My Playlist for the Bus (In Part)

As played on shuffle...
1. My Evil Plan to Save the World by Five Iron Frezy
2. Sway by Dean Martin
3. Paper Planes by M.I.A.
4. All This to Say by Sleeping at Last
5. Breathe (2 a.m.) by Anna Nalick
6. There Goes the Fear by Doves
7. Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons
8. Hey Jude by Joe Anderson (Across the Universe)
9. Studying Politics by Emery
10. Burn the Fleet by Thrice
11. Redeem by The Wedding
12. Awake My Soul by Mumford & Sons
13. Please Speak Well of Me by The Weepies
14. Let it Rain by Michael W. Smith
15. God is Enough by Lecrae
16. Page 28 by Sleeping at Last
17. The Silence by Mayday Parade
18. Good Morning Life by Dean Martin
19. Then by Brad Paisley
20. Thoughts of a Dying Atheist by Muse
etc. etc.

Went to QT today. Its basically like Sheetz. Across the parking lot was this wonderful family of giraffes :)

Monopoly

This is how my free time has been spent the past few evenings. Me, Jule and whoever will play with us. As you can see, last night's game didnt go so well for me. But it was still really fun.
I have a pretty slow day today. P. Bon is out of the office. He left me with a few things to do, but not much. Right now I'm waiting outside for a lady to come pick up some hot dogs and buns for an event we're helping with tomorrow morning.
Its hard to believe that I only have a few days left here. I am looking forward to being home though. See yall soon :)
Me off.

Rocks Sermons Ice Cream and Getting Lost

Yesterday after church, Jimmy, Mariza, Wanda and I went hiking/free climbing at a couple of parks 2 hrs south of St Louis. It was alot of fun. This pic is from Taum Sauk national park. There is a big waterfall there.... supposedly. Jimmy tempted us all into a 1.5 mile hike AFTER hiking and climbing all over giant rocks by telling us about how amazing it is. So we walk down to where the waterfall is supposed to be... and it was dried up. I didn't mind so much, but I think Mariza was about to murder him.
Other than a splitting headache and not being sure of the way back to the car, it was a blast. Actually, being lost was kinda fun too.
We went to Sonic afterwards then came home and crashed.
Today Jimmy and I went to a place called Crown Candy for ice cream. Its this little hole-in-the-wall place that makes their own amazing ice cream.
I am staring to miss people now, though. I really wish that I could show alot of people back home all these places. Maybe someday..
Me off.

Oh Teenagers...

So I just finished talking with the girl who has been assisting the youth pastor out here for the past year. This week is her last week before she moves away. So I'm actually going to be staying out here and taking her place.
Just kidding :p
We had a really good talk though. Its interesting to see how kids from polar opposite backgrounds can have alot of the exact same issues. She was saying how she gets frustrated because the youth don't pay attention during service and alot of them are just riding the fence with God and that they don't engage in worship. But instead they're messing around and talking with their friends the whole service.
Its funny, and rather self focused, because I tend to forget that we're not the only youth group dealing with these issues. So we were just comparing notes on how best to connect with the kids and engage their attention.
Anyway, more details of that to follow. Maybe.
Me off.

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Arch

This is prolly one of my favorite pics so far.

There's a lady here at the DC named Jule (pronounced, J'Lay). She is probably one of the coolest people I've ever met. She's a very straightforward woman from South Africa who has a trust in God that really inspires me. She frequently says the common phrase "Its in God's hands".
Its funny how you can know a truth your whole life and even have a revelation of it, but somehow it can become mundane and cliche. Like a ritual without heart. But Jule really lives this statement.
Every night that I've gone to bed here I've wrestled with being so torn between here and Medina. And every night I eventually come to a point where I remember that God is writing my story. Yes, some of the things I want in life may sharply contradict one another. But God is bigger. If He wants them to be reconciled, He will do so. Obviously I am not speaking of being in 2 places at once, though I'm sure He could do that too if He really wanted.
Anyway, I'm about to get my day started.
Me off.

Barry

This is Barry. He's my sad little furnace friend who lives in the basement.
One of the girls here, Lera, laughed when I told her I named it. I'm contemplating somehow getting a nametag for him.
When I first discovered him, I wasn't sure if he creeped me out or if I liked him. I decided the 2nd and dubbed him Barry. I think he and Grizwald would be good friends.
Me off.

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This is my project for today. Jimmy asked me to help him paint his office. Who decided this orange was an ok color? I have no idea... But we'll be turning it into blue soon enough. The gray can stay.
Tomorrow I'll introduce you to Barry, my sad little friend in the laundry room

Back 2 School Blast

Today was super long. The Back 2 School Blast was all day. We've been working since 10 a.m. outside in the 90 degree humid heat. I can't wait to get a shower and go to bed!
It was pretty sweet though. There were tons of people who came by for the games, food, school check ups and concert. I helped with the train rides. Its always fun to see some people's reactions when they find out me and Jimmy are siblings. There were a few girls who rode the train who wouldnt believe it until they confirmed it with him.
Anyway, things are wrapping up now. Then its clean up time, shower and then me and Brudder are going to pick someone up from the airport. I'll post more pics from today when I get home.
Me off.

So this is the church, which is connected to the Heritage House (which is where the girls stay). Its really nice. It used to be an old monestary or convent so there's lots of old wood and amazing nooks and crannies.
The first couple of days have been kind of spontaneous. Pastor Bob (the children's pastor) is on vacation. And since he is the one I was assigned to help, I'm just doing random stuff here and there til he gets back tomorrow.
Tomorrow afternoon the Dream Center is having a big back to school blast with face painting, cotton candy and all kinds of stuff. Then it will all wrap up with a concert at 6 p.m.
Monday is our day off, so me and Jimmy are going to a park and maybe the Science Center.
Its so weird, this place feels so much like home to me I forget I'm not in Ohio. I even almost asked some kids if they got to go to the Cleveland zoo for a field trip.
Anyway, thats it for now.
Me off.

Ok a few amazing things since I've gotten here:
1. Memory foam matresses.
2. I have my own room! At least to start with.
and 3. Sarah Foster is here!

I finally was able to board my connecting bus from Chicago to St Louis! This was of course after waiting 1.5 hrs in the sweltering heat. The little rotund fellow in the picture is the man who stands guard at every Megabus stop. Now I just have 6 more hrs or so until I arrive! Woot!
Me off.
P.S. I saw a giant giraffe sculpture on my way to chicago as part of a mini golf course. It was exciting... I guess.

Sleep Evasion

Do not mistake the title to mean that I am attempting to evade sleep. Rather it is the other way around. It is evading me. The thought occured to me earlier tonight as I was getting ready to go to bed that this is the last night I will be spending in the room which has been called mine for the past 9 years. Keep in mind that I tend to attach myself to things sometimes... and so this is largely sad for me. Its like losing a good friend in some way. Tomorrow I am moving the last of my things into my apartment. Then Wednesday morning I'm leaving for St. Louis. I'm starting to get nervous about that, too. I've never traveled alone before, much less traveled that often at all anyway. So prayers for calm nerves and safety would be appreciated. Particularly during my stop in Chicago.

I also have very strong tendencies towards home sickness. When I say this, I mean, I'm already home sick adn I haven't even left yet. The realization that I won't see many of the people I love for several weeks saddens my heart. I do hope, however, that my sadness does not miscommunicate and come across as if I am not excited to go. Because I am. Significantly. Its really a strange combination of emotions.

Anyway, I should probably re-attempt to fall asleep. I will likely be updating this semi frequently via my phone while I am out there.

Me off.

Went to the zoo yesterday!

No Argument about Households on Page 28

Sleeping at Last Yearbook August :D Only one more EP left though. This = sadness.

Page 28
Have you read the script?
Could you picture it?
...is it worth the risk?

Everything I love
Is on the line
On these neon signs

But I need to know - when you looked away
Was it something that I said?
Was it something that I said?
Well okay, okay I need you more than I did before
Now that the concrete is nearly set

Here in the second act I'm living in repair
Strange how the heart adapts when its pieces disappear
And there on page 28 I'm so tired of drying glue
I begin my grand attempt at building something new

Though I tend to write
The epiphany more immediately
I guess I'm trusting that there's such a thing
As elegance in dissonance

God, I'm skeptical of pulling scenes
Was it something that I said?
Was it something that I said?
Please don't get me wrong - I still need your help
As history repeats itself

Here in the aftermath I'm pulling at the seams
Strange how the heart adapts in the absence of routine
And there on page 29 I find "new" and make it mine
But I can't help casting shadows on all I leave behind

Maybe I could afford to change a bit
Even let go of the reigns?
Every torn out page was worth the risk
Now that the stakes have been raised

So here in the final draft
I've given all I have
Strange how the heart expands in the absence of a plan
There's nothing left on the page, but I'm ok with that
For I found my resolution
Was designed for stronger hands


No Argument
Like starting war
Like spilling ink
LIke the empty street
You swore you saw
Before you blinked

There's no second though
There's no turning back
There's no calling off
This avalanche

Every day now spent
Underneath white flags
Every intention eclipsed
By every stain of the past

There's no argument
Fairness is a ghost
There's no argument
It is a rare bird at most

But every sighting is proof
And every heart-beat proves it too
That only love can change the shape
Of such permanent truths
Of such permanent truths
Such permanent truth