I love being a disciple! God does not let me just go through my life unaffected by circumstances, nor does he sit back idly and let me get comfortable. He is actively working in my life and my heart to make me the man he wants to be... hopefully more and more like his son every day. (I still have a LOOOONG way to go, just in case you were wondering!) LOL!
The reason I started this post out the way I did is simple. A few days ago, I thought I had a few things figured out. Well, that's not so much the case. LOL!!! God has such a great sense of humor! I still stand by my last post, however, it has come to my attention through the help of a friend, that selling my house may not be the best situation for me right now. Come to find out, the costs of selling my house are considerably more than I had anticipated, which means the sale of the house would most certainly mean losing thousands and thousands of dollars, which would leave me having even more debt.... So I am getting some advice as to whether I should scrap the idea altogether now and wait for a more opportune time. Either way, I need to make the decision VERY soon as finances continue to be a challenge.
I have been starting to immerse myself in things German. At work we often have time between phone calls to do some surfing on the internet, which management has ok'd. As long as it's appropriate and the websites have been approved. So I have been reading articles in German and just looking around on msn.de. It's been so much fun! I'm getting very excited about my dream!!! At the same time, I also understand that Germany is not the same place I left so many years ago. I am not wanting to go to Germany because I think it will be easy or fun (although I do hope it's LOTS of fun), I'm going because I want to be used by God there, in whatever ways possible. And I'm hoping that it will help me to rely on God more than I ever have before. It's scary, but at the same time, it's very exciting!
I've also been very encouraged by my new bible talk. I'm very inspired by the Baldwins, their love for God and others, their integrity and convictions. I'm excited to learn more and be more in and for the group. I really want to become a better disciple and I really want to be used for God's Kingdom, prayerfully one day even in a ministry capacity. Help me, God! Please pray for me to wrap things up here, to sell my cars, and liquidate the vast majority of my possessions. I would also like prayers for a job opportunity in Berlin. I'm hoping to begin working for a hotel or other internaitonal situation where I could use my language and service skills.
Thank you everyone for your support and love. I really would appreciate your prayers for God to make his will obvious. Look forward to adding more soon!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
A LOT of Catching Up to Do....
So tonight I could barely remember my login and password to this blog... Well I finally figured it out again, and to my horror, it has been 11 days short of a year since my last entry! All I can say to that is WOW.... In the meantime, my life has been incredibly busy, I have been physically, mentally and financially tapped out but at least I am doing okay spiritually. And working on it.... So, I'm trying to somehow synopsize EVERYTHING that has happened in the past 355 days. I'll try to keep it as "brief" as I can. Brief is a relative term.
First of all, my discovery of the elapsed time since my last post confirms my other epiphany a few weeks ago that this calendar year is quickly coming to a close. I swear it just seems like 3 months ago that I was thinking "2011, don't let the door hit you on the way out!" That was over NINE months ago!!!! This year has gone incredibly fast.
When I last posted ( I had to look back to see what I was actually doing then....) and it's kind of old news now, but I was able to fly to San Francisco on Nov. 30 last year to take my German proficiency test on Dec.1. So, I was able to take a long weekend and got a room at the Red Lion Hotel in Oakland and rode the subway into the city. I took the test and it was about 5 hours long. They offer 6 tests, from basic German to fluency. They suggested I take the 4th or 5th test, and so I opted to take the 5th (next to highest) and I was tested Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Essay, Speaking and Speaking in a Group. I did very well on every part of the test, except Reading Comprehension. Need to work on that..... Either way, I passed the test!!! I was so excited that after 19 YEARS, God still allowed me to remember so much German.
And for the next few days, I was able to enjoy old friends and the city of San Francisco (also an old friend since my dad was stationed at the Presidio and I came to visit during the summers of 1979 and 1980 as a child). On Friday Dec. 2, I was able to spend some time with a very dear friend, Cristill Cox (formerly Dooley) and her awesome husband Brad. They treated me to an afternoon in Napa Valley and to a very fancy dinner at Michael Chiarello's 4-star Bottega restaurant, in Yountville. SOOOO spoiled. We also visited Domaine Chandon Winery where we took a tour and also enjoyed some glorious December weather, 75 degrees! on their patio. What a great memory to spend such special time with such great friends! You guys are amazing! Thank you again so much!
So the other big story of the last year of my life, as many of you know, is my dining room remodel. It was the absolute bane of my existence for nearly 15 months, my first pictures being taken on 6/23/11 and my House Re-Warming party taking place on 9/9/12. I really wanted to do it right, I didn't want to be half-heartedly putting the room back together with inferior work or products (and trying to spend as little money as possible at the same time). Between removing layer after layer after layer of flooring in the dining room and kitchen, after re-wiring, re-venting, brand new east wall in the dining room, restructuring, re-siding, drywall (UGH!), seemingly unendless sanding, texturing, priming, mutiple layers of paint, flooring, removing and reinstalling cabinetry, etc. etc. etc., I finally finished enough to start using the room again on 9/8/12! Hallelujah!!
The project, however, was incredibly grueling. Not being as young anymore and carrying a lot more weight than I should be, made this a very challenging proposition. I struggled through anger, despair, frustration and mostly very little help (except Ryan G who spent a ton of time helping to put down tile, and helping dismantle my kitchen!). So after spending more than twice my "budget" for the rennovation, and dealing with problem after problem after problem, I was finally able to sit down on 9/9 after my party and take a breath! It felt incredible. The project had taken its toll on me in a lot of ways, even spiritually. I am happy to say that I feel much better now in all areas, but still have lots of work to do to get back to abnormal! There are still a few items to finish up, like trim before I can call the project "done" officially, but for all intents and purposes, it's usable!
The biggest thing I have learned through this process is literally one of the most poignant lessons I have ever learned. I have learned, in a nutshell, that the American Dream is not God's dream, in fact it's quite the opposite. I feel enslaved by my possessions. It's become obvious to me that my possessions owned me in a lot of ways and not the other way around. I see that everyone around me has that desire to own this or that... a house or a new car or the latest electronic device or gadget. What I learned about myself is that, to a certain extent, I only owned those things to be seen a certain way by others. Sure, it makes monetary sense to own a home, but the slavery it also causes is just not worth it. For the last year plus, I have not had money for food (although I've eaten, I have also gone further into debt.) and I don't have any money to go do anything fun. So, it has been kind of discouraging looking at the home that I live in and know that if I'm really honest with myself, I simply cannot afford to live here any longer.
My dream has been to go to Germany, to study and help out our sister church in Berlin in any way that I can. Since God has allowed me to still be able to speak German so well, even after 20 years since my return from there (as of 10/3/12), it really makes me think that God is trying to move me away from Spokane (as well as numerous other reasons) so that I can use that gift he has given me to help out in some way in our church there.
The plan has been, thus far, to go to school. That is still the plan, however now I am thinking that I would like to get a job and move over in January 2013 and possibly start with school in Fall 2013. Unfortunately I just found out that the school I want to attend is not recognized by the US Federal Financial Aid, so I am now also trying to figure out how to get grants, stipends, and scholarships to pay my way. School itself should be relatively cheap, but room, board and other expenses will likely be significant there. We'll see what God says about that.
So, here's kind of the culmination of everything that I have written in the blog today, as well as the culmination of a lot of time, money, sweat and effort that has gotten me to this point over the past year or more: I have decided to sell the house and the bulk of my worldly possessions to, God willing, make my Germany dream come to reality. Too many nights have I dreamt of Germany, even to the point of tears of missing my 2nd homeland SO MUCH, that I was actually depressed for a few days! I have learned in no uncertain terms that THIS is my dream, and this is who I am. I am praying for God to make his will clear, but I want to be "all in", to hold nothing back.
With that being said, I am also very humbled by a passage of scripture in Acts 5, where a man and a woman, Ananias and Saphira, were selling property to give to the church (what a sacrifice!!!!) and they agreed with each other to lie about the price to keep back some of it for themselves. By doing this, God struck them dead because they lied about it. This is a very humbling scripture, because as much as I want to get rid of everything now, I think there will likely be a few things that I do keep. I am trying to be very careful to not carelessly say, "I'm getting rid of everything" because that's not true. I am however getting rid of the vast majority of all my possessions so that I can serve God and not be burdened by "stuff". I hope you understand the heart behind this, if not, please feel free to ask and I'll be happy to discuss with you. I'm so excited for this aspect of my journey.
There is a lot more to say and there are dozens of other stories I could tell you, but I think I will leave it there for now. You know, I started this blog over 2 1/2 years ago. My goal was to reinvent myself and the initial focus was mostly on my physical body, which I do still plan to work on, but I'm learning now that I need to start with my heart and my character first. I need to trust God more deeply than I ever have before. I can no longer be complacent or fearful of ANYTHING. I must live like Jesus really is my Lord. I have to put my money where my mouth is... Put up or shut up, and let my life do the talking! After considering all these things, despite still being extremely busy, I can honestly say I'm happier than I've been in a long time. Now that's what I call "reinventing" myself!
My prayer is that God will be glorified through these things!
First of all, my discovery of the elapsed time since my last post confirms my other epiphany a few weeks ago that this calendar year is quickly coming to a close. I swear it just seems like 3 months ago that I was thinking "2011, don't let the door hit you on the way out!" That was over NINE months ago!!!! This year has gone incredibly fast.
When I last posted ( I had to look back to see what I was actually doing then....) and it's kind of old news now, but I was able to fly to San Francisco on Nov. 30 last year to take my German proficiency test on Dec.1. So, I was able to take a long weekend and got a room at the Red Lion Hotel in Oakland and rode the subway into the city. I took the test and it was about 5 hours long. They offer 6 tests, from basic German to fluency. They suggested I take the 4th or 5th test, and so I opted to take the 5th (next to highest) and I was tested Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, Essay, Speaking and Speaking in a Group. I did very well on every part of the test, except Reading Comprehension. Need to work on that..... Either way, I passed the test!!! I was so excited that after 19 YEARS, God still allowed me to remember so much German.
And for the next few days, I was able to enjoy old friends and the city of San Francisco (also an old friend since my dad was stationed at the Presidio and I came to visit during the summers of 1979 and 1980 as a child). On Friday Dec. 2, I was able to spend some time with a very dear friend, Cristill Cox (formerly Dooley) and her awesome husband Brad. They treated me to an afternoon in Napa Valley and to a very fancy dinner at Michael Chiarello's 4-star Bottega restaurant, in Yountville. SOOOO spoiled. We also visited Domaine Chandon Winery where we took a tour and also enjoyed some glorious December weather, 75 degrees! on their patio. What a great memory to spend such special time with such great friends! You guys are amazing! Thank you again so much!
So the other big story of the last year of my life, as many of you know, is my dining room remodel. It was the absolute bane of my existence for nearly 15 months, my first pictures being taken on 6/23/11 and my House Re-Warming party taking place on 9/9/12. I really wanted to do it right, I didn't want to be half-heartedly putting the room back together with inferior work or products (and trying to spend as little money as possible at the same time). Between removing layer after layer after layer of flooring in the dining room and kitchen, after re-wiring, re-venting, brand new east wall in the dining room, restructuring, re-siding, drywall (UGH!), seemingly unendless sanding, texturing, priming, mutiple layers of paint, flooring, removing and reinstalling cabinetry, etc. etc. etc., I finally finished enough to start using the room again on 9/8/12! Hallelujah!!
The project, however, was incredibly grueling. Not being as young anymore and carrying a lot more weight than I should be, made this a very challenging proposition. I struggled through anger, despair, frustration and mostly very little help (except Ryan G who spent a ton of time helping to put down tile, and helping dismantle my kitchen!). So after spending more than twice my "budget" for the rennovation, and dealing with problem after problem after problem, I was finally able to sit down on 9/9 after my party and take a breath! It felt incredible. The project had taken its toll on me in a lot of ways, even spiritually. I am happy to say that I feel much better now in all areas, but still have lots of work to do to get back to abnormal! There are still a few items to finish up, like trim before I can call the project "done" officially, but for all intents and purposes, it's usable!
The biggest thing I have learned through this process is literally one of the most poignant lessons I have ever learned. I have learned, in a nutshell, that the American Dream is not God's dream, in fact it's quite the opposite. I feel enslaved by my possessions. It's become obvious to me that my possessions owned me in a lot of ways and not the other way around. I see that everyone around me has that desire to own this or that... a house or a new car or the latest electronic device or gadget. What I learned about myself is that, to a certain extent, I only owned those things to be seen a certain way by others. Sure, it makes monetary sense to own a home, but the slavery it also causes is just not worth it. For the last year plus, I have not had money for food (although I've eaten, I have also gone further into debt.) and I don't have any money to go do anything fun. So, it has been kind of discouraging looking at the home that I live in and know that if I'm really honest with myself, I simply cannot afford to live here any longer.
My dream has been to go to Germany, to study and help out our sister church in Berlin in any way that I can. Since God has allowed me to still be able to speak German so well, even after 20 years since my return from there (as of 10/3/12), it really makes me think that God is trying to move me away from Spokane (as well as numerous other reasons) so that I can use that gift he has given me to help out in some way in our church there.
The plan has been, thus far, to go to school. That is still the plan, however now I am thinking that I would like to get a job and move over in January 2013 and possibly start with school in Fall 2013. Unfortunately I just found out that the school I want to attend is not recognized by the US Federal Financial Aid, so I am now also trying to figure out how to get grants, stipends, and scholarships to pay my way. School itself should be relatively cheap, but room, board and other expenses will likely be significant there. We'll see what God says about that.
So, here's kind of the culmination of everything that I have written in the blog today, as well as the culmination of a lot of time, money, sweat and effort that has gotten me to this point over the past year or more: I have decided to sell the house and the bulk of my worldly possessions to, God willing, make my Germany dream come to reality. Too many nights have I dreamt of Germany, even to the point of tears of missing my 2nd homeland SO MUCH, that I was actually depressed for a few days! I have learned in no uncertain terms that THIS is my dream, and this is who I am. I am praying for God to make his will clear, but I want to be "all in", to hold nothing back.
With that being said, I am also very humbled by a passage of scripture in Acts 5, where a man and a woman, Ananias and Saphira, were selling property to give to the church (what a sacrifice!!!!) and they agreed with each other to lie about the price to keep back some of it for themselves. By doing this, God struck them dead because they lied about it. This is a very humbling scripture, because as much as I want to get rid of everything now, I think there will likely be a few things that I do keep. I am trying to be very careful to not carelessly say, "I'm getting rid of everything" because that's not true. I am however getting rid of the vast majority of all my possessions so that I can serve God and not be burdened by "stuff". I hope you understand the heart behind this, if not, please feel free to ask and I'll be happy to discuss with you. I'm so excited for this aspect of my journey.
There is a lot more to say and there are dozens of other stories I could tell you, but I think I will leave it there for now. You know, I started this blog over 2 1/2 years ago. My goal was to reinvent myself and the initial focus was mostly on my physical body, which I do still plan to work on, but I'm learning now that I need to start with my heart and my character first. I need to trust God more deeply than I ever have before. I can no longer be complacent or fearful of ANYTHING. I must live like Jesus really is my Lord. I have to put my money where my mouth is... Put up or shut up, and let my life do the talking! After considering all these things, despite still being extremely busy, I can honestly say I'm happier than I've been in a long time. Now that's what I call "reinventing" myself!
My prayer is that God will be glorified through these things!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Trader Joe's Spokane & Halloween 2011
Hey all, thanks for looking in! It's been quite an eventful last week or two (or 16!). It's finally here, Trader Joe's has officially opened in Spokane! After 9 long years of waiting, they opened last Friday, 10/28!!! So, thanks to a friend of mine who is a cameraman for KREM 2 news, he mentioned that he would be at the opening a little early, about 5:30a.m. I thought that instead of trying to go after work (6pm), maybe it would be better to go before it opens... So I got up about 5:30 and was at the store just past 6:30. It was pretty cold and dark when I got there, probably a little above freezing... I was a little bit surprised to see only about 15 people ahead of me. So we waited about 1 hour 20 minutes and they opened the doors about 5 minutes early! By the time they opened, I was pretty cold, despite Forza providing some free coffee... and the line had stretched at least 100 yards and it was a few people wide. Even John Myers showed up and I (and the awesome people around me) allowed him to cut in line.
I grabbed a cart, which was a feat in and of itself, and was met by the applause of all the employees and was given a lei! Within just a few minutes, it became clear to me that it was getting crowded fast! I grabbed 6 or 7 items, especially frozen items, and decided to try to be the first to check out. I was convinced that I was first, but then later found out that two of the guys I was in line with were the first two. I think I was Spokane's #3 Trader Joe's customer. I was interviewed in line with another lady by KREM's Erik Loney and again when I was checking out and they actually used excerpts from both interviews in their broadcast. Mom seems to think I'm a celebrity now. I don't think so, not by a longshot... But tons of fun nonetheless.
After about 7 minutes in the store, I exited through the throng entering the store. I was parked right across the way and was almost run over by a lady in a newer green CR-V who was not paying attention and waving at someone. Sheesh!!! When I got to my car, this guy approached me very non-chalantly and started asking me some questions. I noticed his jacket had a small "Inlander" logo on it and he confirmed that was where he was from. After I got home, I unloaded my plunder and soaked it all in. FINALLY!!! I can go to TJ's anytime I want now!! Here are the links to the news reports:
http://www.kxly.com/localvideo/index.html?v=27694
and
http://www.khq.com/category/195686/video-landing-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6396016#.Tq3Gv5jxFRI.facebook
The next day we had the Singles and Campus' Halloween Party. It was really fun, it had lots of cool decorations, contests, X-Factor-like eating challenge, pumpkin carving, dancing and a costume contest. This year, I bought the most epic costume EVER... woopie cushion!!! My favorite costume!!! I really shouldn't have spent the money, but the reactions were worth it! Priceless!!!! I loved getting hugs from everyone at church, because I had to make the noises. Just had to!
So a quick update on the progress with the possible move to Germany.... I contacted the Goethe Institute in Atlanta (was the only one open at the time I called at 6am -- don't ask...) Anyway, they sent me the placement test to determine which program placement test I need to take. I took it and out of six levels, they said I should take #4 or #5 (#6 was basically a native speaker)! I was so encouraged after 19 years that I still remembered so much German! Thanks God! I found out that I can't take the placement test at UW/Seattle unless I want to wait until late May. Ugh! I may have to go to SF, CA to take it (likely the cheapest option). Anyway, I will keep you all updated as I know more.
Until then, buenos nachos!!! LOL!!!
I grabbed a cart, which was a feat in and of itself, and was met by the applause of all the employees and was given a lei! Within just a few minutes, it became clear to me that it was getting crowded fast! I grabbed 6 or 7 items, especially frozen items, and decided to try to be the first to check out. I was convinced that I was first, but then later found out that two of the guys I was in line with were the first two. I think I was Spokane's #3 Trader Joe's customer. I was interviewed in line with another lady by KREM's Erik Loney and again when I was checking out and they actually used excerpts from both interviews in their broadcast. Mom seems to think I'm a celebrity now. I don't think so, not by a longshot... But tons of fun nonetheless.
After about 7 minutes in the store, I exited through the throng entering the store. I was parked right across the way and was almost run over by a lady in a newer green CR-V who was not paying attention and waving at someone. Sheesh!!! When I got to my car, this guy approached me very non-chalantly and started asking me some questions. I noticed his jacket had a small "Inlander" logo on it and he confirmed that was where he was from. After I got home, I unloaded my plunder and soaked it all in. FINALLY!!! I can go to TJ's anytime I want now!! Here are the links to the news reports:
http://www.kxly.com/localvideo/index.html?v=27694
and
http://www.khq.com/category/195686/video-landing-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6396016#.Tq3Gv5jxFRI.facebook
The next day we had the Singles and Campus' Halloween Party. It was really fun, it had lots of cool decorations, contests, X-Factor-like eating challenge, pumpkin carving, dancing and a costume contest. This year, I bought the most epic costume EVER... woopie cushion!!! My favorite costume!!! I really shouldn't have spent the money, but the reactions were worth it! Priceless!!!! I loved getting hugs from everyone at church, because I had to make the noises. Just had to!
So a quick update on the progress with the possible move to Germany.... I contacted the Goethe Institute in Atlanta (was the only one open at the time I called at 6am -- don't ask...) Anyway, they sent me the placement test to determine which program placement test I need to take. I took it and out of six levels, they said I should take #4 or #5 (#6 was basically a native speaker)! I was so encouraged after 19 years that I still remembered so much German! Thanks God! I found out that I can't take the placement test at UW/Seattle unless I want to wait until late May. Ugh! I may have to go to SF, CA to take it (likely the cheapest option). Anyway, I will keep you all updated as I know more.
Until then, buenos nachos!!! LOL!!!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
The Effects of Reinvention
Time sure does fly when you're having fun. And when you're busy reinventing yourself. I am not saying this tongue-in-cheek, I'm serious. So between "remodeling" (rebuilding?) my dining room, trying to find and register for a school in Berlin, working, living my regular life, writing a book, and dealing with my ministry; I am feeling a little pushed to the limit these days.
On the dining room, I am making good progress these days. I have finished the east exterior wall that we tore down and rebuilt. Just primed and painted the new siding this past week and all I need to do now is to caulk the seams and figure out how to tie that wall in with the south wall. It's pretty complicated that old shingle siding... boo!
The next challenge on the project is the floor. It is AMAZING to me how many layers of flooring I have removed and all indications point to having to pull out even the existing floor structure. This is not good news. The good part about it is that I should be able to make sure the kitchen and dining room floors will be flush with each other. Hopefully....
So that's the bad. Here's the good... I am excited about the possibility of moving to Germany. There is so much to do in a relatively short period of time. I sent an email to a business school in Berlin and they wrote me back that they need to clarify some information. The college that I went to was a branch of the University of Maryland, but it was in Munich, Germany. It closed and moved in 1993 to another city. A few years later that campus also closed and now there is no "campus" for U of M in Germany. They do hold classes on most larger bases in Germany, but the school was not able to confirm the school was accredited, so that's my first task, to confirm it is...
Secondly, I need to take an exam to test the level of my German skills to see if they can place me in their program. By the way, I am hoping to enroll in their International Business BA program which would start in April 2012. I would need to have everything completed and send in my application to the school by December 15.
Lastly, I need to figure out financing. I would like to get the German financing, but will also keep American options open as well. I would also need to look into a study visa and see if I can work while I'm living there. I think I would need to have at least some income....
Honestly, I have been really looking forward to going to Germany. Almost to the point that I think I would be very discouraged if it didn't work out. I believe I will go but have been praying that God stop the process if it's not his will.
At any rate, I am mostly encouraged by everything and will need to somehow muddle through some of these websites and continue to get much advice. Please be praying for me and I look forward to keeping you up to date on everything... Bis hoffentlich bald!
On the dining room, I am making good progress these days. I have finished the east exterior wall that we tore down and rebuilt. Just primed and painted the new siding this past week and all I need to do now is to caulk the seams and figure out how to tie that wall in with the south wall. It's pretty complicated that old shingle siding... boo!
The next challenge on the project is the floor. It is AMAZING to me how many layers of flooring I have removed and all indications point to having to pull out even the existing floor structure. This is not good news. The good part about it is that I should be able to make sure the kitchen and dining room floors will be flush with each other. Hopefully....
So that's the bad. Here's the good... I am excited about the possibility of moving to Germany. There is so much to do in a relatively short period of time. I sent an email to a business school in Berlin and they wrote me back that they need to clarify some information. The college that I went to was a branch of the University of Maryland, but it was in Munich, Germany. It closed and moved in 1993 to another city. A few years later that campus also closed and now there is no "campus" for U of M in Germany. They do hold classes on most larger bases in Germany, but the school was not able to confirm the school was accredited, so that's my first task, to confirm it is...
Secondly, I need to take an exam to test the level of my German skills to see if they can place me in their program. By the way, I am hoping to enroll in their International Business BA program which would start in April 2012. I would need to have everything completed and send in my application to the school by December 15.
Lastly, I need to figure out financing. I would like to get the German financing, but will also keep American options open as well. I would also need to look into a study visa and see if I can work while I'm living there. I think I would need to have at least some income....
Honestly, I have been really looking forward to going to Germany. Almost to the point that I think I would be very discouraged if it didn't work out. I believe I will go but have been praying that God stop the process if it's not his will.
At any rate, I am mostly encouraged by everything and will need to somehow muddle through some of these websites and continue to get much advice. Please be praying for me and I look forward to keeping you up to date on everything... Bis hoffentlich bald!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
A Very Challenging Past Couple Months, and Lots of Good Stuff, Too!
Hey all!
Thanks for your patience in waiting for my next post. There has been a lot on my mind lately and I have honestly not had the mental or physical energy to sit down and put it down into words. I don't know what this post will look like after I'm done, but I'm sure it will be full of interesting information for you!!! I am sure it will be pretty long though so strap in, grab your favorite beverage cuz here we go!!!
In the title of this post I mentioned that there have been some pretty serious challenges in my life. Don't worry, I'll explain, but it has been a roller coaster ride for me. As many of you know, I'm usually a pretty easy going guy, happy and well adjusted (most days anyway...). Well lately I have been feeling lonely and discarded, mostly by some of the people who I thought (and who said) they cared.
I am a Christian, a disciple of Christ (one and the same biblically, by the way), and our goal as Christians is to imitate Christ's life. Since the Bible says God is love and since Jesus was God, then you can deduce that Jesus was also love. The Bible clearly and often shows that Jesus was an incredibly loving and sacrificial man. The problem was that I assumed that his followers shared Jesus' heart. Now, I have to be careful here, because it is not my intention WHATSOEVER to portray my brothers and sisters in a negative way. I have spoken with these people and have shared my thoughts and frustrations and the anger I have felt as it has not felt like we are trying to be like this in Jesus in our ministry.
At one point, I was really hurting and was feeling like nobody in my group really was concerned about me. I approached one particular brother and shared with him that I just needed a friend to be there for me, just to call or check in with occasionally, like friends would. Just to see how I'm doing. I humbled myself and was basically begging him for help. He told me that it wasn't very attractive and for the next five or six weeks, not a peep. No phone calls, no emails, texts, FB messages, NOTHING. This is someone who said earlier this year that he looked up to me and respected me a lot. I was hurt, devastated.
I had a very challenging (for both of us) conversation with him, and shared with him that I cannot sit around and watch this ministry self destruct, while people walk away from God when we should be prioritizing people. I am not talking about just myself, but a myriad of situations that have happened in the past few years and I just could not sit back and watch it any longer.
The good news is that things have been improving, slowly, but I'm totally fine with that. I am convinced that if we call ourselves Christians, the only way we are going to win the world is to LOVE it. That was Jesus' way and that should be our way as well. I have much more to say about this topic which will continue to be addressed with individuals.
What I've taken away from this experience is multi-fold: 1. I need to rely on God, not men (not even my spiritual family). I am responsible for my life, therefore I need to approach God first EVERY time. 2. I don't think I am out of line to expect spiritual men and women to treat me like they would anyone else. The New Testament is replete with examples of loving and loving unconditionally. I hope to do some teaching to my ministry and maybe even a broader group. 3. I can only get my needs met through God. Without God I can do nothing spiritually good. 4. I need to persevere, no matter what the challenges. I look at examples like Job (because I've felt a little like that lately, only not to that extreme obviously). 5. If I don't do it, who will? Who will stand up for the little guy? Who will call men and women to truly FOLLOW Christ?
So the journey begins...
*******
On to other things... So, I got a job in January working for a hotel in reservations and also selling tickets (concerts, etc.) and I am really enjoying it. I do wish it paid more, but I believe that other opportunities will present themselves eventually. Until then, I will continue to enjoy and do my very best there. I really appreciate a company that has good people, good systems and people that are happy much more than not. It definitely makes the day a little nicer...
As a result of working for a hotel, I decided to take some time off in July to get out of town and go see some other scenery. So I went to Tacoma for a conference 7/8 and 7/9 and then drove to Eugene, OR and stayed at our hotel there. For free!!! Got up early the next day and drove to Ashland, OR to visit some great friends and go to our sister church there. Thanks to Tyler B, I had a super comfy place to stay and lots of great fellowship. Got a tour of SOU and had a great short hike/prayer walk up in an amazing park there.
On 7/11, I drove to Coos Bay, OR and stayed one night there, too. Again, for free. Went to the beach and just had a blast, what a beautiful place that was!!! Prayed and read and just soaked it all in. It was amazing!
on 7/12 I decided to take a drive up the coast from Coos Bay to Lincoln City, about 125 miles. Stopped at the Sea Lion Caves and about every 5 minutes it seemed like. I took dozens of amazing shots, one of which I hope to frame because it really came out beautifully! I was in Waldport, OR and was smitten by its beauty. Yachats was pretty amazing too, but my fave picture came from Waldport. I won't post it here because I don't want anyone stealing it for their own gain. Some of my other pictures I took are on Facebook.
I finally made it to Portland where I stayed at Jantzen Beach. Wow, that was a really beautiful hotel!!! I did have to pay for that one... about $46! Before heading home I found Trader Joe's in Vancouver, WA and stumbled onto Ikea and had to go in. I was pretty disciplined, but did spend about $40 there. Then drove home. I was only able to get 6 days total off work, would have liked to have a couple more, but I can't complain, it was a great trip. The weather almost the whole time was AMAZING! It rained in the morning on 7/12, but the sun came out very early and it was a gloriously beautiful day! The 225 miles from Coos Bay to Portland took me about 10 hours! But I enjoyed it so much. Prayed at this beach just north of the Sea Lion Caves and picked up a bunch of shell pieces. I was not in a hurry and was able to take time to see all that the Oregon Coast had to offer!
All tolled, I put almost 1700 miles on the car in 6 days. A little more driving than I would have preferred, but enjoyed it immensely nonetheless. My employer has very nice hotels and got great sleep and much relaxation in the rooms. Also got to use the hot tubs at Eugene and Coos Bay. Nice!
The other great thing I was able to do on the trip was to see my step-sisters, Becky and Chrissy, again after many years. Got to meet Chrissy's young daughter who was super adorable and funny. Got a chance to talk and catch up with each other. It was really a priceless time with them. Hope to be able to do it again *soon*. I also got to see a good friend briefly in Medford. It was really good to see him!!!
*******
Before I left on vacation, I started to tear out my dining room. I was concerned about possible health issues as a result of the environmental conditions there. My concerns seem to have been alleviated, but have been very busy with tearing out walls, wiring and just now, starting to put everything back together. I started by raised the ceiling from about 7' to almost 8'. I have almost finished framing the ceiling and have begun to rewire the room. With a little help from Scott K, my attic light, stairwell light, porch light and garage light are now working again after 16 months! Can't wait to tear out the multiple layers of flooring, then insulating, and putting up drywall, painting, trim, etc. I hope to be done by about 10/1. I'm really enjoying it and learning a TON! Pics are available on Facebook. Oh, and I found a new backsplash for my kitchen tonight, it's pretty awesome! That's one of the last things to worry about, but when I saw this stuff that was cheaper than most of the other options, I had to jump on it...
So finally, I have decided to look into opportunities inside and outside of Spokane. I am still in the midst of reinventing myself and I feel like I need to try something new. I will keep you updated if anything comes up. Please pray for God to open the doors that need to be open and to close doors that need to be closed. One possibility is school, I would like to go back and finish my Bachelor's degree. Would like business management or international business degree.
So, I think that wraps it up for now. Thank you so much for checking in on me and I appreciate that you have been patiently waiting for my next post. Now that things are getting better, I plan to do this more often, barring spending every waking moment working on my dining room! Buenos Nachos and until we meet again!
Thanks for your patience in waiting for my next post. There has been a lot on my mind lately and I have honestly not had the mental or physical energy to sit down and put it down into words. I don't know what this post will look like after I'm done, but I'm sure it will be full of interesting information for you!!! I am sure it will be pretty long though so strap in, grab your favorite beverage cuz here we go!!!
In the title of this post I mentioned that there have been some pretty serious challenges in my life. Don't worry, I'll explain, but it has been a roller coaster ride for me. As many of you know, I'm usually a pretty easy going guy, happy and well adjusted (most days anyway...). Well lately I have been feeling lonely and discarded, mostly by some of the people who I thought (and who said) they cared.
I am a Christian, a disciple of Christ (one and the same biblically, by the way), and our goal as Christians is to imitate Christ's life. Since the Bible says God is love and since Jesus was God, then you can deduce that Jesus was also love. The Bible clearly and often shows that Jesus was an incredibly loving and sacrificial man. The problem was that I assumed that his followers shared Jesus' heart. Now, I have to be careful here, because it is not my intention WHATSOEVER to portray my brothers and sisters in a negative way. I have spoken with these people and have shared my thoughts and frustrations and the anger I have felt as it has not felt like we are trying to be like this in Jesus in our ministry.
At one point, I was really hurting and was feeling like nobody in my group really was concerned about me. I approached one particular brother and shared with him that I just needed a friend to be there for me, just to call or check in with occasionally, like friends would. Just to see how I'm doing. I humbled myself and was basically begging him for help. He told me that it wasn't very attractive and for the next five or six weeks, not a peep. No phone calls, no emails, texts, FB messages, NOTHING. This is someone who said earlier this year that he looked up to me and respected me a lot. I was hurt, devastated.
I had a very challenging (for both of us) conversation with him, and shared with him that I cannot sit around and watch this ministry self destruct, while people walk away from God when we should be prioritizing people. I am not talking about just myself, but a myriad of situations that have happened in the past few years and I just could not sit back and watch it any longer.
The good news is that things have been improving, slowly, but I'm totally fine with that. I am convinced that if we call ourselves Christians, the only way we are going to win the world is to LOVE it. That was Jesus' way and that should be our way as well. I have much more to say about this topic which will continue to be addressed with individuals.
What I've taken away from this experience is multi-fold: 1. I need to rely on God, not men (not even my spiritual family). I am responsible for my life, therefore I need to approach God first EVERY time. 2. I don't think I am out of line to expect spiritual men and women to treat me like they would anyone else. The New Testament is replete with examples of loving and loving unconditionally. I hope to do some teaching to my ministry and maybe even a broader group. 3. I can only get my needs met through God. Without God I can do nothing spiritually good. 4. I need to persevere, no matter what the challenges. I look at examples like Job (because I've felt a little like that lately, only not to that extreme obviously). 5. If I don't do it, who will? Who will stand up for the little guy? Who will call men and women to truly FOLLOW Christ?
So the journey begins...
*******
On to other things... So, I got a job in January working for a hotel in reservations and also selling tickets (concerts, etc.) and I am really enjoying it. I do wish it paid more, but I believe that other opportunities will present themselves eventually. Until then, I will continue to enjoy and do my very best there. I really appreciate a company that has good people, good systems and people that are happy much more than not. It definitely makes the day a little nicer...
As a result of working for a hotel, I decided to take some time off in July to get out of town and go see some other scenery. So I went to Tacoma for a conference 7/8 and 7/9 and then drove to Eugene, OR and stayed at our hotel there. For free!!! Got up early the next day and drove to Ashland, OR to visit some great friends and go to our sister church there. Thanks to Tyler B, I had a super comfy place to stay and lots of great fellowship. Got a tour of SOU and had a great short hike/prayer walk up in an amazing park there.
On 7/11, I drove to Coos Bay, OR and stayed one night there, too. Again, for free. Went to the beach and just had a blast, what a beautiful place that was!!! Prayed and read and just soaked it all in. It was amazing!
on 7/12 I decided to take a drive up the coast from Coos Bay to Lincoln City, about 125 miles. Stopped at the Sea Lion Caves and about every 5 minutes it seemed like. I took dozens of amazing shots, one of which I hope to frame because it really came out beautifully! I was in Waldport, OR and was smitten by its beauty. Yachats was pretty amazing too, but my fave picture came from Waldport. I won't post it here because I don't want anyone stealing it for their own gain. Some of my other pictures I took are on Facebook.
I finally made it to Portland where I stayed at Jantzen Beach. Wow, that was a really beautiful hotel!!! I did have to pay for that one... about $46! Before heading home I found Trader Joe's in Vancouver, WA and stumbled onto Ikea and had to go in. I was pretty disciplined, but did spend about $40 there. Then drove home. I was only able to get 6 days total off work, would have liked to have a couple more, but I can't complain, it was a great trip. The weather almost the whole time was AMAZING! It rained in the morning on 7/12, but the sun came out very early and it was a gloriously beautiful day! The 225 miles from Coos Bay to Portland took me about 10 hours! But I enjoyed it so much. Prayed at this beach just north of the Sea Lion Caves and picked up a bunch of shell pieces. I was not in a hurry and was able to take time to see all that the Oregon Coast had to offer!
All tolled, I put almost 1700 miles on the car in 6 days. A little more driving than I would have preferred, but enjoyed it immensely nonetheless. My employer has very nice hotels and got great sleep and much relaxation in the rooms. Also got to use the hot tubs at Eugene and Coos Bay. Nice!
The other great thing I was able to do on the trip was to see my step-sisters, Becky and Chrissy, again after many years. Got to meet Chrissy's young daughter who was super adorable and funny. Got a chance to talk and catch up with each other. It was really a priceless time with them. Hope to be able to do it again *soon*. I also got to see a good friend briefly in Medford. It was really good to see him!!!
*******
Before I left on vacation, I started to tear out my dining room. I was concerned about possible health issues as a result of the environmental conditions there. My concerns seem to have been alleviated, but have been very busy with tearing out walls, wiring and just now, starting to put everything back together. I started by raised the ceiling from about 7' to almost 8'. I have almost finished framing the ceiling and have begun to rewire the room. With a little help from Scott K, my attic light, stairwell light, porch light and garage light are now working again after 16 months! Can't wait to tear out the multiple layers of flooring, then insulating, and putting up drywall, painting, trim, etc. I hope to be done by about 10/1. I'm really enjoying it and learning a TON! Pics are available on Facebook. Oh, and I found a new backsplash for my kitchen tonight, it's pretty awesome! That's one of the last things to worry about, but when I saw this stuff that was cheaper than most of the other options, I had to jump on it...
So finally, I have decided to look into opportunities inside and outside of Spokane. I am still in the midst of reinventing myself and I feel like I need to try something new. I will keep you updated if anything comes up. Please pray for God to open the doors that need to be open and to close doors that need to be closed. One possibility is school, I would like to go back and finish my Bachelor's degree. Would like business management or international business degree.
So, I think that wraps it up for now. Thank you so much for checking in on me and I appreciate that you have been patiently waiting for my next post. Now that things are getting better, I plan to do this more often, barring spending every waking moment working on my dining room! Buenos Nachos and until we meet again!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
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!
______________________
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...
______________________
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!
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!
______________________
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...
______________________
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!
Sunday, May 8, 2011
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!
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!
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