysis, and flexibility
~God's timing is impeccable, even when it seems disastrous to my human understanding.
~There is a time to relax, and a time to work, and thankfully--again, by God's timing--I have been able to enjoy both.
~Laptops are excellent technological advances, and I have put mine to good use this summer, especially at HeBrews.
~I was not able to cook/bake nearly as much as I had hoped.
~In many ways, this summer “did not go as planned,” but even so, it has held its adventures and learning experiences, moreso than it may have had if it went just as I planned.

Whenever a customer comes into HeBrews and orders a drink with specifics similar to those in the title, I am quietly amused. They want the flavor and experience of enjoying our drinks, but they do not want the “consequences,” so to speak, of “getting fat,” or intaking “too many calories” from actually taking whole milk or the regular flavor syrup or coffee. Now, I realize that not everyone can have sugar or caffeine, but for those that are able to and are still picky about it, the scenario strikes me as odd.
In some ways, this phenomena reminds me of sin, actually. Alright, now you are thinking, “Whoa! Where are you taking this? Comparing coffee drinks to sin--that is taking it a little far.” Just hang tight for the moment, and I shall elaborate. Sin is frequently enticing, fun, exciting, you get a little “rush” from it, and so on--but there are consequences for sin that people rarely want to take into consideration. They want their “decaf, non-fat, sugar-free” sin so they can get all the pleasure from it without the extra fat and calories.
Or, perhaps for a less severe comparison, it could be like risk-taking. “I want to try _________, but I am unwilling to risk x to actually do it.” And then on the opposite end of the spectrum, there are the people that jump right in, even asking for an extra shot or two!
Alright, I am finished for the moment with my off-beat imaginings and coffee illustrations. :-)

I was doing some preliminary packing this morning, gathering things I am not wearing or using and getting them ready to head south with me. Then Mom declared a “clean the house up” day, so I shook out rugs, vacuumed, and swept in the basement, the basement stairs, and the hallway and upstairs entryway. That completed, I decided it was time for my “annual” vacuum-out-the-Volvo project. Last time I did that was, well...when I left for school last summer! :-P So, needless to say, it had collected quite a bit of debris and had been looking unsightly for some time now. So, once again, I was shaking out rugs, shuffling a few in-car items, and moving the front seats back and forward to get to as much upholstery and carpet as possible. Last night after work, I had purchased a bag of “Mountain” trail mix (the traditional raisins, peanuts, M&Ms, almonds, and cashews in delicious conglomeration) and a bag of peanut M&Ms, and after getting out to my car, I proceeded to combine the two. It was my idea to mix the contents of the two bags, but it did not all fit in one bag, which defeated the whole purpose. However, after I emptied the M&Ms into the trail mix, I lost my grip on the bag of tasty munchies, and it spilled across my lap, launching M&Ms and peanuts right down between the seats and the center console--typical, let me tell you. I salvaged what I could reach, dusting them off and eating them (M&Ms have a hard shell, they cannot really collect anything gross) and today as I was vacuuming, I retrieved the remaining escapees.
As I continued going from bungalow to car to house to bungalow to house to car and back again, trying to determine how much clothing I needed to bring for the year (I brought entirely too much for my freshman year), and the various other items like my Alabama Crew jacket, my Bedford Soccer hoodie, belts (I forgot every single one of my belts last year on the way down for the fall semester, so Mom sent them down to me; then when I came home for Christmas, I left all my belts at school!), my Hawaiian shirts, sheets, towels, blankets, my Mexican serape from Steph, loose leaf paper for my note-taking, a binder, writing implements, calculators, my trusty sling pack, and various and assorted other paraphernalia, I thought about the amount of stuff I have been able to get rid of over the summer since I have been back. As I was actually doing the sorting, I was frequently torn about what to do with ________ article of clothing before finally saying to myself, “No! I do not need this; I have not worn it in x amount of time, so it goes.” Now, looking back, I have no idea what all I rid myself and the bungalow of, but I do know I have not missed any of it! When that thought came to mind--prompted largely by one about a possible scenario of stuff I will leave out there for the semester getting ruined by mildew or mice--I thought of Jesus' words about storing up “treasure”: do not store them up here on earth, where they are going to be destroyed by moth and rust (or mildew and mice) and be forgotten, but gather them up in heaven, where none of those things happen, where treasures are real and lasting.

Last night was an unusual night. I read through John and Acts, blogged, did all of that filing, and around 11:30 I was brushing my teeth, but I really was not ready to go to sleep yet. I felt like watching a movie, but I also wanted to read, but I was all “read-out.” So all of the sudden it popped into my mind, “The Passion.” That movie is definitely not the typical “sit down and watch for fun” movie. It is a powerful, painful depiction of Jesus Christ's last day before his crucifixion, and definitely not easy to watch. But it was a timely reminder of his sacrifice for me.

Some may have gotten a wrong impression from my post entitled “The Heart Of A Warrior.” While God does not command us to be weak wimps, he does not condone attacking aggressors. When Christ instructs us to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile, he is speaking to situations wherein you are not in a position to endanger others with your compliance. If I was arguing with someone and was hit by them, I should not retaliate for the immature reason of “getting back at them.” However, if the situation was different, and others in my care were in harm's way, I would be right to protect them by whatever means necessary. I am called to look after those smaller and weaker than myself, and so leading them into a dangerous situation would be wrong. So to put it concisely, physical force should not be used for selfish means. If you are only using it to get out of something that you do not want to do, something that may be uncomfortable, but not harmful, that is wrong.
I am still mulling over this topic, so more posts may be forthcoming!

Yes, I realize I wrote on this topic recently, but as I continue on my trek through the Bible this summer, it deserves some more attention. I just finished the book of Ezekiel, and two days ago I finished Isaiah and read through Jeremiah. In just those three books--albeit long works, but only a fraction of the Bible as a whole--the warring nature of God is especially evident. How can members of the church as a whole uphold their “nice guy” ideal for men so boldly with these vivid examples of God as a very not nice guy? We have been created in his image, his likeness, and as such, we should realize that we will also possess similar characteristics. That being the case, why is there such a strong move to tame us? Here is a passage from Ezekiel, chapter 30:
“In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the LORD came to me: 'Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. It has not been bound up for healing or put in a splint so as to become strong enough to hold a sword. Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand. I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a mortally wounded man” (Eze. 30:20-25).
This is some severe action that is being taken against the Pharaoh of Egypt, because he angered God with his sin. I do not take this to mean that we should take it upon ourselves to break the appendages of those that transgress against us, however, it is obvious we are not called to sit around and take whatever is thrown at us. Christians too often look at Jesus' instruction to “turn the other cheek” and not retaliate, but they take that example too far, as “evidence” to be weak and wimpy. Look at the larger picture though; Jesus was hardly a pushover. He worked hard in his earthly father's carpenter trade, he stood up to the unopposed leaders of the community with boldness, he confronted a deranged demon-possessed man and threw the demons out, he cleared out the temple with zeal for his heavenly Father's house and a whip (or bundle of cords...either way, something that could cause some damage). However, these are not examples for one to take to the opposite extreme: destroying property, defying authority, and the like. Jesus was a strong man, the very example of masculinity--but he could control that strength, and that is what is often overlooked. He perfectly balanced strength and meekness, confidence and humility, zeal and patience in his walk on this sinful earth.

“Meekness and majesty, manhood and deity,
In perfect harmony - the man who is God;
Lord of eternity, dwells in humanity,
Kneels in humility, and washes our feet.

Oh, what a mystery -
Meekness and majesty;
Bow down and worship,
For this is your God,
This is your God!

Father's pure radiance, perfect in innocence,
Yet learns obedience to death on a cross;
Suffering to give us life,
Conquering through sacrifice -
And as they crucify, prays, 'Father, forgive.'

Oh, what a mystery -
Meekness and majesty;
Bow down and worship,
For this is your God,
This is your God!

Wisdom unsearchable, God the invisible,
Love indestructible in frailty appears;
Lord of infinity, stooping so tenderly
Lifts our humanity
To the heights of his throne.

Oh, what a mystery - Meekness and majesty;
Bow down and worship,
For this is your God,
This is your God!”

~Graham Kendrick

There is an overwhelming tendency to be “soft” on absolute statements, whether or not the statement is of great import. I am guilty of it, too. I will say “I kinda think” this or that, or answer a question or request with a “Maybe...I dunno...” Why is it so hard to speak clearly, eloquently, and succinctly without the addition of such needless “junk” words? (“Really” is another one...I was thinking of what I was going to write next, and I began the sentence with “really.” I enjoy reading Dickens, Austen, G.A. Henty, and other similar authors for their dialogues (the spell check in Firefox is stupid at times; it claims “dialogue” is misspelled) as much as for anything else. The characters express themselves (or rather, the main characters express themselves, for at times the support characters, vile persons, villains, and other individuals with small or obscure roles speak coarsely) remarkably, completely without slang--or very little thereof--or obscenities. I realize that the conversations that take place are completely fabricated in the authors' minds, but they must have drawn on similar interactions that they themselves had taken part in or had witnessed. I catch myself frequently tossing in an unnecessary “kinda” into many of my conversations, and I have been trying to catch myself, rewind, and repeat my statement without the wishy-washy modifier.
This is not exactly on topic, but it speaks to the loss of class in speech. When I was at work the other day, I greeted a coworker with a “Good afternoon,” and continued about my work. She was taken aback and responded, “Good afternoon? That's a gentlemanly thing to say.” A mere cordial greeting that was once common has been pushed so far off the beaten path that it is considered “gentlemanly” (a.k.a. “old fashioned”) to use it in everyday life!

Have you ever noticed it? Grandma's perfume, that is. “Grandma” does not have to actually be your grandma, but she could be. I have run into--not very hard, mind you--a couple at Wal-Mart during my various duties around the store, and I could tell as soon as they pass or stroll through the aisle I was working in at the time. They nearly always have a signature scent about them, not unwholesome by any means, or repugnant for that matter, but always strong enough to tell when they have been somewhere. If unexpected, such perfume can be something of a shock to the senses, but on a familiar person, one's own grandmother, the fragrance is generally one that indicates comfort, affection, and a loving hug is close at hand. :-)

Persons come in contact with other individuals all the time, every day. Perhaps they will sweep by each other with barely a glance to see whoever had passed through their proximity, maybe eye contact will be made, and on some occasions, niceties will be exchanged: “Hi,” “hello,” “how are you,” “good, and you,” “good,” and they will continue on their way. Now, I am not saying that every communication with a stranger needs to be a retelling of one's life story, but it can be a little more honest than a bland “good” every time. As Jesus said, “There is only One who is good” (Matthew 19:17).

I have been rerereading John Eldredge's book, Wild at Heart, and even on the third time around, it has been highly thought provoking. What is your idea, ideal, or opinion of what a man should be or represent? Taking a glance around society and its demands on us as individuals, you would probably conclude that men with high-paying jobs, plenty of money, large houses, and plenty of drive to get more ________ are the successful men, the ones that we should all look to as examples. I do not want to discredit the necessity of work, money, homes, and ambition, but when those are the only things seen as important, and those are the only benchmarks of success, there is something wrong. Something has greatly changed about the role of men and the heart of men, and that is what Eldredge addresses.
Men and women have been created by God as reflections of his person; each gender takes on a different aspect of God's personality. I am definitely not a woman, so I will stick with the field I know a little more about: men. I am only 19 and a few months, in many ways still a very young man; I am still in school, still living at home, only just starting my first full-time job, and so on. In other ways, I do feel that I am mature: while I am still in school, I am excelling and managing to keep a lot on my plate without becoming too thinly spread; at home, I look to help around the house--granted, it helps if I am awake for more hours of the day--and still play a role in the family, even as I am transitioning into adulthood and moving out on my own; at work, although I have been on the job a mere two and a half weeks, I have already been noticed for my work ethic and diligence. However, while those may, I hope, reflect personal maturity, what do they say about my true, God-given masculinity?
It has already been a month since I hiked Wills Mountain with Chris, TJ, and Greg, but that trek, as hot and sweaty and tiring as it was, there was a sense of adventure and wilderness (as close to that as we could get, anyway) about the journey. Virtually every young man (I want to say all, but who knows, there may be an exception or two to the dominant rule) has grown up having adventures, whether they have been able to be outside in the woods and small amount of wild similar to my own yard or inside, building forts and barricades out of the furniture and bedding. Capture the flag was a major birthday party and hang-out activity; along with five or six other guys, I would gear up in hand-me-down, Army-Navy Surplus and thrift store camouflage, and hit the woods and fields, ready for action. We would sneak through the brush, hoping to get a glimpse of the flag's location without being spotted, and when the latter failed, a thrilling chase that went crashing and tearing through the brush ensued.
Why are games like that so much fun for boys? We are competitively wired, born to tumble and wrestle, fight and spar, chase, capture, and compete. But why? It goes inside to the core of our being, that we are created in the image of God. So why are we that way? Because that is part of the personality of God. He is a fierce warrior, powerful, untamed, awesome--and men have a small piece of that hardwired to their innermost being. I was talking with Chris and Jonathan Sunday morning in our small discussion group as we worked through Ryan Dobson's Be Intolerant - Because Some Things Are Just Stupid, and I brought up Wild at Heart because of some of the similarities between what I had read in both books. When I said something about the church's influence on men, and its depiction of Jesus, Chris said that he wished he could get a picture of Jesus, not sitting peacefully among the children and sheep, but with a bundle of cords in one hand, the other throwing aside a table, hair flying and eyes afire with holy zeal. Whew. That is not a typical picture one would find of Jesus in most churches. But really, that would still be an accurate depiction of the Son of God.
It is not one we quickly embrace though, because it would require us to admit that God is a great deal more powerful than we are. I have been reading through the Bible, trying to finish the entire book this summer. So far, I have read all the way up to Job, 17 books in all. If I was to describe God's character in a few words from those books, meek, docile, passive, indifferent, and incapable would not be among those I would use. He is almighty, absolutely sovereign, a warrior, powerful, totally capable, intimately concerned about his children...and the list could go on. To paraphrase Eldredge, the church holds up an ideal of men as “really nice guys.” That is not a Biblical example though, so I am not sure where they find that to be the example we should follow. None of the godly men through the Bible are exactly nice guys, they are men of valor, courage, strength, and honor, and that is what I want to be as well.
So, all of that, and I have not yet answered my own question. Well, it shall have to wait for another day, for I need to get ready for work now.

It is the 26th day of June, 2007. We are nearly halfway through the year already! That is pretty strange to think about; it seems that as with most years, 2007 started a little on the slow side. It was hard to remember to write “07” or “2007” at the end of the date during the first part of the semester, but then it became second nature again as I dated the tops of my pages of notes, the headers of my papers, and my numerous pages of calculus scribblings. Time goes slowly, but it also flows quickly. It may be compared to a ride down a river, a wide, calm, smooth, but strong and fast-flowing river. We are on rafts, canoes, kayaks--I would prefer the kayak--just watching the water underneath us and before us. The water seems like it is going slowly, and that we are going slowly along with it--until we look back at the course we have already covered! The mirror-glass surface of the river is deceiving in its tranquility and can catch us off our guard if we do not pay attention to possible rough spots along the way. We pass a sign on the bank of the river proclaiming, “Happy New Year! Welcome to 2007,” and before we know it, that point is miles upstream behind us. However, that adds to the excitement; I mean, think, what if life was a lake? Well, a lake may be paddled around, the shores explored a little, but eventually, there will be familiarity across its entire expanse--but not with a river. It may wind back and forth in huge bends, covering very similar country, or it may shoot across the land, straight and true as a marksman's arrow, but it never backtracks across itself, the bank on this part of the river may very well be reminiscent, but it is not the same. That may be a point where I am at now.
I am home, I am working, I have my groups of friends, and all of that is “the same” as last year at this time. Except now, instead of a new graduate, I am completely an alumni from the high school where I once walked and ran the halls with the track team, worked out in the weight room, and saw friends in the hallway after the day of classes was over. I have two jobs, neither of which are at a former workplace, and one is a full-time job, a total first for me. Although I am home and pretty much back into the routine, there is still a temporary aura about it, that instead of being here permanently and simply leaving temporarily and returning, it is the opposite. My friends are still around--to an extent--but are beginning to move on as I did last year. The next couple summers, the upcoming years are going to be full of possibly major changes as I continue my education at UA, start getting into internships, looking at careers, and considering alternative post-graduate plans. My “kayak” is cruising quickly downstream, slicing smoothly along the current, and the ride is pleasant, new, and exciting...now. So while I have time to think, consider, and look for direction, I need to do so, before I hit rapids and there is no time to say, “Hold on, let me jump out of here for a moment and ask for advice on how to shoot this stretch of the river.”

Chris, Greg, and I met at Jono's place tonight for our dwindling book study. (From an original group of nine guys, we have had at most five show up at the three meetings in the last four weeks, and even that was just once!) We were hoping that Kyle would join us, but sadly, he never showed his face. After waiting for quite a while, chatting in the kitchen and inventing new drink mixes (sweet iced green tea and black coffee make a tasty, if unusual, combination), the four of us adjourned to the yard and arrayed ourselves in the available lawn chairs, with the requisite collection of one dozen doughnuts on a makeshift table in our midst. We have been reading Dorothy Sayer's Letters to a Diminished Church, and although I have only been present for a handful of the chapters that were read over Christmas break and since I have been back from school this summer, I have enjoyed the book. At our last meeting, held at Chris's, we had begun a very long chapter, and reading a page each in sequence, had made about two and a half rounds of our little circle as a start to the section. Then we sat around and talked about summer plans, college, the Quick and the Dead (our “official” group name), camping, graduation, work, and the upcoming picnic at the McDonald's.
This evening we picked up where we had left off, and although there seemed to be a storm rolling in, we braved the increasing wind for another two rounds of the circle before we quickly “struck camp,” rolled up car windows, and hurried inside to escape the weather. A short time later, the rain began, along with the second brilliant lightning storm in five days. Chris and Greg each read another page, and we called it a night, the conversation turning once again to other subjects: college placement testing, crew, foreign languages, starting dates for classes in the fall, and a little clock with pre-programmed “nature sounds.” The atmosphere has definitely changed with the majority of the guys having disappeared in one way or another.
Jamin, our founding member, was the first to take his leave of the group, joining the Army two years ago. Next, we lost the co-founder/second leader when he shipped out to Parris Island for Marine Corps boot camp. He came back for just over a year under an honorable discharge for medical reasons, and then I left for college. Just before I got back for the summer, Seth rejoined the Marines, and he will be graduating boot camp in a week and a half. Now, this summer, the rest of the group will be dissipating: Chris is heading to Wheaton, Kyle to Grove City, Jonothan to Toccoa Falls, Greg to North Carolina, Jared to Shippensburg, and TJ will be the lone member still in Bedford. I think, if I remember correctly, we did have everyone--or nearly everyone--together once over Christmas, but now it is hard to say at what point the group may be reunited. However, it may yet happen, no matter how unlikely.
It has probably been two and a half or maybe three years ago now that this group was started. We began in the corner of Donut Connection on the Interchange, reading C.S. Lewis's excellent Mere Christianity, discussing what we read, and just having a chance to gather on a weekly basis to talk about issues brought up by the book and any other rabbit trail brought up by the material. When we began getting a little too rowdy for the Saturday morning crowd at Donut Connection, we decided to meet at different members' houses each weekend. Usually it was at Kyle's, Chris's, or my house, with an occasional visit to Greg's and one--failed--attempt to meet at Seth's. Our second book was The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton (I am sure I have mentioned this before, but we nicknamed it “The Everlasting Book” because it took us so long to read!). Then we had to decide between another of Lewis's works, The Four Loves, or something by a new author, Lee Stroebel's The Case for Faith. We opted for the latter at another lightly attended meeting at the Fair's home. I believe that since then, the only other book has been the one we are currently working through. Four books in two and a half years is not the quickest pace, but we have definitely enjoyed spending the time together, and I am going to miss it greatly...I know I have said that before as well, but it still holds true.

In rather more cheery news, I received the call from Wal-Mart this afternoon, and I will be going in at one o'clock on Thursday for orientation! This position has definitely been an answer to prayer. :-)

As I was sitting at the light on MacFarland and 15th on Friday, the big screen billboard was displaying a Toyota Camry Hybrid advertisement. It boasted performance of 650 miles on a single tank of gas...it didn't say how big the tank was, though.

There was a SnapOn truck at Target, and I saw it later in the day at the library, and it reminded me of seeing Mr. Baker driving his route around town back home.

I have the rare privilege of being a college student with the opportunity to see both the sunrise and the sunset most every day because of crew. In the last month, five o'clock has ceased to be ridiculously early--it's just early.

My room looks like a miniature Katrina blew through...but the kitchen is clean!

Where have the gentlemen in the world disappeared to? I've surprised several girls simply by opening the door for them; “I'm not used to this whole door-opening thing,” or, “You have to let me open the door sometimes or I'll get spoiled,” or, “What a gentleman” are common reactions. Why is that? Sure, it may take a few seconds longer to linger with the door open as a lady approaches, but it's really not that big of an issue.

Cinnamon and chocolate is an extraordinarily tasty combination!

The three best days of the year for a chocolate lover: February 15th, the day after Easter, and November 1st.

While I am an avid athlete, I'm also a dedicated student, and it irks me greatly when I have to be in a class with several students on athletic scholarships that seem to think their position on a varsity team gives them the right to be obnoxious and disrespectful during class.

I don't have a gimpy car anymore!

As much as I hate to say it, I'll be okay with dealing with a C on my English test. That should be an indication of how it was last Friday morning between eight and nine for me and the others in class. No English class all this week is definitely welcome.

To be a resident adviser or not to be a resident adviser, that is the question.

Why don't people take time to write letters anymore?

Why has Alabama been so cold lately? I definitely was not expecting multiple consecutive 20-degree mornings in the Deep South! Relative to winter back home, it's much “warmer,” but even so, being out on the water when it's 25-35 degrees is rather brisk. However, today it was very nice, and hopefully the warming trend will continue.

I have four papers--a mere total of seven pages--that I could write this week; three of those I need to write this week, and two I need to write before 3:30 tomorrow. They're just one-page response papers for Arts of Tuscaloosa, so they're not all that bad.

I have been blessed with a solid bunch of guys in my Life Group from Calvary: Stephen, Ben, Ryan, Malcolm, Mark, Ryan, Mitch, Randy, Ben, Thomas, John, Chad, Brad, Will, and our leaders, Josh and Wesley.

I have also been blessed with knowing several wonderful young ladies here at school: Stephanie, Steph, Keri, Natalie, Alexa, Sarah, Anna, Hannah, Karly, and Tacoma.

Whoops, I left my bike up in the parking lot where I left it this afternoon, locked to a tree, when I headed off to Madden Mercury Lincoln Volvo to get my new tire... I suppose I shall pick that up tomorrow.

My new astronomy lab instructor has a very effeminate voice.

I want to watch Pride & Prejudice again; we watched two clips of dancing from the movie in my discussion section of Arts of Tuscaloosa today. Why? Because we had learned about contra-dance in seminar last Tuesday. I was the only guy of the group that had seen the movie before.

Down to two months.

It's 10:30. Goodnight.