Grace, make your way to the well.

Good morning.

I have had a very nice, relaxing few days. I got all of my homework done at the end of the week, so I had all three days of the weekend to relax.

It was nice.

I'll recap on both Saturday and Sunday as I didn't get a chance to blog at all Saturday night.

Saturday started with some football practice. It was pretty chill for me as I don't play offense regularly, so I got to take it easy for most of the practice.

I took a shower. Mmm.

David and I hit up brunch. Brunch is so good.

I really didn't do much in the afternoon. I basically just hung out and took it pretty easily until my interview at Starbucks at 3.

The interview went pretty well, I believe. I really hope I get the job. I assumed that they would let me know at the interview whether or not they would hire me, but I guess since they hire not only for their store but for the district, I have to wait about a week. I'm pretty confident, but at the same time I'm a little nervous.

I could really use the job, so hopefully it's God's will for me to get the job.

After the interview, I got a speeding ticket. From a real cop. I was pretty pumped about the interview I wasn't really paying attention to my speed, and it finally cost me.
That was a big bummer after a pretty good interview.

At least I can take traffic school.

Dinner. Good. Appreciative.

Flag Football game. This was a lot of fun. Aside from getting a foot to the right groin muscle/more, I had a really good time. A few more of our players got injured which was really lame, but overall it was a pretty good game even though we lost by two.

Then I started Deer Hunter. So far. So good.

Stopped it and David and I went to commons with Heather and Caitlyn. I helped Heather with math, which was great. I really enjoy math and I really enjoy helping people with it, especially friends. I was good hanging out/doing some homework.

Bed was nice. I slept in Clay's bed. Being not lofted is pretty nice and I definitely see the benefit of it, but I can't complain.

Wake. Shower. Drive.

Church. We did Only You and Not to Us for worship. So good.

Small group was very frustrating, but towards the end some of the students were getting a little bit...at least I think maybe one of them might have grabbed a snippet. Hopefully.

Rubberbands + 7th graders = not good for talking and asking questions. Dumb rubberband bag.

It's okay. Hopefully one of them grew a little bit or had their hearts poked at with some conviction. It was good to hang with my guys, but I definitely wished Mark was there.

Church was good. I was a little distracted for the service due to one of my awesome guys still having a few rubberbands and a pen and an endless supply of paper to carve on. Simply writing/drawing does not make that much noise-definitely was carving the paper.

Holy moly.

Lunch at Best Cafe with BryceMollyJonDavidKevinAlyssa = good stress relief and hang out time. That made me forget my small group/service woes. Hooray.

Band practice took place after the return trip. Practice was good. We tried out a new guy for bass. It made me realize that I miss Clay there. A lot. We all decided that Clay's pure and raw talent and creativity can definitely not be replaced by anyone, so we need to not expect that. We're keeping our eyes open, mayhap we will find someone who can maybe fill a tenth of Clay's shoes.

Doubt it.

Hung out some more after that and helped David with a powerpoint presentation. That was cool. I ate with Jono tonight. That was fun. We discussed the future of the band some more.

I visited Caitlyn and Heather. They were homework ridden but I was able to help Cait with some computer issues and got a rough cd for Heather. That was fun.

Been hanging since then. David, Mark, Titty, and myself hit Carl's up for $1 spicy chicken. Burger King definitely blows CJ's chicken out of the water. Owned yet again.

And here I am. Typing away. Only having to make one bathroom break. I'm pretty content and I'm rocking As Cities Burn. Good.

I've been writing a song. Sort of. It's not done yet, but I added a significant amount to it today. It has to do with the idea that many of us Christians often hide inside of a shiny, clean shell and pose for everyone and hide the wretched inside that could get healed if only we would bring it to the light. It's a goofy song (the words "turtle" and "crab" appear in it = extra goofy). I like it so far though. I wish I could write like Thrice or Showbread or As Cities Burn, oh dear that would be amazing. But I'll have to settle for writing about turtles. Ha. I guess if Pumpernickel bread can appear in a song, anything can.

I'll disclose the song for you once it is complete. Perhaps a rough cut of it via Garage Band? Perhaps.

I'd like to share with you the verses that inspired me to write today: Romans 12:9-21. We are going to be going over this all year in our small groups, so we've been reading it frequently for the past couple of weeks. It has some heavy stuff but definitely a ton to learn from.

9-21 is the focus, but the whole chapter is good and the preceding verses really build up to it, so here is the whole chapter. p.s. all of the verses I post here are from the English Standard Version found here: http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/

12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, [1] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] 2 Do not be conformed to this world, [3] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. [4]

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, [5] and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, [6] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, [7] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. [8] Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it [9] to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Wow. So many things for me to work on. What inspired me is the fact that the first thing listed is genuine, not hypocritical, love. First things first: we need to not be hypocritical in our love. So that's really where the song gets its roots from.

I hope it turns out to be a good song. I usually look back on "poetry" I've written and found it to be poopy. I'd like for this not to be poopy.

But yeah, I'm definitely going to be learning with my students as we dig in and chew this passage all year. I'm praying that it will help me grow as a believer so that I can be an example to my guys and simply the youth group as a whole.

With the Lords help, anythings possible.

Grace. Amazing.

Praise the Lord for that.

Monday, you've started nicely.

Come Now Sleep.

Lee