Priorities

Last night our high school life group began a study on biblical priorities. While I was aware that some of my personal priorities were not exactly in line with what they should be, this was an eye-opening illustration of God's plan for us and how that is best achieved when we align ourselves with Him.

Soo...here are 6 signs that appear when your priorities are a bit off-center.

1. Busy-ness. When time becomes your enemy, you rush from one activity to the next under the guise of being productive, yet producing no fruit. You race from one stop light to the next, always watching the clock. You are often late or out of breath when you get there.

2. Emotional stress. I believe #1 leads to #2. When you are pushed to the limit and overwhelmed by the lifestyle you have created, it is more likely you will fly off the handle by things that normally wouldn't cause you to bat an eye. Intimacy with friends is diminished or non-existant.

3. Financial debt. Bingo. Jesus spent more time talking about money than both heaven and hell combined. And it's not because Jesus wants your money or the church wants your money. It's because HE knew that people cannot serve two masters-and if money is at the center of your life and controls your every thought and action, there is no room left for the real riches HE wishes to bestow. Give the first fruits because it ALL belongs to God. If you "can't" give, there is a defect in your financial priorities.

4. Low-grade, nagging guilt. Do you feel down about yourself and your situation? Chances are, it's a result of one of the previous 3. In our busyness we come home exhausted, lay on the couch and eat junk food, or pick up worthless fast food at the drive-thru. And then we feel bad, look bad, etc. If you are stressed you may seek relief in sinful behavior, only to then put on a blanket of guilt. Or you spend money you don't have, deepening the debt...and guilt and so on.

5. Prayerlessness. If you experience 1-4, is there time or room left for prayer? Do you blame Him for your situation and therefore cut off the ties of communication with the One who seeks to turn your life around? You should reserve the most productive time or most peaceful time of the day to talk with the Big Guy. If you start your day off in the word, it will change your perspective.

6. Escapism behavior. Do you binge on junk food for a quick fix only to return to the fridge 20 minutes later for something else? Do you spend hours of your life watching mindless tv shows and when the night is gone or your weekend is wasted wonder where the time went? Are you an impulse buyer? Do you feel so bad about your financial situation that the only way to ease the tension is by buying something you don't really need on credit? It makes no sense, and yet, I am guilty.

I have made many changes over the past few years in my lifestyle and I now see that more are on the way. It's not that God wants to ruin your fun or take your money, it's that he wants to reward you. And the greatest rewards come when your life takes the form of His son's.

silent protest

Today I am protesting Columbus day by going to work.
Why does this country celebrate someone who murdered, raped, and enslaved native people for his own profit. He started the slave trade in the "West Indies," capturing hundreds of natives and shipping them back to Spain. Usually 1/3 of them died before reaching their destination. Ships could navigate to the "New World" by following the floating trail of bodies. Back in the islands, slaves were worked to death. If a slave did not bring back enough gold after mining all day in the hills, Columbus would have his hands cut off and hung around his neck to set an example for the others. Entire villages were wiped out for no reason at all, eventually causing a war between the natives and the Spaniards. Columbus believed he was bettering the natives by introducing his "culture."
And he most likely didn't even land in North America. It makes no sense! Of course, history books don't teach students the truth. They just make up cute little rhymes and give them the day off of school.

I hereby renounce Columbus day and request it be replaced by Leif Erickson day.

because Vikings were much more civil.

Unitarian Wedding

Just got home from my friend Aaron's wedding. He asked me to be a groomsman back in the good ole' days at Great Central Insurance. The wedding was held outside at 12:30 at Wildlife Prairie Park (another former employer of mine). It was an absolutely gorgeous, but bit toasty, day! There's nothing like standing in direct sun in a black tux on a humid, 90 degree afternoon. Luckily, the ceremony was short.
The reception was in the A/C, and was very classy. It was cool to be back at the park and see some of my old animal and human friends. Of course, I had to introduce Gina to the cougars.

Ever heard of a Unitarian Universalist? I hadn't. But that's what the pastor was. The ceremony was definitely different. The readings were from Maya Angelou and some other guy, there was no mention of scripture, holy covenant, etc. He did mention "God" in his closing prayer. And the recessional music was to the tune of "Onward Christian Soldiers," which I thought was strange.
I did a little poking around to see what these UU's believe. Apparently, they take some from Judaism, Christianity, humanism, and make some stuff up themselves and call it good. They have no creed and encourage their members to search for truth on any path they choose. From the glimpse I caught today, it appears there is a lot of focus put on the individual person and worldly experiences. No mention of heaven. How hopeful.

Overall, it was a lot of fun. Two quotes I'll share:
"Is it taped like a shypewriter?"
"Then we'll have the words of resentment" (um, "pastor", I think it's remembrance)

figures.

today was supposed to be a food inspection day, on which we are required to wear business casual dress. i also have to be at a wedding rehearsal at 5pm, so i wore nicer clothes than usual.
however, there was a geothermal well inspection called in and i was the only one here who could do it. normally, we go out the day after the work is completed and the site is fairly dry (or at least the standing water is gone).
when i arrived, however, the drillers were still grouting the wells, which meant there was 8 inches of mud, water, and snot-like grout covering the entire yard. after staggering through muck for about 30 minutes taking measurements, my nice khaki pants were splattered with mud and grout from the point where my knee boots ended to my belt (front and back). freaking great.
i found a pair of extremely wrinkled pants (missing the button) in the trunk of my car so I attempted to wash the excess krud off my pants back at the office. they are currently hanging over the hand rail outside.

i'm so happy it's friday.

Why eating out scares me.

Yesterday, while inspecting a local franchise, I performed the usual test on their sanitizer buckets to ensure they were at the proper concentration. When I got a strange reading with the test strips, I brought it to the manager's attention. She, in turn, asked the employee (currently making pizzas) what he put in the sanitizer buckets. He walked back into the dish room and pulled a white bottle off the shelf above the sink. When the manager saw this, she informed him that although in the same color bottle, this was NOT bleach. "Destainer" is not a sanitizer.
So, I read the label. It is to be used to treat stained carpet, laundry, coffee pots, etc. If it comes into contact with the skin, it is to be flushed immediately with water and if swallowed, the poison control center is to be called.

Comforting to know that if I hadn't been there, this would have been used to wipe down all food-contact surfaces and utensils, poisoning their faithful customers. I wonder how many days he'd been using this...

On second thought, they probably don't clean anything anyway.

Enjoy your lunch break.

baptism by fire. and foam.

I saw this guy on the Today Show this morning.



Minutes after takeoff, the right engine on his vintage plane failed, causing it to spin and dive over 200 feet and crash on the shoulder of I-95 in Florida. Miraculously no one on the ground was injured. The fuselage was completed destroyed, the cockpit obliterated. And yet, even more miraculously, all the pilot suffered was a broken arm and leg and a few cuts and bruises.

He stated this morning that this has put things in perspective. Before he was an agnostic, but after seeing the pictures of the scene he couldn't help but acknowledge "some help from above."

I'm glad we don't all have to survive a plummet from the sky to meet HIM here on earth. However, I hope Robert Robertson does not take this for granted, develops his faith, and shares his story of a second chance at this life given by the ONE that gives and takes away.

rest and reminders

Rest: Wednesday nights are always a much-needed pause in the heat of the oh-so-hectic life I stumble through (I've only been to the gym once in the last 7 days). And last night's could not have come soon enough. It's hard (maybe I'm just not disciplined enough) to just sit in stillness and listen to what HE is trying to get through. It's ironic that the busier we are, the more we need direction and focus, yet the busier we are, the more difficult it is to listen to the ONE that gives direction and focus.

Reminders: I've been reading Nehemiah lately, and something in chapter 8 struck a chord. As the people were rediscovering the law, they read that they were to live in booths made of branches during the feast of the seventh month. This was a time of celebration, but they were to go out from their new homes in the restored city of Jerusalem to live in shacks. And they did it without reservation or complaint. Why?
Because it was a reminder of where they had come from and where God delivered them from. The exiles had returned from out of the desert and had been richly rewarded for their obedience.
As Tim pointed out last night, we should each keep a record of answered prayers and the points in life when HIS presence was revealed. In good times and bad, we can look back and be reminded of what HE has done and what HE has delivered us from.

Amazing story worth reading...

In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from
Northwestern University. On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully.

He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son Cameron were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.

Lessons in Wasting Time

I say all this with a light heart because while frustrating, when you are with a friend, even wasted time is a good time.

Goal for the day: remove old windows, frame and install replacement windows.
Time frame: 5 hours.

First task: Go to Lowe's to acquire lumber (must rent truck because 10' boards to not fit into the 3' deep trunk of a Toyota.
Note: Forgetting your wallet in the apartment requires an additional round trip, adding 35 minutes to your "short" trip to get materials.
Sub-note: Upon second attempt, forgetting your insurance card in the apartment will result in the inability to rent truck. If you do not bring a responsible associate with you that just so happens to have an extra insurance card in their wallet, you are in trouble.

Second task: Drive to house to get additional supplies for the apartment. Done.

Third task: Deliver lumber and supplies to apartment. Done. BUT, then after unloading, realize that lumber has to be cut to size and milled on equipment at house. Reload lumber and drive back to house and unload again.

Fourth task: Return truck. By some miracle of the god of fossil fuels, the truck had more gas in it when we returned it then when we got it (at least according to their paperwork).

Fifth task: Drive back to house and mill and cut lumber for installation.

Time's up. Goal achieved? Not even close.
But at least we laughed...through the tears.

Magazine Debut

The boar hunt pictures are in the lastest issue of "Adventure Sports Outdoors Magazine" on page 58. Pick it up at your nearest sporting goods store in the central Illinois region. Here's a link to the pdf. of the page:
http://www.asomagazine.com/magazinepdf/0907/058.pdf

done. almost.

1 Saturday, 12 temporary food inspections. two were busted for not submitting applications. shame, shame.

i'm too tired to be witty.

only one tomorrow. then sleep.

where have i been?

Wow. Where the heck does time go? On one hand, I'm glad things at work have FINALLY picked up. I've been busy almost the entire day-every day-for the past two weeks. I don't know what has sparked the change, but I welcome it. Too much cube time makes Justin go crazy! On the other hand, I have weekend duty this weekend. Thankfully, it's my last assignment for the year. I have EIGHT inspections on saturday so far, and they keep coming in. sheesh.

What else is new?...life groups are starting in Reality, which is exciting. I'm hoping for another year of growth and craziness with the high school guys. They rock.

I have once again attacked my thesis with a vengeance. Now that lab work has finally been completed, I'm working on data processing. If anyone has access to the stats programs, "Prism" or "SigmaPlot" I'd love it if I could borrow it.

Tommorrow night is the "Redneck Drive-in" at the Dean's. Meet at Northwoods at 7:30pm to caravan (with or without mules) to our makeshift movie extraveganza!

um...that's all. Leaving early again today to hit the gym...the joys of comp time.

this came in the mail yesterday:

Girlfriend Day

Happy BIRTHDAY to Gina!!!

This lovely young (yep) girl is celebrating the day of her birth today! Email, call, or send a singing telegram to her.

I love you!

work week recovery

I had an exhilarating, but exhausting weekend that I will be recovering from over the next few days. Where to begin...

Friday night I went to the gym (as usual), then went over to Molly and Ryan's new house to help with some renovation. I enjoy destroying things with blunt objects, so I spend the night demo'ing a ceramic tile entry way. Whoever installed the thing should work for the department of defense. The concrete board under the tile was glued, screwed, and nailed to the plywood. I left bloodied and battered, but not defeated.

Saturday I got up at 6 and headed to Pekin to run my first 5K. I've never run over 2 miles in my life, but wanted to see if I was capable of 3.1. It was brutal (especially the last hill) but I managed to finish in 22:19, which put me 25th out of 101 runners (including little girls). It was fun once the feeling of imminent hurling subsided after the race. I may just do another one sometime in the distant future.

After the race, I went back to the Hite's to work on the house again. With a HUGE team effort, the laminate floor was laid in the living room and nearly all the tile was put down in the kitchen by the end of the day. The ladies had almost all of the painting finished as well. What an awesome thing for friends to come together in community to help each other out. Charlie reiterated this in his message at Nexus saturday night. beautiful.

Sunday we celebrated Leslie's commitment to a new life, free from shadows of the past. You can read more on Charlie's blog (http://charliedean.wordpress.com/). It was a great reminder for me of why I made the same decision to follow Christ and leave the worldly life behind. Leslie, you are awesome! It takes a bold and courageous heart to step out and declare what you have.

Reality last night was uplifting as well. The room was packed with new students and new leaders. Eric called someone up on stage from each school represented. People from 14 different schools had come together (some drive nearly an hour each week together) to hear a crucial and dangerous message. THAT is awesome!

So despite the aches of the strains I put on this body this weekend, I am rejuvenated in what God is doing in Peoria and in the lives of my friends. I wish I had weekends like this all the time (minus the running)!

looking back

looking back over the past 5 months or so, life has changed.

it doesn't matter what hurdle i'm facing or how stressed i am because i now have someone who is here. someone who cares and really, honestly wants to know how my day was or what i'm thinking about.

when i think about Gina, i can't help but smile. her charm is infectious, her laughter contagious. she is everything i wanted and more than i knew i needed. i don't know how i will ever thank her or be as much for her as she is for me.

with others from the past there was always a glaring issue of self-confidence or weird family issues or baggage they wouldn't let me help carry. or all of the above. i am so thankful that Gina is the complete opposite.

i have also stepped away from the young adult "house group," which was fun, but lost a lot of its intimacy when it exanded from a small group of friends with bible study, discussion, and prayer into a social gathering for whoever wanted to attend each week. i now have two brothers, chris and joe, i meet with each week. i wouldn't trade that time for anything. the connection between two men who are strong enough to share their weaknesses, shortcomings, and desires with each other is a powerful thing. and the fact that both of them are insanely hilarious helps too. it has challenged me and grown me spiritually.

it's only been 5 months. i can't imagine where life will go from here. i am listening intently for what is in store. i only want to trust and obey, and live faithfully.

Josiah

In 2 Kings 22, Josiah, the king of Judah decides to repair the temple of the LORD after 100's of years of idol worship and kings that refused to submit to God. As construction is underway, a high priest finds the book of the law in the temple. He gives it to Josiah's secretary, who reads it to him. And he freaks out when he hears what God has commanded his people to do and realizes how far they have strayed. He says, "Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us." He instantly sends for a prophet to inquire what God has in store for he and his people. While God condemns the nation to destruction, he allows it to stand while under Josiah's reign.

Josiah was ignorant of the law God sent down because his fathers had turned away from it and buried it within the temple they neglected. But when the truth was revealed, Josiah drops everything to make things right. What if the leaders of the nations of the world would listen to the laws we are all commanded to follow. Not the laws of men, but the laws of the creator of men. Will the world continue to worship itself and place idols in the high places, resulting in it's own destruction? We must all be more like Josiah and spread the word to those who have not yet heard it!

Labor Day in Review.

Wow, what a weekend. I need one of those more often (like today).
Saturday my lovely girl, Gina, slaved away cleaning the house while Shawn and I picked up the new 61" Samsung at Best Buy (I'm still sorry it took so long Gina). I still had time to mow and trim the lawn and finish cleaning though. Thanks to everyone who came to the cookout-it was fantastical.

Sunday afternoon was spent playing pool volleyball at the Dean's. More delicious eats! I think I ate my body weight in carbs this weekend. mmmm... Then we watched "Blades of Glory" with Gina's bro, Wes.

Yesterday we lounged. I washed the cars and we went for an evening jog (or maybe it's pronounced "yagging," it might be a soft "j"). In other news, I locked myself out of the house for the 2nd time in a week. Good thing I have the skills of a burglar. forget i said that...

how sweet is this?

I normally don't pay for an "extended warranty" on anything. But when I bought my 52" Toshiba HDTV two years ago, I decided to pay the extra $400 for the 4-year plan because it was a floor model. The bulb has to be replaced annually and they cost $100 (you do the math).
Ever since I've had it, the high definition input (HDMI) was very fussy. The cable had to be juuuuuust right in order to get a clear picture. I finally called the repair man to come look at it. He said major surgery would be required to fix it. He ordered the part in July and it still hasn't come in. So he called today to tell me that under the contract, I was now entitled to a brand new tv. All I had to do was take it to Best Buy and get a new one.
I called the store and they said they no longer carry that model, but I can get ANY tv, up to the price I originally paid. When I asked what models were comparable, the salesperson said I could get the best unit they carry for the same price now. And it will be brand-spankin new-not a floor model.

Sometimes things work out deliciously. Now I just have to find a truck...

an anomoly

Yesterday I watched "Bowling for Columbine" for the first time.
Yes, I realize I'm 5 years late, but honestly I thought watching it would cause me to dislike Michael Moore more than I already do. However, I caught the first few minutes of it the other day and decided to give him a shot (pun).
Going into it, I figured it would be Moore's personal agenda against gun-owning Americans and a bunch of liberal propaganda. And true to form, it was there.
BUT, he did make some good points that got me thinking.

Canada has approximately 10 million families and 7 million guns. Yet, there are only 35ish gun-related homicides in the entire country each year. Compare that to the U.S. and there are over 100,000 each year. We've had 1/2 the Canadian average already in Peoria this year. The same goes for other countries across the world: Germany, Britain, Japan, Australia, etc. There are just as many guns in these countries, their citizens watch the same violent movies, play the same violent video games, listen to the same "metal" music, etc. But there is no where near the rate of gun-related crime.

While there are no easy answers to this epidemic of violence in our country, it is obvious that taking guns out of the hands of responsible citizens will not solve the problem. There is an evil deep in our culture that must be uprooted and exposed. The fear instilled in its citizens by the news media, the level of poverty and denial of basic health care needs, and America's trigger-happy government must change. If only we would adopt some of the policies and practices of our peaceful neighbors, we could move from the "land of opportunity" to the "land of tranquility," and we gun owners would not be persecuted by congressman who know nothing of such things.

Pekinites.

So explain to me this:

I had to do a well inspection today in Pekin on 1st Street. In order to get to said location, I was required to turn left on North Street. When I did so, however, it took me on a loop back to the road I turned off of. Apparently there is a North North Street and a South North Street. South North Street was approximately 74 yards down the road on the other side of an empty lot. 1st Street starts and ends on either side of the lot. Both North North Street and South North Street are two blocks long. Who in the world thought this was a good idea? Pekinites...

good morning

I've avoided drinking coffee at work for approximately 2 months now, but this morning I gave in. Just needed a little pick-me-up.
There is never any sugar packets in the kitchen so someone brought in a styrofoam cup full. I can't stand artificial sweeteners so I decided to add a little from the cup, even though it wasn't covered and could have been tampered with by biological terrorists.
I tipped the cup ever so slightly and tapped the side and a sugary conglomerate the size of a chicken egg broke off like an ancient glacier into the ocean of my coffee mug.
Needless to say, there's a little extra zip in my zip-a-dee-doo-da. yum.

hunt'n vids

Since I'm a huge dork, I posted the opening sequence of my two latest hunting DVD's on youtube. And here they are for your viewing pleasure.


Obviously, the quality is reduced, but you get the picture.

the struggle within

What do you what to be when you grow up?

Probably one of the most asked questions you'll hear throughout your childhood-young adult life. And it's one that I keep asking myself.

I don't know why I can't be content in a job.
Maybe it's because I'm impatient, or because I want too much too fast, or because none of my employers see things the right way (my way-sarcasm). Or maybe it's because I've sought employment at the wrong places for the wrong reasons.

This weekend, Cal delivered a message that hit me between the eyes. Identify your strenghts-the ones you enjoy, and hone them. Develop what you love doing and go after it. It's simple. But it takes a lot of guts to turn away from security, however unsatisfying it may be, to go out on a limb and try to make a living doing what you truly enjoy.

All I know is that if I continue on this path, doggy paddling my way through life, scraping to get by, sooner or later I will drown. I don't want to waste this life. I don't feel I will ever be happy working under someone's thumb. If I'm not free to create things and explore what I am capable of, I feel suffocated.

Sooo...what do I do?
I'd love to run my own video production business. I know this isn't something that is built overnight. I get a great amount of satifaction and happiness when I can share what I've created with other people and they are entertained! To date, I've only done one project for $, and I think it turned out very well. My thought is to start a website, where customers can send in their own footage (home videos, sporting events, hunting footage, etc.) and I will edit and produce professional DVDs. Start small, think big. One day I could have my own crews going out and filming events themselves. Who knows.

Maybe I'm out of my mind. Maybe I should just be complacent and happy where I am. Maybe I'm over-dramatic. I just want to be able to look back on my career and say, "that's what I wanted to be when I grew up."

2006 Trojans DVD

I'm delivering the final product in about an hour. Here's the opening video!

a mixture

Let's take a look at what's going on in this week's headlines...

Yesterday afternoon the secretary came back and said there was a man at the front desk to see me. As I wasn't expecting anyone, I was surprised when I walked up there and saw my grandpa (who lives 2 hours from here)! Turns out he was at a farm equipment auction about 1/2 mile from the office. Very cool.

Our softball team won last night, which makes three in a row (our longest streak this season). That puts us at exactly .500 for the season, heading into the tournament tomorrow if the rain holds off long enough.

My Uncle Dave visited the guy with the outdoor show on Wednesday and dropped off 4 of my dvd's for him to preview. He was "very impressed" and hinted at me possibly doing some editing work for him. We'll see if that goes anywhere! He also wanted my photos from the boar hunting trip for his magazine. pretty cool.

Gina and I had a wonderful evening with her relatives Wednesday night. I think their whole family is blessed with some kind of cooking gene that turns everything they touch to culinary gold. I know I will never go hungry with Gina around!

And lastly, Cougar, my little angel cat (not) stole a chicken breast off the stove last night that was supposed to be my lunch for today. I found it mauled on the kitchen floor. He's not my favorite person at the moment. My life is exciting.

David Crowder-Praise Him

I love this video.
It's a reminder that wherever we are, whatever we're going through, we must stop...and praise him...

Sleeping at Last

Careful Hands

Sleeping At Last -

on music

There is something in music that awakens the soul, lifts the spirit, or soothes a wounded heart.

Last night the incredibly gifted band from Chicago, "Sleeping at Last," played at the Warehouse. When they were here a year ago I had never heard of them. I bought both of their albums after the show and have listened to them dozens of times since. I was looking forward to their return all summer, to say the least. And they did not disappoint. They've crossed the boundary from relatively unknown Christian artists to the "mainstream" and have had one of their songs featured on "Grey's Anatomy." Their talent and unique crafting of word and music is moving. There was even a marriage proposal during "Umbrellas," a song about love, marriage, children, and life (no, it wasn't me).

So what is it between those chords, drum beats, and melodies that causes a transformation of the mind? In 2 Kings 3, when Elisha is seeking wisdom from God, he says, "But now bring me a harpist."
While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha...
The word of God came through the music.

Which reminds me of a conversation with a friend I grew up with in church, who has for the most part walked away from anything resembling a church. He, however, worships music. A roommate of his professes to be an atheist, but says there is something about music that is "spiritual" to him. It moves him in an indescribable way.

Could it be that through the locked doors of an unsaved heart, God knocks loudly through a drum beat? Can a guitar riff pierce the darkness and reclaim that which is lost?

now bring me a harpist...

just when you think you've seen it all...

Today at lunch, the head of the food program here at TCHD told us about an inspection he was on yesterday at a local establishment.

After some other strange discoveries and "fishy" answers from the manager, he proceeded to check the walk-in cooler. The cook prompted him by saying, "Oh, we don't use that anymore." All the more reason to investigate.

When he approached the unit, he saw the door was off the hinges.
strange.

But not as strange as what he found when he looked inside.

There on the floor was an toddler, playing with a bunch of toys in front of a very large tv and a fouton. The cook explained the child was only there during summer vacation and would be gone in two weeks.

ummm....yeah....about that....

hard times.

It seems there are seasons in which bad things happen.
Not just in your own life, but in the lives of those around you.
It makes the world seem desolate, evil, and hopeless...

The Bradley soccer player who lost his life, and his friends involved that have had theirs forever stained.

The wife of a friend who turned away from the Truth and divorced him for worldly desires.

Church family members diagnosed with untreatable diseases.

An uncle's father killed in a motorcylce test ride while his son looked on.

A special forces soldier deployed to Iraq days after the birth of his child.

15 homocides in Peoria in less than 8 months.

It's all a reminder that we are not in control. Our only option is to have faith in the ONE that does.

Frisky Felines

I love cats. Who could possibly deny the humour they constantly produce?

Celebrating corn.

Gina and I had a fantastical time in Mendota over the weekend. It was the 60th Anniversary Sweet Corn Festival, so all the locals were out in full force. It's always cool catching up with friends from high school. Each year there are more faces that I can't seem to put a name to, which is sad.
It was also great spending time with my fabulous family. Mom and Dad are just now putting the finishing touches on their newly remodeled downstairs and it looks amazing! I wish I had before and after pictures to post. I walked in the front door and almost fell over. No resemblance of it's former self.
But today it's back to reality. Gina had to go back to work after an all-too-short summer break. I had to inspect a restaurant fire in East Peoria-but got ice cream afterwards, so it's all good.

I can see an end to the Mendota High School Football dvd project I've been working on for the past few months. I picked up an HP Lightscribe burner last night so I can burn two dvd's at a time now. Each DVD set contains five discs, which take 40 minutes each to burn. 20 sets were ordered, so that means 100 discs x 40 minutes=67 hours of burning. I probably have 200 hours invested so far between editing, producing, photoshopping cover and disc labels, etc. I'm shooting for the end of the week for completion! Woohoo!

Unbelievable.

Please, somebody pinch me.

I just got off the phone with the producer of Adventure Sports Outdoors on the Sportsman Channel. And NO, this isn't because of the Cache Connections commercial!

Approximately 1 year ago, my uncle (and hunting buddy), ran into Harry Canterbury at some insurance schmoozing event. Dave knew who he was and starting talking to him about our many adventures and the DVD's I had made. Dave said Harry was interested, so I sent him a copy of last year's Texas hunt. I didn't hear anything from him and had completely forgotten about it.

Well about 30 minutes ago, my phone rang. It was Uncle Dave, who said there was someone standing next to him that wanted to talk to me. It was Harry. He said he liked my footage and wanted to put it on his show! I'm meeting with him in two weeks to go over the film and do some editing. I can't believe it! SUPER PUMPED.

And unlike the previous regional commercial, he said it will be broadcast to 10 million viewers around the world and will be on their website.

seriously, pinch me.

a lil' rant.

I just finished 1 Kings a couple of days ago and have started reading 2 Kings last night. I am amazed that king after king of Israel and Judah would either a)follow God's commands for awhile, then turn to idol worship and subsequently be destroyed, or b)worship idols or false gods completely and subsequently be destroyed, along with their entire family and all their friends, prophets, etc.

How big of a dullard (fun word) do you have to be to not recognize a pattern here? Worshiping the one true God=prosperity and peace. Worshiping the gods you created to make life convenient for you=death, destruction, being eaten by dogs, ravens, or lions (your choice).

And then comes Elija, who stands defiant in the face of the cruelest king in the history of Israel, Ahab. He challenges the 400 prophets of the king (who would tell him whatever he wanted to hear) and their god. But none could stand in HIS way. And they were subsequently consumed (by dogs, yum).
Following him was Elisha, who gave up all he knew to become a prophet and warrior for God. He became twice the prophet as Elija, just for asking for it.

I heard a statement from Mitt Romney the other day. He said he wasn't "running as a Mormon" for president. In other words, his religion didn't define him or what he would do as a leader of this country. Don't we want someone who clings to their beliefs and convictions as our leader? Do we want someone who falls away when questioned about what he (or she) is all about? Do we want someone who will just tell us what we want to hear, or do we demand they do what is right because it is right?

A recent article in Time highlighted the leading Democratic candidates and their "religion." According to the author, Democrats have realized that a person's religion is now a popular aspect of their campaign because it has worked for the Republicans. The article featured a picture of Obama, Clinton, Edwards, etc., with the religious affiliation of their upbringing, name of their current church, and favorite hymn. I laughed. Is this all it takes? Their favorite hymn?! What about the impact of their stance on the tough issues based on their faith? I guess if they like "Amazing Grace," or "His Eye is on the Sparrow," they deserve our vote.

I just want someone to recognize the pattern of idol ($) worship in this country. And break it. I want a candidate who is real.

p.s. If anyone knows of a good church in South Carolina, John Edwards is "still looking."

ahhhhh

It's Friday. 4:06pmCST.
24 minutes to freedom.

You know, it's funny. All week, the day I look forward to the most is not Saturday or Sunday...it's Friday.

Don't get me wrong, Saturdays are great-usually spent working on something around the house or traveling somewhere for an event, organization, etc.
Sundays are just too close to Monday morning to get too excited about.

But Fridays hold a certain mystery and anticipation. Think of all the things we could do in a two-day, work-free adventure. I still have to brave through a grueling 7.5 hours work day (slightly sarcastic), but only quitting time rolls around, I get excited. Even if I have nothing planned! actually, i prefer it that way...

I wish.
I wish I could end every day with the same level of anticipation and excitment for tomorrow as on Friday night. To live a life where I don't have to drag myself out of bed and through the work day, just to get to the end of it. I have a good life. Why can't I appreciate it to the fullest extent?

Maybe I'll ponder that on Sunday. After all, it'll take my mind off Monday morning...




p.s. Gina is leaving for Florida tomorrow. Sad time for me and cougar. Happy time for Gina, Summer, and Leslie!

Shaklee On Oprah

Check out the Shaklee Story.

Do Not Worry.

Easier said than done sometimes, right?

When the storms of life are pounding on your door,
When you are standing at the foot of a seemingly unclimbable mountain of doubt,
When there seems to be no glimer of hope in sight,
When you feel stranded in a sea of strife,
When all the world wants more than you can give...

Do Not Worry
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The path has already been paved,
The map inked in blood,
The lamp has been lit to lead the way,
All you have to do is listen and obey.
Life is on the horizon.

Pavlov's Cat

It's been awhile since I've posted anything about my beloved Cougar. Those of you who have had the privilege to meet this frisky feline know he's more dog than cat. For instance, he greets people at the door with loud yowls, pawing, and earlobe licking while standing on top of the tv. When I leave for work, he lays on the living room floor with his chin on his paws, looking forlorn.
Recently I've noticed that when I get home late at night, that I end up with drops of moisture on my arms as he's trouncing around my shoulders like a parrot. I was a bit concerned and confused.
Last night, however, I identified the source of the mysterious substance...
Cougar's favorite times of the day are right after I wake up in the morning and when I get home after work because he gets canned cat food (with delicious gravy). If I come home from work, leave again, and then return, he assumes he's getting fed again.
Pavlov's law at work. He automatically salivates to the point of drooling when I get home. Disgusting. And adorable. I'm going to get him a bib.

lab and shedd

it was one of those mornings that took all i had to get out of bed...

Friday after work I headed to Bradley to begin the process to analyze my last set of samples for my thesis research. This was the third time I'd run the "last" set because the ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay)had failed during the previous two attempts. To give you an idea of how this works, picture this: you take a technologically advanced drinking straw, called a pipette, to suck up a fraction of a droplet of liquid and place is into a well, which is smaller than a pencil eraser. There are 96 of these wells on a plate, each which must be filled with a different sample or standard concentration of chemical. There are 3-4 different solutions that must be pipetted into each well-a very tedious and nerve-racking process. It took 4 hours to do the first part of the procedure Friday night. Then I picked up the plate and other supplies Saturday morning and drove down to the SIU med school in Springfield to analyze them. This is where I get the numbers that tell me how much stress hormone is in each sample from the specific animal being studied. Before the analysis can be done, however, the wells have to be rinsed 5 times with a detergent. So, as per protocol, I rinsed and as I was emptying the solution, the plastic strips of wells in the plate all popped out of the plate and fell into the sink. Furthermore, the geniuses who came up with this design did not label the strips so there is no way to determine what order they go in. So now I have a bunch of numbers that are good for nothing because I don't know what animal they belong to. What a great waste of 8 hours of my life and a trip to SIU. Am I destined to not finish this thesis or what?

Sunday was better. Gina and I accompanied the Reality group to Chicago for a day on the town. Some went to a Sox game, the rest wanted to shop. We had no desire to go to the game and shopping would only mean spending money that didn't belong to me (because I have none), we went to the Shedd Aquarium. Neither of us had been there since Jr. High. The dolphin show was the best! They also had a lizard exhibit open and had a gigantic Komodo dragon on display! We walked to and from the aquarium from Michigan Ave, so had a great opportunity to enjoy a beautiful day along the lake. Dinner was at Ed Debevic's. It's always nice when you can enjoy a meal while being yelled at and harassed by your waitress.

Dirty Word

I've come to enjoy Mondays. NOT because of the start of the work week, but because of what happens at the end of the day.

I've been meeting with my friend, Joe. Joe has lived a lot of life in his 28ish years here. He's been a cabinet maker, a mechanic, an Army soldier, an Airforce Sergeant, and most recently, a father.

His ability to quickly master any task he puts his mind to never ceases to amaze me. He is a man of incredible depth, and yet probably the funniest guy I've ever met.

Joe and his wife decided to buy a 4-unit apartment building in a not-so-good part of town a few months before the baby was born. It has turned out to be "a bit of a project," renovating each unit to get them rentable.

Here's where it gets interesting-we started out meeting as a bible study/accountability partner deal. But what was weighing more heavily on his heart and mind was getting the apartment ready so they wouldn't be paying 2 mortgages at once. I suggested that after work I would meet him at the apartment and we would work each week, while engaging in The Word. Therefore, getting dirty while in the word.

And it's awesome. I love seeing things come to fruition, not only in building of the physical, but also in reigniting a fire of faith. It's easy to push aside time spent in the word when life gets heavy. I'm just thankful Joe and I can share that, while at the same time learning from ANOTHER carpenter.


p.s. we don't wear tights like the fellows in the photo. that would be weird.

Asian invAsion

Wow, that was cool.
The premise of shooting flying fish out of the air with a bow and arrow sounded like fun. But let me tell ya, it's a whole lot cooler than it sounds.

Here's the scenario: You're standing on either the bow or the back of a pontoon boat, cruising up and down the river banks at full-draw. Without warning, a 10-20 pound dolphin-like silver creature errupts from the muddy water and disappers just as quickly, sometimes skipping across the surface like a flat rock thrown from the shore. Your goal is simple-put an arrow in the sucker.
And holy moly, is that hard to do!
The hardest part is just keeping your bow drawn in anticipation. It's two days later and my shoulder still hurts!

So, you may be thinking, "how many did you get?". I hit one. And scared a lot more. The total confirmed kills for the entire boat was 6. But at least now we've got it figured out. Next time we'll need a barge to carry off their stinking, bottom-feeding, carcasses.

Oh, and I got a really sweet tanktop sunburn. Feels like I'm wearing a tshirt made of sandpaper.

kamikazee carp

tomorrow i'm headed out to the Illinois River for some redneck fishing (shooting flying fish with a bow).

i'm sure it is much harder than it sounds, as you are moving, the fish are moving (fast), and you're shooting a relatively slow-moving projectile, which requires you to lead the target and predict their movement.

if nothing else, it will be a boatload of laughs. i'm bringing the video camera.

yeehaw!

here's a link to a video of some of our local fish shooting celebrities:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SGWiaqGjQaU

Intellectually Challenged Individuals

IDIOT SIGHTING:
I live in a semi rural area. We recently had a new neighbor call the local township administrative office to request the removal of the Deer Crossing sign on our road. The reason: "Too many deer are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore."

IDIOTS IN FOOD SERVICE:
My daughter went to a local Taco Bell and ordered a taco. She asked the person behind the counter for"minimal lettuce." He said he was sorry, but they only had iceburg. He was a Chef?

um, i don't think there are any "chefs" working at the local taco bell.

IDIOT SIGHTING:
I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked, "Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge." To which I replied, "If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?" He smiled knowingly and nodded, "That's why we ask."

IDIOT SIGHTING:
The stoplight on the corner buzzes when its safe to cross the street. I was crossing with an intellectually challenged coworker of mine. She asked if I knew what the buzzer was for. I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red. Appalled, she responded, "What on earth are blind people doing driving?!"

IDIOT SIGHTING:
At a good-bye luncheon for an old and dear coworker - she was leaving the company due to "downsizing." Our manager commented cheerfully, "This is fun. We should do this more often." Not another word was spoken. We all just looked at each other with that deer-in-the-headlights stare. This was a bunch at Texas Instruments.

IDIOT SIGHTING:
I work with an individual who plugged her power strip back into itself and couldn't understand why her system would not turn on.

IDIOT SIGHTING:
When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the drivers side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked. "Hey," I announced to the technician, "its open! His reply, "I know - I already got that side." This was at the Ford dealership in Canton, Mississippi.

IDIOT SIGHTING:
I had to have the garage door repaired. The Sears repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a "large" enough motor on the opener. I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one Sears made at that time-a 1/2 horsepower. He shook his head and said, "Lady, you need a 1/4 horsepower." I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4. He said, "NO, it's not. Four is larger than two." We haven't used Sears repair since.

STAY ALERT! They walk among us .... and they REPRODUCE!

on the other hand...

it's exciting to see what's on the horizon for reality.

a new season with a new perspective.

what truly matters is the students and their deepening relationship with HIM.

people will always fall short-it's our nature.

all we can do is carry on, obeying HIS will.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

what do you say?

when someone you love is publicly made a spectacle.
when their flaws are bared to the ones they lead.
when their pain is exposed by one who is supposed to protect them.

no one is perfect or above reproach.
but as Paul writes, when character changes are required, who better than a friend to bring them to light. then one other person. THEN the church.

if a mission of the church is to grow each person in it, why push one in need aside and replace them, rather than pick them up and get behind them.

so many unanswered questions...

my prayers are with you, friend.

take me away

hohum.

Let's see...what's new?
The new roommate, who was supposed to move in last week, bailed. Without Gina and her incredible generousity and support, I'd be at the blood bank right now selling my plasma. The other guy that is moving in the first week of August is still in, as far as I know. So that will help a bit.

The supervisor for the food program here at the health department inspected our kitchen/break room this morning. We got a 56. 75 is failing. bunch of hypocrites.

I'm really getting into the mission of the Shaklee Corporation. They have some incredible products that are all-natural, biodegradable, and work just as well or better than other name brand products that are toxic to us and the earth. AND they're a lot cheaper since you buy in concentrate. Cuts down on physical waste from packaging, greenhouse gases from manufacturing and product transportation, etc.

On the other hand, my heart has been very heavy for the past 2.5 weeks. When politics slither their way into the church and capture someone close to you, it's hard not to feel the bite as well. I just pray for the same grace and peace he has displayed so bravely.

thankful

GINA IS BACK! GINA IS BACK! GINA IS BACK!

Gina has returned from a long week at Castaway camp in Minnesota. We spent yesterday sharing stories of our separate adventures while apart, watching a couple movies, playing with crazy Cougar, and went to an interesting edition of "Confession" at Riverside.

Kyle is moving out today for Atlanta. I lived next door to him for a year at the fraternity house and then for the past three years at Burncrest and Yellow House. It's going to be sad to see him go, but he's got a great opportunity at an art foundry near his dad's house.

work has been taxing lately. i don't hate my job, or even dislike it. i'm just not passionate about it. it's just something i do. hmm...

cha ching.

Thank you to all who prayed, crossed their fingers, etc. that I would be blessed with a roommate to lessen the financial burden or homeownership. I showed the house to a guy on wednesday and another last night. I now have two renters-one of which will be moving in next week and the other the first week of august!
This is the first time that while I felt the pressure of the situation, I did not doubt that God would provide. I think that I am FINALLY learning to have patience and remain faithful in the wait.




And Charlie, I agree with you on the humility thing. losing hurts, but it hurts a lot more when it happens week after week after week. at least we're still having fun...kind of...

like brother, like sister

my sister, Jillian, has a new blog: http://artisticinspiration.blogspot.com/
there is no doubt we are relation after reading her first entry.
wow.

a new level of yuck

Just before leaving work yesterday, my boss called and asked me to come in early today to sample the influent flowing from the TCHD toilets to the "lagoon" where nature takes its course. I should be so honored.

Now, I'm sure everyone thinks being a health inspector is a glamorous and uplifting professional pursuit. They are wrong. It's not all french fries and watermelons.

Sampling a "normal" septic system is easy. You stick a little cup on a stick down a PVC pipe and pull out a sample after it has been treated. It's usually clear and odorless.
Sampling the lagoon is more like holding a bucket for 100 people to...well you get the picture. No pre-treatment. And then it goes into a picturesque little pond for the turtles and geese to play in.

I just wish it had to be done more than 3 times a day. In the rain.

lessons learned

Last night I came home from work to find Gina preparing dinner (because she's THAT awesome). She had spent the day with her mom and they made a meatloaf to surprise me. Gina looked adorable working in the kitchen and the tantalizing fragrance of roasting beef was something to behold. She shooed me away, asking me to relax while she got everything ready, as I had a long day at work. No sooner had I laid down on the couch that I heard an explosion in the kitchen, followed by the sound of shrapnel ricocheting of floors, counter tops, ceilings, and windows.

Apparently, adding water from the faucet to a 400F glass pan containing a slaved-over meal turns it into a Pyrex grenade in approximately .0052 seconds.

We're just lucky no one was injured.

Gina, thank you for the meal and for your hard work. I'm sure it would have been delicious!

And I'm forwarding this information on to the Department of Defense. I think we may have a new biological weapon on our hands.

in tune

last night at Reality, we had a 3 hour time of worship.

what a great reminder that in all the craziness of life, between the messes and the stresses and the noise, we need

silence.

to stop and listen to what HE is trying so hard to tell us.

Gina's the best!
Yesterday, while I was at work, she came over to the house and pulled all the weeds along one side of the driveway, transplanted the few flowers that had managed to grow there, and planted grass seed. She trimmed the entire yard with the weed whacker she let me borrow, and even bought me a couple of potted plants and a sprinkler for the yard! Either she's really sweet and caring, or she's trying to tell me something about the state of my landscaping affairs. Maybe a little of both. Either way, I appreciate her more every day-not just because of all the things she does, but because of all she is.
You Rock, Gina!

and Cougar is happy you brought him some delicious cat food too.

(disclaimer-the above picture looks nothing like my yard. but it's getting closer.)

German squirrel on a rampage injures 3 people

BERLIN - An aggressive squirrel attacked and injured three people in a German town before a 72-year-old pensioner dispatched the rampaging animal with his crutch.

The squirrel first ran into a house in the southern town of Passau, leapt from behind on a 70-year-old woman, and sank its teeth into her hand, a local police spokesman said on Thursday.

With the squirrel still hanging from her hand, the woman ran onto the street in panic, where she managed to shake it off.

The animal then entered a building site and jumped on a construction worker, injuring him on the hand and arm, before he managed to fight it off with a measuring pole.

"After that, the squirrel went into the 72-year-old man's garden and massively attacked him on the arms, hand and thigh," the spokesman said. "Then he killed it with his crutch."

The spokesman said experts thought the attack may have been linked to the mating season or because the squirrel was ill.

Dad Day Myths.

these were on PostSecret yesterday. I can't wait to create a chain of lies to entertain my children some day!

My dad used to say that inside of the car's air-bags was uncooked popcorn. When you wrecked the popcorn would pop and you would have a snack until help came.

When I was little, my dad told me ATMs worked by having little monkeys inside them. I believed that for years. Now I work in a bank, and wish it were true!

My dad told me the worst swear word you could possibly say was "Bostonian". It meant "someone who has no private parts." My brother and I used the word until we were teenagers and my father giggled every time we said it, right before he sent us to our rooms.

When i was little my dad told me that polyester was a small animal in australia & they would kill it to make clothes. That night i sat in my room reading the labels on my clothes for hours & threw all of the polyester ones away.

sweet, but too short

The weekend was good. It's always great to spend a day with family, and I'm so thankful to have a father who cares. Gina met my mom's side of the family. ALL of them-Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, cousin-in-laws, pets, etc. I don't think she was tooo traumatized.
We also spent some much needed time in the yard Sunday morning. My landscaping is...lacking, to say the least. I spent about 1.5 hours pulling dying Creeping Charlie that my dad sprayed the week before. It had completely over-run the back flower beds and was working its way up the yard to the back porch. If I had let it go any longer, it most likely would have engulfed the entire house. Gina's mom brought me a bunch of flowers and plants she dug out of her own yard to transplant. It looks 100% better already!
After the pool party last night, we dropped off my poor car at the body shop. Thanks again to Leslie for letting me borrow your car for the week!
Ok, it's monday. Time to give the appearance of diligent work...

grouchy irony

Every once and awhile, I catch a glimpse of my old job shining through-not in the routine of work, but in the brand of people I can't escape.

For example: there is a lady in our county who's parents developed an area of land around a lake/mosquito breeding pit. They leased the property to people to build houses/dilapidated shacks on. Not to stereotype, but in general, the kind of people who want to live on a swamp aren't the most concerned with the upkeep of their property, i.e. mowing, disposing of trash, patching holes in windows, roofs, etc. So the lady who leases the property complains to the health department constantly about the people living on her family's land. We in turn, are obligated to investigate the complaints. I received 3 complaints from this lady in two days, complaining of high weeds. 2 of the properties had been mowed 2-3 days prior. The other had one patch of high grass that looked like a decorative prairie. Nonetheless, I sent a notice of violation, asking them to mow. They did not respond. So now I sent a final notice. If they don't take action, they have to appear for a hearing, which they won't do. Then they get a fine, which they won't pay.
Here's the irony.
A lien is then put on the real estate, which must be paid by the owner. The owner is the lady who filed the complaint. I love it. And hate it. Why won't these people go away?

crunched.

that's how i feel these days.
I just realized I haven't posted since last tuesday. Oh well. If something gets put on the back burner, what better than blogging about nothing.

So what has happened since then?

The parents came down sunday for lunch and brought my two gorgeous deer mounts, which dad and I hung in the living room on either side of the fireplace. When Gina saw them later, she said "they look really good." And that, my friends, is why she is a keeper!

I've been taking care of the Potter's house, botanical garden, and cats while they are in the Dominican Republic. They have literlly 80,000 plants in their yard. i have a tree and some Creeping Charlie. (That would be a good name for Mr. Dean). The first night I went to feed the cats, Puma (no relation to my Cougar) rolled over on his back, which I took as a sign that he wanted me to pet his belly. Apparently he did not. I still have 4 fang wounds on my wrist.

I'm still looking for new roommates. I hate money. Actually I just hate that everyone wants mine and i don't have enough to go around.

I went camping at Clinton Lake for my buddy Josh's bachelor party. It was a great "guy's night" out. Highlights: Josh running around on Corey's "PoweriZers" (google them) while Corey received a citation for "public display of genetalia," for urinating at a campground outside the outhouse. classy. but hilarious. Also: waking Corey up the next morning by pulling out all the tent stakes and throwing a box on the roof.

Other than that, it's been more of the usual-Reality summer tour, work, workouts, and as much Gina time as I can get!

p.s. happy birthday Chris Evans-the best accountability partner, pastry chef, and horse shoer a guy could ask for.

Anyone looking for a home (or know someone who is)?

Hey friends. One of my roommates moved to Alabama last week, another will be moving in 2 weeks and the other is most likely moving in July. Which leaves me in a sticky situation. If you know anyone who is looking for a place to stay, please pass along my info. Thanks!

I have a room available immediately for rent! Perfect arrangement for summer internship or short-term lease. $450/month includes all utilities, cable, high speed wireless internet. The house is 1640 sq feet, 4 bedrooms, 1.5 bath, two living rooms, dining room, breakfast area, kitchen, and finished basement. Free washer and dryer on site. On street parking. Storage space available in basement and garage. Room is approximately 150 sq. feet, with newly refinished hardwood floor and two closets. House will be shared with myself and 1-2 other roommates I'm looking for a student/professional, 22-30 years old, non-smoker. No pets, please. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me!

THANK YOU to Leslie and Ryan & Molly for offering me your vehicles (and less than an hour after posting the previous blog)! You are amazing friends and I love ya!

car doctor

So I took my baby (not Gina, the other one) to the car doctor tonight after work. They are going to save her front bumper and just refinish it, but her hood is shot. However, it is going to be replaced with a RamAir hood. chaching! They are also going to buff out the spot on the driver's side from the last hit 'n run.

Does anyone have a mo-ped or horse I can borrow June 18-21?

why me?

i was just informed that my car had been hit in the parking lot in front of the office. there's 50 feet between the parking spaces along our building and where I was parked-next to a big yellow truck. HELLO?
of course, the culprit did not have enough dignity to report it.
so now i'm stuck with a $500 deductible for a hit-and-run.
for the 2nd time in a year.
the front bumper is damaged and the hood is buckled and curled under. classy.

why can't i ever get ahead.
i hate money.


HAPPY FRIDAY.

yep, i was wrong.

staggering defeat.

i could chalk it up to missing players and shuffled positions.

or maybe we were just off.

either way, we are humbled.

and it was still fun.

please-not another softball game in the rain tonight. while it may have been to our advantage last week (17 runs in the first inning), i'd rather not bat in a torrential downpour.
so far, the Nexus team is undefeated. i guess God just likes us more than the other teams.

update

Hello friends,
I am still here. Long weekend was MUCH needed and MUCH fun. Where to begin? friday.
Helped my buddy Joe work on the nursery for he and Ashby's baby, who will be arriving this week. Had lots of catching up to do. Did so through paint fumes and drywall dust.
saturday.
Spent the day with the future in-laws in celebrated Astoria, IL. First I attended Gina's hair highlighting and cutting appointment with her aunt. Then had a great meal that her mom prepared, followed by shooting some clay pigeons and a .45 with her dad. The afternoon concluded with a road tour through historic Camp Ellis in an absolute downpour. Absolutely wonderful day! Then home for a movie-G was out like a light by 9:07pm.
sunday.
9am church, a two-hour workout, lunch, cleaned out the gutters, and weeded the lawn. That Gina sure is a trooper! I am so blessed to have someone with the same interests, who has fun doing weird stuff around the house. amazing! Then we grilled out with Miley and Eric across the street, capping the night with an episode of "Arrested Development."
this weekend was "random" to say the least.
memorable monday.
slept in (or planned to). cats had other ideas. i was up at 6. jerks.
Went to a cookout at Cory and Vicky's. Much fun with great friends. The sun decided to come out, making perfect weather for another cut-throat bocce ball game, again won by Ryan Hite and yours truly. Spent the afternoon fighting with digital equipment that refused to cooperate, but finally got the latest boar hunting video to burn. HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF. I thought 40 hours of work was gone-harddrive was reformatted and only existing copy of the dvd was corrupted. things are good now. i can sleep. AND i'm all caught up on episodes of "the office."
tomorrow starts a wonderfully short week of work.
wow, what a seemingly boring life. but it's a good life.

NRA show in Chicago.

No, not the National Rifle Association-which would have been equally as cool, but not as delicious. I drove 6 hours in a minivan today to-and-from the McCormick Center for the National Restaurant Association's annual show. There were vendors, restaurants, food suppliers, etc. from all over the world with all kinds of free samples and gadgets. Very cool.
I was literally FULL from all the food samples before lunch. I think I may have had 3 small pieces of meat and a Jolly Rancher slushi this afternoon and that was enough to hold me over until dinner (10pm).
Just a fun day of food and camaraderie with my other inspector friends.

Everything else has been going great too. Last weekend was filled with graduation parties, the last "Reality" of the school year, and lots of treasured time with my GIRL.
Sunday we went to church, had brunch, took a 2-hour walk through the beautiful Springdale Cemetery and then to Imo's for more ice cream than a human should be allowed to consume (and then I went into a sugar coma for 2 weeks).

It was just one of those weekends that makes you say, "ahhhh."

4 days left until Friday!
...what to do for Memorial Day?

Lights (High- and Low-)

Where do I begin?!
This past week I was in berserk mode 24/7. And I'm glad it's over. Here are some key aspects into why it was the craziest week on record:
1. Weekend Duty at the Health Dept. (I did 9 temporary food establishment inspections on Friday alone).
2. 4 miserable days of allergies (sometimes I wish my nose was inverted so it couldn't run-and we would be more like whales when swimming).
3. The house I purchased is apparently possessed by a poltergeist. Thursday night, 20 minutes before life group was to begin at my domocile, the electricity went out in half of the house. Namely, the half that controls the air conditioning, most of the lights, some outlets, etc. It came back on (sort of) about an hour later-but would pulsate and flicker, but barely had enough strength to turn a ceiling fan. Several calls to CILCO and an electrician's bill later, almost everything works.
4. First softball game of the season. We are stellar. 9-6, good guys.
5. IHOP (International House of Prayer) was at Nwoods this weekend and the Reality leaders attended as a group Friday night. Hearing God's words of affirmation spoken through his people is powerful, moving, and uplifting. Wow.
6. Suprising the wonderful employees of Denny's with a 7:30am Saturday inspection.
7. Spending Thursday in the glorious Pekin Dragon's Dome. The floor is squishy.
8. Molly's graduation party. Two incredible Bocce ball bouts-comeback stories of the century.
9. I couldn't find the Blockbuster online movie that came this week when going through the mound of paperwork and bills on my desk this afternoon. There's only one place it could have been. Yes, in one of the steaming bags of garbage in the cans on the back porch with the junk mail. And it was. Right under the banana peels and cat food cans. Sorry "Ten Commandments." I think I'll send it back.
10. Second to last Reality of the year. Harmonica.
11. Spending quality time with Gina (sorry Leslie, but you knew that was coming).
12. While I couldn't be with my Momma on Momma's Day, at least I got to talk to her on the phone. Love you, Mom!

And thus concludes my crazy week.

camptown races

I had a great weekend! We had a beautiful day for the Kentucky Derby party and our horse got 2nd place. Gina knows how to pick 'em. It was very cool because my friends and her friends were all there (and they're the same people). Still quite strange we never met before now.
I had to work both days to do some inspections of temporary food establishments, which are quick and easy and the mileage check adds up from driving all over the county.
Yesterday we had our first practice game for softball. I think we've got a pretty promising team for the summer league! As is typical, I rolled my ankle going after a ball, which didn't hurt very badly at the time, but became excruciatingly painful by the end of the night. It was moderately better this morning, so hope it's functional by our first game thursday. I'm falling apart.
Is it bad that I'm living for the weekends and not appreciating the week days? Oh well. The sun is shining!

what is beauty?

mutual, uncontrollable laughter.
shared prayer at the end of a long day.
shared ice cream-anytime!
a friend whose ear never tires and shoulder never grows cold.
bird songs at daybreak.
a clean house.
the smiling face of the one you love.
helping those in need.
puppy kisses.
budding trees in the spring.
holding your world in your arms as they drift into sleep...