Amazing Weekend!

Howdee!
Well, the past couple weeks have been very eventful, fun, encouraging and emotional! I believe I mentioned recently that I was asked to be the best man in Lionel's wedding. I definitely was humbled and honored that he wanted me to be that for him! So here's a little rundown on the events of the past week or two.

So I planned the bachelor's party and Ryan B offered to host it. I talked with the bride-to-be and she gave me plenty of information to quiz the groom with. Then I was trying to find some way to "encourage" Lionel at the party with a new wardrobe, so to speak. I figured he would need some new hair so I was at the Display House and found the perfect hairpiece... a bright gold wig with pig tails tied up with pink strings! I knew that was exactly what I had been looking for! Then I got him a long dress with yellow flowers.... beautiful!! LOL!

Whenever Lionel got a question wrong, he would have a consequence... eating a fresh jalapeno. Well for those of you who don't know him, Lionel can eat hot stuff and not effect him in the least. So, he ate probably 6 or so and he was starting to feel the heat. So, we didn't want him to struggle too much (apparently fresh jalapenos are much hotter than the pickled ones...) So we decided to have Lionel take a stroll down the street in his wig and dress for one minute and got the pics to prove it! So we went back in, fed him a few more peppers and then one of the guys at the party suggested to have him walk down to visit the wives, who were at a house about two blocks away, so I walked down with him and when he knocked on the door, THREE video cameras greeted him! Someone must have called ahead!!! :) LOL!

So he said he had fun, he is REALLY a good sport. I joked with one of the guys that I can never get married because I've got a bro ready to "encourage" me back! I was kidding, of course...

Then Friday, we went to get our tuxes and the tuxedo shop (who shall remain nameless for now) messed everything up. My shirt didn't fit, pants didn't fit (not even close!) and they couldn't get me pants that night, so I had to go downtown to get the correct size 1 hour before I had to be at the wedding the next morning! Oy! It worked out okay, but had to be out of pocket for some expense for that even though I had already paid. I guess I won't be using that place when I get married someday!

So, I have to share about the wedding stuff. We had heard there was supposed to be rain/overcast for the day of the wedding so we rehearsed an indoor and an outdoor plan for the ceremony. We were all confident, however that there would be sun! And God was very faithful! Even though it had rained a little in the morning, by 10 the sun began to come out and it was absolutely perfect! We took all our pictures and they looked great! Jay Lance Photography did such an amazing job! This is no ordinary photographer, he has great vision and cool ideas! So after all the pre-wedding photos were over, we went out to usher and greet the guests.

As the time neared for the ceremony to start, Lionel and I went downstairs to get ready... As we walked down, I started getting very emotional. I was SOOOO honored to be his best man, to share in his special day like this. We sat down to make the final preparations and Lionel wanted to pray. I had him start because I was really emotional! I got a chance to pray and it was amazing! Jermaine came down shortly after and we all got ready. I was overwhelmed with the honor that I had been given!!!!

So, someone was supposed to come get us to let us know it was time to go out. Nobody did, but luckily Jermaine realized that that song had started, so we rushed out the door! Apparently everyone was wondering what took us so long! Oops! At any rate, Lionel wanted for us to "strut" out to the gazebo. Not just any strut, but like the deep early 70's strut! It was epic! So many people were laughing and enjoying it. I definitely was, too! So, we get out there and waiting for the wedding party to walk out too and remember, I am still pretty emotional... It was so great to see Lionel so happy... Then Autumn came out and as soon as I saw Lionel's and her eyes meet, I got suuuper emotional again and my eyes welled up. He was absolutely smitten and I got to witness it, standing right next to my brother! Unfortunately, it REALLY hit me when the bride's father gave her away and they were standing only feet in front of me for the first time, looking beautiful and handsome. I could barely keep my composure! It was so moving... So it was a very short ceremony, and I got the vows to the groom and then the ring... but instead of giving him the ring, I gave him the whole box!!! LOL, oops! It was probably just as well, I probably would have dropped it in the grass and would have had to get down on my hands and knees and find it. Anyway, it all worked out and probably wasn't a big deal....

So after the ceremony, we all marched out and the dancing commenced. Lionel also gave me the honor to pick out 80's and early 90's songs to dance to and I was dancing out there like a mad man. It was SOOO much fun! It ws definitely the most fun I had ever had at a wedding. I really didn't want it to end. It was great to have John B up from Ashland, Mark E, Ryan G and Dallas there as the groomsmen. I can barely imagine a group of men I would have rather had up there in the wedding party! The day was so perfect...

By the way, I forgot to mention, that after the ceremony when we went out to take pics with the family, groomsmen, etc., we groomsmen were waiting for our turn. Someone looked up in the sky and (I am NOT kidding), there was this huge cloud right overhead in the shape of a heart! And what's even more incredible, the sun was right behind it so the cloud's lining was bright (shall we say a silver lining?). It was amazing. Had I not been there and witnessed it myself, I wouldn't have believed it. We all agreed that it was definitely the shape of a heart... Inspiring!

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So now I don't want to be a party pooper, but I have been struggling a lot in my relationships lately and has affected me pretty strongly. I have been trying to understand where to go from here and what to do about some things. I have been getting a lot of input in my life, but am still struggling to really grasp what the next step is. Any prayers for encouragement and direction would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to get into a lot of detail here, but I feel some changes are necessary in my life (I should say *more* changes) and I could use some direction...

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And finally tonight, based on all of the above, I am super encouraged and excited for this weekend. I get the opportunity to be around a lot of my old, new and faithful friends this weekend and I really am looking forward to getting my cup filled. I have worked very hard the past year or two and really need some great fellowship time. I am looking forward to spending time with some bros from Montana and getting in some windshield time with them. I am grateful I am working at a hotel and have been doing well at my job, so I was able to get two nights free this weekend!

Anyway, I will have to update everyone on the weekend next week on the haps. I hope all is well with you and thanks for following what's up with Tim! Bis zum naechsten Mal!

Grateful for Friends

Gooood Eeeeevening!
It's exciting to report on another chapter in the life of Tim. I have concluded that life is, in fact, a roller coaster. To give you an idea of how I feel life being a roller coaster, I'll share my last roller coaster experience. :) In 2008, I had the pleasure of going to Six Flags over Texas and went on the Texas Giant, one of the world's largest wooden roller coasters. It was FUN, but after I got off, I was sooo sore from the moderately violent turns. So I am kind of feeling the same things about life in general these days.

To be completely honest, I have just been feeling lonely lately. I have been feeling stressed about some things and am just tired. I would love to take some time off in a very beautiful place, Hawaii is sounding really nice right now! Maybe I could talk Jeremy V. into putting me up (and putting up with me) for a few days!

So there's actually not too much to report at the moment, but I am excited to get some good time with friends this week. I am realizing I need people that are more my age in my life. Don't get me wrong, I love my singles ministry, but I need a balance of singles and age-similarity... Moving in the right direction!

I am also very excited about the singles conference in a few weeks. I really am looking forward to catching up with all my old friends! I'm looking forward to driving over with a good friend from Missoula.

It's also been fun and encouraging to do some work on my house. Now that I have no roommates left, I have been cleaning, organizing and throwing stuff out. I still have too much junk in my house, but it's definitely getting better... I can't wait to do some real renovating this spring/summer. New front steps on the house, tearing out everything and rewiring the dining room and maybe some other stuff too. I still need to work in the garden, but it's just been too cold lately. I hope some time this week I can get out there and plant some stuff!

Well, it's much shorter than usual tonight, but hopefully in the next couple weeks I'll have lots to update: the wedding, the conference, etc. So for now, thanks for checking up on me and I'll talk to you again soon. Peace!