Random Thoughts

Every so often, I get in one of those moods where I just feel reaaally mature or deep.

I just thought I would read my bible study leader’s blog, and now I am feeling a deep sense of joy, happiness, along with some unbelief and amazement that has caused me to be taken back. If you want to read the posting of how he became a Christian, it is at www.adamgo.blogspot.com.

Over and Over today, I have been feeling older and older. I know that I am only 21 years old, but it just seems like I am old. It is a bit weird, but I remember feeling like this in high school too. Now I am in college, and feel the same way. Here are some reasons why:
- The last few nights, I have been ready for bed before midnight. Ok, I know that may not seem that old, but man, I remember freshman year thinking that midnight was a good time to start something, like a movie.
- Tonight was Saturday night, and I checked out three board games from my residence hall and played until midnight. That of itself is not old. But we got there at 9:30 and were ready to be done and in bed by 11:30.
- I enjoy peace and quiet. A lot!!! The noise I used to enjoy, I now get annoyed with. I would much rather sit and read a book then watch TV (most of the time).
- Eating dinner at 5:00 p.m. is late for me.
- I have to plan a week ahead of time to meet someone for coffee.
- My planner is almost always with me. I actually schedule people in for things.
- I like Michael W. Smith a lot. I used to not think that was a very old thing, but after discussing which concert I would like to go to if I had a chance, and having Mr. Smith himself as an answer, people started laughing, as if I was joking around. (I was actually pretty serious.) And the funny thing right now is that most of you that are reading this are like, who the heck is Michael W. Smith. Wikipedia him.
- If you don’t know what Wikipedia is, Google that. If you do not know what Google is, ok, I am not even going to go there
- An ideal weekend is going out and having coffee with someone discussing deep issues.
- A lot of my friends will be graduating next year. Some might even get married. Some already have.

See, the thing about all this, is that I am not unhappy, sad, etc. at all. I am actually really joyful and confident of where I am. I feel accepted and loved just the way I am. It is kind of cool how God can make you feel that way.

Here is my challenge to you all. Think of the one thing that makes you feel old, sad, lonely, or whatever, and find the good in it. Maybe you feel like everyone else is doing something and you were not invited. Know that if you are reading this at a computer right now, you are looking at an electronic piece of equipment that most of the world may never see.

If you are feeling lonely because someone broke up with you or are coming off a bad relationship, remember that many people in this world will never even know what dating is. Even if they did, they would not have the means to even date.

If you are feeling stressed about school and finals coming up, find the joy in being able to sit in class, learn, and be educated. People, do you understand how lucky you are if you are currently in college or ever have been to college! There are people who would die to be educated. To be able to read, write, and communicate.

See, the thing about all this, these are not just statistics. This is real. There is a person, sitting in Minneapolis right now, wishing he or she could go to college but will never be able to afford it. There is a person working in some field in India, who does not know a thing about dating and even if he did, he already has an arranged marriage with a person he barely knows. There is boy in Ecuador who may never even know what a computer is. He may one day see a picture of it and hope to SEE one.

I didn’t write all this to make you feel sad. I wrote it so we could all find joy in the stressful, tough, sad, hopeless times of our lives. All the glory goes to God!

Thankful?! I am blown away...

It being Thanksgiving and all, it is only proper to be thankful for some things. Hopefully the ones I list are a bit more unique then usual.

- I am thankful for silence. Maybe it is because I live in a residence hall where it is usually loud all the time, but I just love sitting at home right now and really having silence. There is just a peace about it that makes me calm and comfortable. But this is definitely not the only kind of silence I enjoy and have grown to love. How about the comfortable silence between two good friends or family that is not awkward or weird? That is beautiful.
- I am thankful for the cold. See, this is not because I love winter sports or the outdoors or even getting all bundled up (although I do enjoy that every once in a while). It is more so because the cold helps be appreciate the warmth that spring and summer bring. If I never knew any better then just warmth, I think I would just take it for granted.
- Speaking of feeling cold and warm, I am thankful that the Thanksgiving to New Years Season may be cold on the outside, but really warm on the inside. Let me explain. Like many, I love the Holiday season, and even though the weather is below freezing outside, the warmth that I feel inside is incredible. I love how God works like that to use opposites to blend together so well.
- I am thankful for the feeling of heartache of missing someone. That feeling of sentiment that a little part of you is left behind. Maybe that sounds weird, but for me, it truly shows the people that mean the most to me.
- I am so unbelievably thankful that Jesus loves me just the way I am. That I do not need to impress him with the things I have done or am doing to receive his unbelievable free gift of forgiveness and eternal life. I am sooo thankful that it has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with Him.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Ocean City Reunion and More

It is really weird because I am unsure if my heart has ever really felt this way in my life.

This past weekend was the reunion from the Summer Project I did this past summer in Ocean City, New Jersey. The reunion itself was at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Before I start my reflection on the reunion, I must say that Northwestern is such a beautiful university and I just loved the atmosphere.

Reflecting on it is a bit difficult just because I miss it so much. When I left this summer, I really did not have to deal with the “big, official good-bye” because I had to leave early for CA training. So going to reunion was a bit bittersweet knowing that at the end of a few days I would have to say good-bye to some people for the rest of my life.

Overall, the weekend was extremely quick but good. It was nice catching up with people and just enjoying people’s companies. One of my favorite parts was just sitting back and looking at all the people talking to each other and enjoying each other. The love and joy of Christ was so evident between everyone.

Just thinking about those people right now hurts a little bit, not knowing when we will see each other again. However, as believers in Christ, there is such an amazing and hopeful ending to be looked forward too.

Here are some other random thoughts that are not exactly organized from this past week:
- I have started listening to the Doxology by different bands. It has been incredible the strength in a few, old words. Praise Him!
- From last weekend and this week, it has been incredible how encouraged I have been by other people. I always wonder why I am so blessed with the people I am surrounded with.
- You know the uneasy feeling you get when you really just do not know what is going to happen next, but either way, it is going to be a big deal. And further, the even more uneasy feeling knowing you have to do something but not wanting to do it. It is like this battle between your spiritual self and human nature. Sometimes the human nature wins the battle, but more often than not, the spiritual side will prevail. I went through quite a few of those moments this week. But all was good in the end.
- More and more, I have begun to appreciate silence and solitude. Maybe it is because I live in a freshman residence hall and it is pretty loud often. But more than that, I just love being with people and not feeling the pressure to have to say something or think of a question to ask to keep the conversation going. It is just so nice just to appreciate the presence of the person you are with.
- Going off that last thought, it has been sweet just spending time like that with God. I think often times we pray for so long, that we never just sit and rest in His presence.
- Here is a fun question I like to ask myself: In 5000 years, what you are doing now is going to matter? Grades? Looks? Societal perception? People?

Just as I have been encouraged a lot this week, I wanted to do some public encouraging. I have mentioned my family many times and how I love them so much. I wanted to give props to my second brother. There are just so many things about him that make him special. I could go on forever in this blog, but he is just so self-less and would do anything for the betterment of others. He truly is an example of a person who is passionate but would much rather have someone else be better off.
That is it for now.

Intramural Champion?---Check

Today, I accomplished one of the goals I had before I graduate college. It may have taken three years, four sports, and probably seven different teams, but it finally happened. You may be wondering what this IT is.

Well, I finally won an Intramural Championship. The sport was outdoor soccer. The team: E-stars. It was sweet, because I played with the same team last year for indoor soccer and we had a heart-breaking loss in shootouts. But this year, we scored two goals in the last five minutes of our first playoff game to win 4-3. Then the second playoff game went into shootouts where we won 3-0. Finally, the Championship game we cruised to a 2-0 win. It was pretty solid. Hopefully I get the long awaited T-shirt soon.

Huge Letdown

Well, as many of at this point know, the Gophers just had one of the worst football collapses. Up by 10 with two minutes to go, Minnesota had the game in the bag. However, huge disappointments on special teams negated that and they ended up losing by four.

Alright, right now the emotions I am feeling is just a huge disappointment and heartache. I cannot believe what I just saw. If you have no idea what I am talking about right now, go to espn.com and I am sure you can get a run down on what occurred.

However, I am sure many of Gopher fans exactly understand. But here is the parallel point for me. As a Christian, why do I not feel this deep of emotion for my Savior? Why do I not feel this deep sense of loss for people who are literally “losing” the game of life all around me? If you have no idea what I am talking about as far as “losing” the game of life, get a hold of me and I will let you know.

For those of you who go the U and understand what “losing” the game of life means, remember the emotion you are currently feeling after that unbelievable football loss. Do you feel that way about the eternal loss people all around us are destined too?

Changes

“ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Wo we fix our eyes on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
- Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Well, by starting with a statement like that, it may seem to you that I have it all together. On the contrary friends. I actually put that verse first to express how little faith I have in the One I believe saved me from eternal death.

Often, it is easy for me to say a verse, or vocally agree when hearing something, but so many times, I never apply them in real life. Why is that? Why is it that we can always say we believe in something, but cannot follow through in our actions?

For me it is the limited view I have of God. I put the God of the universe who created me and think, “He cannot possibly do this.” It is easy for me to say that I am only human and these things are normal and common. However, I do not want to live life with excuses. I know the truth that is revealed.

(Insert Transition Here) One thing that has kept me up tonight is the realization that I do not appreciate things enough when they are right in front of me. Even going back to freshman year of college, I remember being sad at the start of second semester that our hallway would be splitting apart in a few months. Then there is this summer and the amazing experience that I am missing so much. When will I start enjoying the amazing people I am currently surrounded with? I am so unbelievable blessed and yet do not even realize it!

How is your life? Worried? Stressed? Angry? Joyful? Excited? Appreciating of the things around you? Take a 20 seconds, really 20 seconds, to just sit and think.

Update Folks

Well, I definitely have not held up my promise to continue to post…so here comes a short one.

I got a “reminder” from a friend (Ziesemer) that it had been much too long since I have posted. So here goes nothing.

In the past few years of college, I have never really felt too overwhelmed with academics. Boy, this week and the last have been much different. With three midterms and a test in three days this week, I was a bit hesitant coming into the exams. I still have one to go and the first two definitely did not go so well. Ohh well, there is some eternal perspective there. In 5000 years, who is going to care how I did on an Operations Management test? With that being said, I know I have to keep up in my studies and honor God with even that.

This past weekend was Fall Retreat with Campus Crusade for Christ. Alright, that was a ton of fun, but did not help the fact that I had not studied enough. The talent show was sweet. My personal favorite was a group of girls all “decked-out” in gangsta rap jersey’s dancing to a Cross Movement song. Solid.

I still love being a CA. The guys are great and I am getting to know them better. However, they get to be a bit distracting. For example, today, I got back from classes and needed to study, but then they asked me to play football and there went the last few hours.

Alright, that is it for now. I am honestly going to try and update later this week when all my midterms are over. One more Finance Midterm left tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Too Long..

Alright, I am unsure if anyone even reads this blog anymore because it has been a month since I have updated it. However, I'm just going to go ahead and assume that my mom and dad have yet to give up hope on me and will at least read this update if I tell them too!

So, you are wondering, how has the last month been? Well, one simple word can describe it, busy. I know, that’s lame, cause everyone is busy, but whatever, I am one of them. My last post was a reflection on project. I enjoyed just randomly putting thoughts down, so I think I will do the same here.

It is weird to think the last time I wrote on this blog, I was still in Ocean City, New Jersey. Are you kidding me that is just really weird. So, I left project on Monday, August 15th. Wow, what an unbelievable weekend. Tylor Wagner and I had to leave early to get back to Minneapolis on Friday for Community Advisor (some school call it RA’s) training. Saying goodbye to people that you may never see again was hard. Surprisingly I did not cry though. Tylor and I were talking about it on the ride home, and we both felt in our hearts just so sad but our outward emotion may not have shown it as much.

Remembering that Monday morning is tough right now. The Impact Group I grew so close to all woke up for one last time together. The card the women of the group made for me was extremely special. Getting a few notes from other people was just so special. Reading those letters once I got to Ohio was incredible. The memories are still so vivid of just waking up early to pack the car. The night before was sweet, just being able to tell people how special they were to me and how much I truly appreciated them. God placed each person there for such a special reason.

Many of you who have never been on project or do not even know what project is may wonder why I talk about it the way I do. It is hard for me to describe in words. For each of you, think of the most important, passionate thing in your life. Maybe it is a sport or a hobby or simply family. For me, it is my faith. Now imagine, dedicating an entire summer to solely focus on that one thing (and with that many other things). Say you love sports; your summer would be filled with training camps. When you are done with that, you would talk to others who also loved the sport and just wanted to get better. You would watch tapes and study games and players. You would talk about the sport to other people and learn from random people. At times, it may seem to be overwhelming, and that’s because it is. However, by the time you leave that summer, you cannot help but wish you are still there.

Now that example of sports may have been a bit far fetched; however, it still makes sense. My faith is so important to me. But there are so many aspects to my belief. It is not just sitting and praying or just reading the bible, although those are both extremely important things. I believe as humans we were created to have fellowship with other people. Being surrounded this summer with over 100 other students at the same place as me in so many ways. They were all students in college but all of them had their faith as the most important thing in their lives. The fellowship was incredible in way I only started to truly appreciate since I have been back to reality.

Transitioning now, the trip home was nice with Tylor. I got home on Tuesday afternoon and got to spend the next few days with my family. Wow, did I miss them lots. Each of their personalities and support really cannot be replaced in any way. Especially talking with my brother about so much stuff was so refreshing and encouraging. I still do not think I appreciate those that I am surrounded with in my family enough. They are just amazing people and I would be the person I am without them. I know that may sound so redundant because I always say it, but the reason is because it is true.

So it was sad to say goodbye to them on Friday when I started my trip back up to school. For the first few hours of the trip, I was alone, and it was so nice to just reflect a bit on the summer and also call a ton of people that were just leaving project back in NJ.

For the last few hours, Tylor was with me again. Boy, it was so nice to have him along throughout the entire process. What a blessing from God! He is just an incredible guy and I love being with him and just experiencing life with him.

Once up at school, CA training started on Saturday. Wow, what a turn-around. Basically for the next two weeks, it was intense training for most of the day with so much to learn. It was a bit overwhelming because I was still reeling from this summer and now being thrown into the school year. However, the same God I considered so great in Ocean City is the same God that took me through in Minneapolis. Do not get me wrong; training for the most part was good and fun. I got to know the staff here at Frontier so well and others around campus.

I felt a lot like elementary school gym class those two weeks of training. Try to stay with me here. Back in gym class, when we started a sport, lets say volleyball; we would have to learn all the rules and simple things first, like bumping and setting. Then after what seems forever, we finally get to play a few days later. And that is exactly how CA training was. Although it was essential to go through it to be prepared when students came, I just wanted so badly for school to start so I could actually meet my residents.

Finally the school year started and things are going well but extremely busy. To be honest, I feel like I am not studying hard enough, so hopefully this next week I can really start focusing and making sure that I get back on track. However, God has been faithful to in just providing people to talk to when I need support and just guidance in many areas.

That is it for now. All I can end with is that God is so good and He deserves all the glory and honor. God bless folks.

Last Week…

Hey everybody, I hope you are all doing well. It has been such a long time since I have talked to many of you. Summer has seemed to fly by without telling me it was even here. Can you believe it is August something or other?
Anyways, enough complaining of the short summer. The last few weeks have been good, bad, fun, stressful, and a full of learning. Summer project is winding down. I will be leaving Ocean City this coming Monday! Wow, I cannot believe that. It seems like I just got out here last week.
Reflecting back at the last few weeks, so many things come to mind. So like the last posting, I think I will just do a list of random facts, ideas, thoughts, etc. I do not know if I have the energy or wit to actually intertwine everything together into a logical paragraph. So here goes nothing…
- One of the coolest things about this summer has been the people surrounding me. Because of God’s amazing grace I have the opportunity to meet and make friends from across the country. California, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois are all states where God has provided friends who are seeking after His will.
- Believe it or not, I have become a lot less sarcastic and a bit more serious this summer. While many of you may think that is impossible or disappointing, I look at that as a really good thing. A lot of the time, instead of being sarcastic, it has been so much more rewarding and satisfying to be encouraging. While many of you may be shocked, think about it. How many times has something you said that was sarcastic actually productive? Usually, sarcasm is used either to be funny or condescending. Rarely is it actually building someone up. Also, many people feel uncomfortable around sarcastic people and never truly open up.
- My last day of work was supposed to be today; however, it was pouring rain outside this morning so work was canceled. Because of all that, I am officially done working at Greate Bay Golf Course. It many ways, it was the best job I have ever had. My bosses were incredible. I enjoyed working outdoors a ton. Compared to working in an office or inside a store, time flies by so fast when working outside. I am not sure exactly the reason why, that is just the way it is. One of the things I figured out is not to wear a watch, and then you will not check the time every five minutes and feel like time is just dragging by.
- I know this week is going to be bittersweet. Compared to most people, I am a pretty sentimental person. Usually, it is difficult for me to say bye to people or have really great things come to an end. At the same time, I am super pumped to get back home and see my family for a few days. Also, I just cannot wait to get to campus. There are people I have not seen or even talked to in a long time.
- One of the coolest things about being surrounded by those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ is the fact that I will one day see them again. For the rest of eternity, I will be with them in heaven.
Now that I think about it, I think it would be fair for me to get sentimental. I have less than a week left here in OC. Here are some initial thoughts of things I am going to miss.
- Alright, this might sound weird, but I am going to miss the laughs of people. There are a couple of individuals on project that just have such a unique laugh. They just brighten up the room with their distinct laugh. That cannot be replicated or replaced. You know if you have one of those laughs and I thank God for blessing you with that.
- It is going to be weird not to be surrounded by so many Cubs fans. I have made a good amount of friends who heart the Cubs just the way I do.
- There are numerous things I will miss from the boardwalk. Here are a few: $1 slices after 11:00 p.m., seeing people in almost every store up and down the boardwalk that are on this project, the people that hang out late at night, TJ’s lemonade, the 99 cents store, and many other things I cannot think of right now.
- The instant deep conversations I had with people. No longer did I have to establish a relationship. There was already that trust between individuals to just open up and share what is on their mind.

There are just a few more days to go until I am back home. Cannot wait to see many of you that I haven’t in a long time. Take care.

So much to do, so little time

Well everyone, it seems like this past week was one of scheduled events at all times. With the responsibilities of my project job along with my normal job all paired up with the fact that I went home for the weekend equaled a week that was jam-packed. However, it was cool to see that everything worked out and how I needed to be flexible and accommodating.

This passed week I feel as if I have learned a lot and so many different things have happened. So here goes a random list of all that.
- One of my favorite and smartest cousins got married this weekend. It was cool to see how loving he was towards his wife at the wedding. This is often unusual to see at the actual wedding ceremony for Indian weddings.
- While I always knew this, I am unsure if I have actually ever said it. My brothers and I make a pretty great team. Somehow we all know when to take orders and give commands. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses that all work together.
- I love working with others who are humble. There is a guy named Jimmy at my church back home who is just an incredible team player but at the same time does so much. The amount of time he has invested in various activities is often unappreciated. However, I have never seen him make a big deal or commotion about anything.
- A blessing from God that I never really truly appreciated. A guy I know, John (or as I lovingly call him Dosha) is one of my best friends. We have known each other since birth. For me, he has been the example of the true Christian life through thick and thin. The things he has gone through and is still going through is challenging. However, he continually gives all the praise to God and lives a life according to God’s will.
- My family is loud. Not just my immediate parents, siblings, and grandparents. I am talking about my cousins from all over. A bunch of us were together on Saturday night, and wow, was it loud. It was so funny because I was in a completely different room of the house and I could hear every point of the conversation from every person. No person is a slouch in the area of decibel level. And you all wonder where I get it from!
- Ok, as an Apple fan and a person that is trying to get into video editing, this weekend was cash money! My brother got the new operating system for Mac’s, which is called Tiger. And then Jimmy hooked me up with Final Cut Pro HD. While those two things may not sound like much to most people. Let me try to make an analogy. For a person who loves basketball, it is like getting the best basketball court made for you to play on at all times and the newest and greatest pair of shoes to play with.
- One of my favorite things to do is to just sit down and have a good conversation. This week has been filled with them. I have just got to open up a lot to people at project and have been learning so much from many of them. I love the fact that I can be authentic to mostly everyone. At home, it was great to talk with my sister and brothers about many things that are going on.
- My sister is going to be in Frontier Hall next year.
- I am going to be in Frontier Hall next year.
- Weird but true. I am actually super excited for her to be there. I think we will have a great time and things will work out well. Our relationship over the past few years has been getting so much better and I thank God for that so much.
- Tylor Wagnor is a Community Advisor!! In Middlebrook!!!
- I need to have much more grace and humbleness in conversation. (I know this is a general one but it would not be nice to get into details)

Alright, this list is pretty long. That is it for now. Take care all!

Job + NY = Busy, yet Sweet

Well folks, I am now able to reveal my campus job.

I will be an action group leader. Basically that means I will lead my bible study each week and also disciple three guys for the next few weeks. While this means that I will be a bunch busier, it will be worth it. I cannot wait to “pour” into some of these guys and have them “pour” into me.

On Tuesday, I had the chance to go to New York. While it was a really great trip, it was a bit expensive. I guess that should be expected. We left OC at 6 in the morning and got there in only two hours. We took the Staton Island Ferry from SI to New York City. That was sweet because we saved a lot of money on parking and got to go by the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We went by Ground Zero and then took a taxi to the Empire State Building. The taxi was a big mistake because it was expensive and we could have just taken the subway. Anyways, once at the Empire State Building we went to a lower floor where Kings College is. It is a private university that was reopened in 1997 because Campus Crusade for Christ financially funded it. Because of this, they treat Crusade people well. Anyways, so a group of 11 of us go down to the admissions office of Kings College. We tell them who we are and all. Initially, they thought we were all high school students, but after a bit of an explanation well let them know that all we really want is a trip to the top of the building. Our “advisor,” Kim, was incredible. She was just so nice and willing to help us out even though we were not in the least bit interested in the university (although I must add the college was sweet). Well, she took all of us to the top with VIP passes. Each of these passes are worth $31 which meant we could cut the lines that were almost 3 hours long!! It was a bit funny because people were like “Hey buddy, lines back here!” and Kim would just flash her VIP card. I felt like a celebrity or something. Once at the top, it was so cool and better than the Sears Tower because you are standing outside seeing the entire city. Kim told us different areas of the city and it was so solid.

After that I was just pumped. We went on to Time Square which was cool but just had waaay to m any advertisements. In Time Square, I actually saw an Indian Fast-Foot place. Weird, but true. We ate lunch at Hello Deli. That is the place that is featured on David Letterman’s Late Night show. If you know Rupert, I saw Rupert, That is right folks. Anyways, the rest of the day, we went to Chinatown and Rockefeller Center.

Overall, the trip was great, but a bit expensive.

That is all ladies and gentleman for now. Take Care.

Stuff

Well everyone, it has been a bit of a while since I have updated this form of communication.

The last few days have been a blessing in so many ways. Project is just challenging me in more ways then I have imagined. At the same time, I have been able to learn tons and gain good insight.

My parents came down on Monday just to see what Ocean City was like and get a better glimpse into what project is like. When they had to leave on Wednesday they were sad to go. Over the past two years, I have been realizing more and more how much I love them and how blessed I am to have two parents that truly love me no matter what and care so much about the spiritual side of my life.

Over the week, I have realized that I really do miss my family, especially my grandparents. At our local church, they do this thing called “Adopt-a-crusader.” Basically, a group of people in the church “adopt” a few of us on project and takes us out to eat a few times throughout the summer and what not. My “parents” are older and I love talking to each of them. They are so personable and wise. I miss my grandparents because they are the same way. So easy to have a conversation with and so open to listen and learn.

After the fireworks on July 4th, we played this game called “Buck, Buck.” Ok, I am going to try and explain it but I am bound to mess it up. First of all, a group of about five big guys get together, lock arms, and bend over. Then, they from the shape of a semi-circle or so. In the same way, a group o guys makes a layer in front of them of four. Then, with the people left over, they jump on top of the group of people. Ok, I know this sounds really dumb or whatever, but seriously, the game itself drew so many people to just watch. Alright, I know I did the game no justice.

Other than that, not too much has changed (which is a huge understatement!). I have definitely got a bunch darker and my hair is a bit longer. Alright, that is it for now.

Tough But Good

Well all, I think the toughest week of project is over.

This past week was just really intense. Basically, during most of our free time, we would go out and talk to people about what they believe, as far as their faith. One of the toughest questions we asked is “What do you think happens after death?” It was sweet to hear all the different perspectives and opinions. At the same time, we would share how we believed that as people we are sinful. However, God gave us this amazing gift through Jesus Christ that we need to accept into our lives.

It was a great week but now I am excited for the coming week because it is all community building, which I love. The week is themed “All for One.”

One of the more ironic but great parts of project has been the choice of computers in my action group. My action group is basically a group of four students and one staff leader. We are a bible study and do a lot of stuff together. One of the great things is that three of us have Apple Powerbooks. How unbelievable is that. That’s right. There are many people that are realizing how superior and Apple is to any other computer.

Anyways, today has been the first day it has consistently rained in weeks. Because of that, I did not have to go to work. How great is that?! Also, a group of us wanted to go to New York this week, but we will see if that actually works out.

For the second time in my life, I went to a laudrymat today. It is kind of weird because I have always done my laundry either at my house, my apartment, or dorm. In a way, it’s a cool experience because it gives me a bunch of time away from everything and everyone to regroup and get things done. However, not being in the comfort of my own place is a bit weird.

One of the guys in my action group let me borrow a CD by Passion, called “How Great Thou Art.” For those of you who are into worship music, I would totally recommend it.

Other than that, it has been a good week and project has been going well.

Deals, Steaks, and Sunburn

Here I am folks, four weeks into summer project and still trying to find time for everything.

Summer project is a lot like freshman year of college. You meet a ton of new people and there is always something to do with somebody. Whether you want to go play basketball, hang out, have a deep conversation, or just play MAFIA, you can always find a group of people to do it with. There are also the infamous phone number exchanges. Many times, at least during freshman year, I would exchange my phone number with everyone I came in contact with. Midway through the semester, I did not know half the people in my phone book. While it is a little different on summer project, everyone is getting around to exchanging phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.

For those of you who know I love Apple Computers, I have been blessed with great roommates. Out of the four other roommates I have, two of them have PowerBooks, how sweet is that!!

Ohh yea, I think I told everyone I was going to Philadelphia last week. A group of six of us went, which was sweet and we went around to three different Philly Cheese steak places to see which one was the best. While Pat�s is by far the most popular, most of us agreed that Geno�s was the place to be. If you ever go, make sure to get cheezwiz on the sandwich. That is the only way to go.

I also went to Atlantic City last week, which is only 30 minutes away. It is much bigger than Ocean City with a bunch of casinos and what not. One of the cool parts of the city is their outlet mall, similar to the one in Kenosha. I have found out that one of my new favorite stores is H & M. For those of you who have not been there, you are missing out. They have great clothing for reasonable prices. It is like the IKEA of clothing stores.

Speaking of great deals, I found this Chinese place right down the block that has this lunch special for only $4.80!! And there is a ton of food too!!

The Golf Course is going well. I really do enjoy working for my boss because he always compliments us on our work and is encouraging in general. I have learned that no matter what, I just want to work hard for him because I respect him so much. But the bad part about the job is that I got sunburn. I thought I never could get sunburn, but that is untrue. So my skin is peeling a bit and I am really itchy.

Other than all that, I have been learning a lot about God. While that sounds like the most general statement ever, it really is true. I am understanding how sweet it is to have a relationship with Jesus and really, how amazing of a friend He is in my life.

Alright everyone, that is it for now, I hope all is well!

A long time...

Folks, I apologize for not posting in a while. I have been in Ocean City for almost three weeks now and I am still attempting to get fully in gear. It seems as if each day brings so many new things that I cannot keep up. However, it has been pretty fun and exciting at the same time.

God is doing some sweet stuff out here. There are just some people I look up to so much already. The more I get to know some people, the more I respect them.

In addition, I have been able to find some great deals. A few of us walked into a store thinking it was a thrift store. It was not, but we did find the best deal in town. A 24 pack of Jones Soda 12 oz. bottles for $6. That comes to only a quarter a bottle for Jones Soda!!! Are you kidding me?!?! Then, on Sunday, we found this Chinese Restaurant down the block that has a lunch special for only $4.80 and so much food!! Ya, the deals have been great.

Lets see, I will be getting two new roommates this weekend. They both had to take summer school, I think, so they could not come until now. I am pretty excited because that will complete my Action Group.

For the first time since project started, I played sand volleyball next to the ocean. While it was sweet and all, the sand was not so good because there are so many shells in it. Unfortunately, some people got cut up and all, but there were some great games.

Like I said before, I work at Grate Bay Golf Course. My job is so sweet and laid back. I have never worked outdoors, but the time really does go by faster. My boss is really laid back along with all my coworkers. I have learned a lot of things and have made a few mistakes along the way too. Just today, I learned how to work the fairway mower, which is huge and sweet. It even has a speedometer that goes up to 10 mph. Which is pretty sweet for a lawn mower. My boss was like, “try to be careful, the thing is worth $40,000.” Are you joking me that is insane for a lawn mower!?!

Along with all that, the last week has been good. There are still so many people to meet and get to know. I will let you know how it goes. I am going to Philadelphia tomorrow to get a real Philly Cheese Steak. I will let you all know how that goes too!

That is it for now, I hope you are all doing well and would love to hear from you too! Ohh yea, if you wanted to send mail, my address is:

1301 Central Avenue
Ocean City, New Jersey 08226

Alright, that is it for now, take care!

Folks, We gotta Job!

Holla at you boys, I got a job today!!! Hupila would be so proud. I am officially a grounds crewmember of a local golf course. How sweet is that?!? Lets see, the only real downside to the job is that I will have to wake up early in the morning because I have to be to work at 7:00 a.m. Other than that, I get to work outside with some other guys that are great and it is pretty laid back. I did not even fill out an application for the job before I got hired.

Other than that, it has been sweet getting to know a ton of new people. And even better, there will be whole wave of people coming this weekend because they are on the quarter semesters. Ya, I am pretty excited.

Project, in a way, feels a lot like the beginning of freshman year of college so far. There are just so many people and everyone wants to hang out all the time. It just seems like there is no time to break apart and spend some alone time doing things. As I currently type, there is a big card game going on in the room across from me and there are people doing random stuff upstairs. It is taking so much in my body right now just to sit down and attempt to concentrate. And to think, I have to go to bed soon, wow, lets see how that goes!

Well, it is almost 10:30 here, so I think it might be time for bed. Wow, I feel like an old man! I hope this all finds you well. Take care.

The OC

Well, I am finally here in Ocean City, my home for the summer…(technically, I am currently flying on an airplane back home for my sister’s graduation, but who really cares about details.)

We arrived here on Wednesday night around 7:30. It was so sweet because we met up with three other cars in Pennsylvania, so we had this huge caravan of people through Philadelphia rush hour, which was definitely interesting.

Also, on that night, I was asked to emcee the first meetings tomorrow. Which were sweet and a lot of fun. I enjoyed doing it, although it was a bit nerve-racking speaking in front of people I really did not know at all. However, that quickly changed.

Over the past few days it is shocking to me how well I am remembering names and how much I have gotten to know people. It just seems like everyone is open and willing to share what is going on. This environment is totally me and I am excited to have that the rest of the summer.

I live in a place called the Ambassador’s Inn. It is four stories and 80 of us students live there. There are two other places on the same block that people live, they are called Grandmas and the Mansion. However, the Ambassador’s Inn is the main place. To explain a bit, Campus Crusade owns the Ambassador’s Inn. It is not a functioning hotel or anything. It doesn’t even look like a hotel. It is just sweet. If I can post some pictures somehow, I will.

I have already met some great people. I have met numerous Cubs fans and even two Bears fans!!! How exciting is that!!?? And there are still about 60 students to come to the project who go to quarter schools!!!

Some time the last few days have been spent trying to find a job. So far not luck in finding a coffee shop to work at, but I did apply to Ben and Jerry’s, which would be sweet to work at. So we will see what God has in store for me this summer as far as work goes.

Alright, that’s about all I am going to write for now. The OC is great. I am sure home will be fun too the next few days with my whole family for my sister’s graduation. Take care all.

Out of the Office

So here I am, sitting at my brother's house in Columbus, Ohio after midnight in deep thought. It is kind of weird because I am in a physical and psychological transition period.

Physically, I am about halfway between my final destinations for the summer, Ocean City, New Jersey. Psychological, because I still have all the thoughts from home but I know in just a few hours I will be overwhelmed with a whole new world.

While I am extremely excited to be going on this summer project, I am sad to leave home, especially my family. I really love just hanging out with them and talking. We usually always have great conversations, although they can get pretty heated. I will miss them a lot this summer, but I know that God wants me to be in Ocean City. There is so much to learn and so many people to meet. I do not know exactly what to expect, but I know God will be moving.

Other than that, I had a great night at my brother's house in Ohio. It was a blast with lots of food, like usual, and good fun. James and Shiney (my oldest brother and his wife) are great people and unbelievable hosts. I love them both so much and cherish the times that we get to hang out.

Alright, now I am tired, I'm out folks....

Good News

Well, for about the last month, I have been on an alternate pool for a Community Advisor (some call it Residence Advisor) position for next year. Basically what that meant was that I was qualified to be a CA but all the positions were filled. They developed this alternate pool to replace the people who drop out throughout the summer and fall semester.

While all this does not sound like that big of a deal, it really was. I am one of those people that really like to plan ahead and have things set up. However, since the start of my sophomore year of college, I have been working on ways to be more spontaneous and easy going. Well, I did not know God was going to put me in a situation where I would be forced to either choose to be in an alternate pool with no gurantees or sign a lease so I would have a place to live next semester. In the end, I choose to stay in the pool and not sign a lease.

Over the last month, I really could not do that much. Nothing I did or said could really get me the position, so I learned to rely on God for the whole thing. It was pretty funny because I was joking with my roommates that they were going to live so far away next year (which they really are), but Hupila would always say, "At least I have a place to live!" Anyways, as of yesterday morning, I have a place to live too!

I received e-mail from the director for Housing and Residential Life telling me there was an opening in Frontier Hall for next year and if I would be interested in taking the position. Honestly, I did not even know what to think, I was just so blown away. Earlier in the week, I had told my mom just to continue to keep the whole situation in her prayers especially this week. And just the night before I was talking to a friend from school and she had also said she would also be praying about it. Last night before I went to bed I remembered a thought from the book The Prayer of Jabez. One of the things said is to not just to pray but to pray specifically. So I proceeded to pray that a position would open up in either Frontier or T-hall over the summer.

I have always had a special place for Frontier since freshman year. For those of you who are lucky enough to know my hallway (2S holla!) understand how close we still are and how sad we were to leave at the end of the year. I cannot wait to go back. My room will actually be 183, right below where I was freshman year (294), so now I guess its 1S holla!

Before I forget, I wanted to thank all of you who supported me through the process. Especially to Rohde and Dietrich and also Spencer who all opened up their apartments to me as a backup plan. Also Sean who let me have UV as a back up too. And to add to some seniors that I will miss who have helped me through the process: my old CA Peter along with Cara and Spencer again that have guided me from the application to now. I appreciate all your advice and guidance.

Alright, now that I sound like I am giving an acceptance speech at the Grammy's, I have figured its getting late and I need to wake up early...take care

Perspective

Wow...it has kinda been a while since I have written...

For some reason, sometimes, I get some weird perspective that just makes me feel really serious and just wanting to share it with someone. I am not sure if that last sentence makes too much sense, but someone has to agree that at times you just realize something that just makes you sit back and think. I will try to explain the current situation.

So about a month ago or so my sister got in a car accident that totaled her car (don't worry, she is totally fine). Then, the day I was to move back from Minnesota, I found out the car I was supposed to take to Ocean City for the summer has been having some problems so the car wouldn't be very safe to drive long distances. The conclusion of all this: our family needs to get a car. But the car is ultimately going to be my sister's and mine for going to school next year, and by default, because I am older, it is more my car. Anyways, the point of all this jabbering is that my parents are going to be buying me a new car.

Alright, I know what you are thinking, wow, "you are so lucky!" And ya, I totally agree. I am blown away that my parents would just be like we need to get you a car, and lets make sure its kinda nice. They also gave me the freedom to research and find the best deal I thought possible for the car I want. While that sounds easy, it is really tough in a family of six who all have their different opinions and are not afraid to share it and impose it. If any of you know my family, you totally understand what I mean by that previous statement. At the same time, it is really cool to see that especially my oldest brother would take so much time out of his day to help me find a good car.

Anyways, I have been so blessed. But driving home today from my friends house, I realized the extent of this purchase. This may very well be the last car my parents will ever buy for me. And that statement alone leads my mind to wonder about so many other things. I know some of you may have been independent financially from your parents since you were 18. On the other hand, I am not independent. Now don't get me wrong, it is not like I just go out and spend my parent's money. But I started realizing that I do take that for granted and in just a few years I will have to start supporting myself. Wow, I cannot believe it. I feel like I am on this roller coaster ride that is going way to fast and I want it to slow down.

It kinda scares me to think that I will have to become fully independent in a very short period of time. I still am not even completely decided on a major, let alone figuring out where God wants me to be post-graduation! So now I think about something my dad and I were discussing over lunch today. How God is the same God that was there early in my life, and the same God that took me through high school and college. He never changes. To think about that right now is so reassuring and sweet. I know that God will be right there when I graduate and figure out what I need to do.

Well, I have been just rambling forever now about that one thing. I have had a great week. Last night I got the chance to meet up and talk to a girl from high school. It is so cool because I feel we have the coolest relationship because we can go on and not talk for a few months straight but sit down and have a two-hour conversation about serious issues. Anyways, I am totally blessed to have people like her in my life too!

Alright, that is all for now. Less than a week until OC!!!!

Back Home...

So I am officially back home in Kenosha..

My parents came and picked me up last Thursday afternoon and we were back home by night. It felt really good to be back. The sinks are deeper, the bathrooms bigger, and the toilet paper softer. It is the total package. Unfortunately I found out that I would not have a car once home because my sister totaled one and the other one was in the shop.

On Friday morning we flew to New York for an Engagement Party. Alright, I have been asked this a million times, why are you going to an engagement? Here is the low down. In the Indian Community, when someone gets married, they throw a huge engagement ceremony, usually at the bride's hometown. Then the wedding usually ends up at the groom's hometown. In this case, the bride was from New York and the groom was from Chicago. So my whole family flew to New York on Friday and flew back on Saturday afternoon. That's right, a total of about 23 hours in NY!

I finally got to meet up with some friends from high school on Sunday night. It was nice to see a lot of the guys again. I also met up with one my closest family friends. He has been one of the most influential people in my life and also our entire family. It was nice to get some advice on things that I had questions about and have a bit more clarity for the future.

Monday was so great because I finally just got to be plain out lazy. I slept until about 11:30 and basically roamed around the house all day. I did go out and cut the grass, which was pretty intense. Other than that, I was lucky enough to catch my sister's last Powder Puff game that was good but pretty boring. No one scored until the last play of the game with 14 seconds left on the clock. It was unbelievable (that’s not a good unbelievable either).

Over the last few days I have had the opportunity to hang out with my Appachen and Ammachi a whole lot (Grandpa and Grandma in English). It is such a blast just hanging out with them because they know so much. I made breakfast with my Ammachi this morning, which was such a good time. Banana, Chocolate Chip pancakes, always a big hit. Also, my grandparents filled me in on the way they grew up and how they ever came to be in the U.S. It is such a great story, truly a work of God. Just over the last few days, I have learned to appreciate how lucky I am to be where I am.

And finally, here is the biggest news of the week, if you already do not know. I am in a hunt for a NEW DIGITAL CAMERA! Yes, that is right. If you already do not know, I LOVE taking pictures and usually have my camera with me. However, the last few weeks of school I have been slacking because my camera has been acting up. So, my brothers said they would pitch in and help me get a new one. Wow, am I pumped. However, now I am on a frantic search to find the PERFECT camera. I don't know which one I want. Alright, for those of you who are digital camera savvy, here is what I am looking at. The Panasonic DMZ-FZ5, Olympus C-770 UZ, and the Kodak Z740. If any of you have any insight on these cameras in specific or the companies themselves, which would be great.

Other than that, I am meeting up with a few friends tonight for dinner. I am thinking about bringing my book of questions. For those of you who know about the book, you know that it is an instant good time. I cannot believe that two weeks from now I will be heading out to Ocean City!

The End...

Well, there it goes, my sophomore year of college is over...

I have realized I get really sentimental about almost everything, so I think this little post will be purely a reflection.

It started hitting me today that tomorrow I will be back home again. The roommates I have been with for the last year will no longer be there. The apartment I am used to will be gone. Do not get be wrong at all, I love home, but still, it is just different. I was reflecting on how our roommate situation even came together. Towards the end of my freshman year, one of my roommates, Matt Hupila, and I were trying to figure out where to live. For about a month period, we had about seven different roommates who eventually all backed out on us. However, in the end, the group that was formed was pretty great. There were two guys we barely knew, Matt Hegar and Mark Anderson, and a guy I just met towards the end of freshman year, Travis Kluthe. Hupila and I really did not know what to expect. We really only knew each other. But looking back on the year now, it really was a pretty dynamic combination. Each of us brought something different to the table but we got along extremely well. I was just so surprised how laid back everything was, but at the same time, things got done. I learned a lot about myself this past year by being surrounded by people who had such different views as me. It was such a great thing, and I will really miss that this summer.

Tonight was also Lindsay Greco's birthday! I love how my hallway from freshman year works. We have always been known as "2 S" and I am proud to be a part of it. Some how, some way, we find a way to get together. I think the greatest part of our hallway was how open people were. Every time I am with the hallway, I instantly feel comfortable and able to speak my mind. It is such a great environment. I think all of us from the hallway would agree that we totally miss that environment. Again, the reason it was so great is that everyone brought something different to the table that really opened up great conversations and some funny times. One of my favorite moments was "The Prank" Evan K., Kevin, the Big O, Hupila, Shwa, and many others planned for months. It was a genius idea to use the wireless technology of a keyboard to scare the heck out of one of our friends, the unfortunate Taylor. While it was unfortunate we brought her to tears, we knew she wouldn't be mad at us and it was just a great time. Props to Taylor and the other girls in the hallway for putting up with us.

Before I forget, I wanted to give the guys in the Sanford Study a big thank you for taking Go and I out for dinner. Guys, that was really great and unexpected (even though I got an e-mail telling me the plan!) I really appreciate the thoughtfulness and will say it one last time. This year has been huge for me, I think I learned more from you guys then what I taught you. Your love for the people around you and each other is unbelievable. You guys truly blew me away and I love each of you for what you brought to study. Wow, here is a reoccurring theme, it was just dynamic to see how different each of you were, but how well you all got along. I cannot wait to see what God does in your lives!!

Other than that, I have probably spent a good 4 hours in the past 10 hours cleaning up the apartment. It being close to four in the morning, I am going to call it a day. Take care all!

Its about time

So here I am, the night before a final, thinking to myself, I really need to write something on my blog. Although I have not told to many people about it, I feel some sort of responsibility to myself to at least add to it every once in a while. Ya, its finals week, but for some reason, I'm not as stressed out as I should be (which is a bad thing, because I am writing a blog posting when I should be studying.)

Well the last week was pretty anti-climatic for what it should have been. A lot of people graduated who affected my life in one way or another. However, it is kinda weird that when you say good-bye to them, you really may never see them again in your life.

So here is my shout out to those people who have played a role in my life who are graduating (I'm going to apologize in advance because I know I will forget someone who should be here.) I got to give props to Ross for leading the Frontier study last year and all the sweet breakfasts he makes. One of the few die-hard Bear fans here in Minnesota, Nate Lishway (sorry if I spelled it wrong) is the man. Not only is he a Bear fan but also he also always offers rides and took me to Vespers this year. I just saw Brian Jacobson tonight who I just got to know this year but has been extremely helpful and offering advice for various things. Guys like Nate Smith and Charlie who I look up to in general. My Geology friend John Schrupp deserves credit for always making me talk in the middle of class. Even those guys like Jon Hart, Zach Thwaits, Dave Hammon who I do not know that well but still look up too.

The last one I do not want to forget is Diddy. Wow, I feel bad for those who have not got a chance to meet the dynamic man. He just had a way of relating to everyone. It will be weird to be down in the Cru house and not see him at all.

Alright folks, that is the list I could think of right now. I know for a fact I am forgetting a whole heap of people, so it is possible I may add people in the future.

And now, a notebook titled "Literature of the Public Life" is calling my name. Bye!

p.s. I know I spelled a ton of names wrong, sorry

Rambling

Welcome to the offical blog of Josh Mathews. Yes, I have finally carried my thoughts into action and actually created a blog. This time I am going to share the website of my blog with other people. At first I had this idea that I could keep a secret blog as a sort of online journal. But then I thought that might be a bit selfish. So here it goes.