David Crowder Concert

Tonight! I am going to a David Crowder concert tonight, in case you didn't get that...

I'm not really one for concerts, but I suppose I am fairly excited, I mean the guy does have a wicked crazy hair due! That is about all I have planned for the weekend. Well I also have a paper to do for Greek and Roman History about this book called the 12 Caesars. I know sounds exciting right?!? Well I will let all you faithful followers know how it all was in a couple days, hopefully I can get a picture of the crazy hair guy. 

Crazy Love

For those of you who don't know, I am running a retreat starting two weeks from this Friday for Jr. High students. This has been consuming quite a bit of my time for the past month and a half. My hopes and expectations for the weekend is to change the way we, particularly Jr. High students view love. It seems kinda funny how we love soccer, but if we think about it no matter how much we sacrifice for the game, what does soccer do for us? How does it sacrifice for our gain? We are going to be defining love, looking at how we are loved by GOD, and then what we can do in response to GOD's Crazy Love.

It has been quite a journey in discovering topics and ideas for games and such, but after a few meetings with a new mentor of mine, whom I am working for at another church now, I think we have a good weekend planned. The last challenge we faced was getting a band. We had one planned, then we had to change the weekend due to use of facilities and since we changed the band could no longer come. I talked with a few people and no one seemed to be interested. It was getting down to the day we had to know who was leading worship or else (I don't really know what would have happened, but we had to have someone by then). Then a kid was suggested so I called him up, he couldn't do it but... he said he knew of 2 other people who would be interested that he trusted completely. So I called the first one up and she is going to lead the charge, this took a huge weight off my shoulders. It was awesome, literally 3 hours before our meeting where I had to have a band it was confirmed!

I really see a group of Jr. High students really making a change in the way things are done in our youth ministry and possibly even sparking change in the church. I believe with a more outward centered approach we can become more grounded inwardly. I had the privilege of working with the Jr. High ministry over the summer and noticed that they want to do the right thing, they just don't know why they should fall in love with GOD and do as he commands. I expect this to change after this weekend as we really look at what we can do to obey the one who created us. It will also be good for the adults and high schoolers that will be helping.

I will definitely be posting right after the retreat is over (it is the 14th and 15th of November). I would love to feel the prayers going out for the leadership of the retreat and for hearts and lives to be changed. I am really excited for this weekend and I know that GOD has some wonderful things in store. 

Corn Maze and Costumes and a Few Scares

Today I went and looked at some Halloween costumes at several different stores. I didn't buy anything, but we went into one store that was just awesome and decorated for Halloween, it was kinda creepy. We went in this one room and there was a fake man laying on a table and just had blood and guts all over him and there was a coffin next to him. The people I was with walked down the other side, but they could still see me. I noticed before I got to the coffin that the guys stomach was a weird shape so I got a little closer and right as I started to lean in to see what was up with his stomach he sat straight up and I jumped and yelled so loud it wasn't funny at all. There were only a couple other guys than the two that were with me, but everyone was laughing so hard at me it was terrible. I like to be the one scaring people, I don't like being on the receiving end!

Then I had a quick meeting for the Jr. High retreat I am running. People really got pretty excited about it and that made me even more excited than I already am, I didn't think that was possible but apparently it is.

After the meeting the youth group went to a corn maze. I went with the intention of scaring someone worse than I was scared at the store, but that didn't happen. This was one of the corn mazes that was like a scavenger hunt in a maze of corn, it was like you have to get through a maze... I don't know if that is what you thought a corn maze was but I was a little disappointed.

Since I didn't get to scare anyone there, I went to my friends house afterwards to watch the Ohio State game (I wasn't that interested in the game, but my friends were there so I went). I took him home and we were the first ones back and he had this mask... you can probably see where this is going, but to get into his living room from the door you walk by a bathroom in a dimly lit hall, you're probably getting the picture. I scared every single person that walked into that house, some of them even twice, don't ask me how you fall for it twice but some people just don't learn! Needless to say this was quite a consolation for not being able to scare anyone in the corn maze.

A Day Without Ethics!

Yesterday I woke up at 10 minutes till 8 am to make it to my 8 o'clock modern ethics class. I didn't take a shower or anything and was contemplating skipping the class (I have not skipped yet and have 4 possible skips). I rush to class to get there just in the nick of time only to find... no one in the class, class was cancelled. I woke up for nothing, my next class wasn't until 11.

So I went back to sleep thinking I will wake up in without an alarm before my next class at 11. So I fall back asleep and when I wake up I think it is only 9:45 at the latest, I look at the clock and it is 11:30! Way to late to try and sneak in. I found out later that we really didn't do anything important so it really wasn't that big of a deal.

I volunteer at this after-school program called Bloc Ministries on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesdays. The people that work there are all from my school except one kid. There are a few people who live in the Bloc House which is just a house with 3 or 4 guys that work for Bloc. We were talking on Wednesday about having a dinner and everybody bringing something. So we went to the Bloc House and fixed dinner ourselves, there were about 8 of us. We had a great time we ate and watch Hancock, then we looked at videos on Youtube for at least 3 hours and were crying laughing at times. We were having such a good time that we missed curfew by about an hour. 

I realized that after not having Ethics class for a day I just wasn't concerned about missing another class or missing curfew or anything. So it kinda led me to wonder, what would happen in the world if we had one whole day where everyone's ethical code went out the window and we all lived however we wanted? Something to think about, but I hope that day never comes.

Dinner at Howard's

Last night I was invited over to Howard Brammer's house, our interim senior pastor, for dinner with some other students from churches he has served. His wife Martha fixed a wonderful hardy meal consisting of meat loaf, corn, green beans, some wonderful mashed potatoes, and Ezekiel bread. Ezekiel bread is a special kind of bread they make themselves, but their doctor recommended it, Martha said you can find the recipe in the book of Ezekiel... so if anyone is interested on a new type of bread, start reading up on you prophets!

The night was fun, we heard all kinds of stories about how they met, some of their dating life, and stories from their journey through life. We were even privileged to see a picture of the young Howard when he was in college. He picked up this cane that was sitting in the corner, the stick part was made of old wood that looked like it had been around for a while and the handle was a carved bone. He told us that when they had moved into the house they stripped the walls down to remodel the house and they found the cane in the walls! So several of their family members came up with different theories as to why it was in the walls. After he showed it to us he says, "So I would like to hear your theory about... so Jordan why don't you start us off." He hands me the cane. I was thinking to myself does he really want me to make up a story about this thing? Then Martha asked for his help for a second so I quickly passed it on to the guy sitting next to me. I think I am supposed to have a story for this Sunday though when I see him at church.

Well the evening was rather refreshing, it was nice to get off of campus and have a wonderful home-cooked meal. I sort of like hearing people's stories too, so the whole evening was very nice.

The evening reminded me a little bit of being over at my Great-Grandma's house, she made a good meat loaf and loved to tell stories about when she was growing up. I even remember the one of her and Great-Grandpa getting married.

The Stereotypical Woman

I am sorry if saying this offends anyone, but it made me laugh and I just have to share it. 

I help out at a church in Mason, which is about half way between where I go to school and my mom's house. I also occasionally give this girl named Ashley a ride to or from her house on the weekends, she lives fairly close to my mom's. Well, yesterday she was going to come to the church and help out as well and I was asked to give her a ride.

I packed up my car, I had my guitar, basket of laundry, a bag for clothes, and my computer case... and of course some food that was "forced" upon me to take to school!  I pick her up and she has a rather large bag of laundry, a school bag, a brown paper sack, another bag of who-knows-what, and of course her purse. 

So now my trunk is full and we go to church! Which by the way was really cool last night, we had a worship night, it lasted about an hour and 15 minutes.

I also normally take the worship leader back to school, we were the only ones from our school. So he asks if he could have a ride. Your probably thinking, "not a big deal," but did I mention that he adds to the car not only another person, but another guitar and a guitar amp! If you aren't getting this yet, let me show you a picture of my car.

I know this doesn't help a lot, but the point is, it is a small two door coupe. So after church while Zac, the worship leader is packing up, Ashley and I go out to re-arrange some of the stuff in it because we had some of her stuff in the back seat. So we take off the cover to the trunk to give it more space and pack everything in real well so we can fit Zac's guitar and amp in the back seat. I must admit I used some of my "man skills" in packing the car and this is the part that was the stereotypical woman part... Right as I finish my expert packing, I just barely get it so the trunk will close, close the trunk, and she says, "Oh wait... I need my purse, it's in the trunk." 

Repeat process of packing trunk.

Even after the trunk was re-organized Zac's amp was on the one back seat and the guitar was laying right under Ashley's feet and the trunk cover across her lap. I wish I would have taken a picture. It's not that I didn't think about it, it's just that my camera was in my computer case in the bottom of the trunk! I wasn't about to dig it out.

Welcome Home Lieutenant Colonel David Searle

After my eventful Friday, I didn't really do a whole lot. Saturday I met my dad at the mall and sat in the "man chair" in Elder Bereman while Anita shopped... and by shopped I mean she took about 10 things into the dressing room, no idea how many she tried on, then came out and hung about all of them back up then proceeded with the same process. I have no idea how many times the process repeated, but my dad and I went to get something to drink and walked around a bit and about a half hour after we came back she had about 3 things she wanted! My dad and I had a good time talking though.

Then we went to the Searle's house, some of you might have heard them referred to as my third family, since both of my parents live about a half hour away from my church, whenever I am hanging around the church on the weekends most of the time I go and stay at their house or my other friend Nick's house. Anyway, we went to celebrate the return of Lieutenant Colonel David Searle, returning home from Iraq. He was a very happy man, he normally is, but there was extra happiness since he has been home. He is a wonderful piano/keyboard "ist", so we got to jam a little that night which was very fun. I wish I had a picture of him, but I don't have a good one, maybe sometime soon!

A Wonderful Doctors Visit

The other day I was informed that I had a doctor's appointment on Friday (yesterday). I was told that it will just be a routine check-up and I shouldn't even be there very long. So I go in and get all of my measurements and everything, by the way I am 5 ft. and 9.25 in. (in case anyone was dying to know!?!), then the nurse says, "Well your mom sent these forms in, it looks like you will be getting a few shots today!" Now let me just clarify, I don't mind needles, but she listed off about 6 shots that I needed. The good news is, she proceeded to tell me they don't do all of them and I will only be able to get 3 of the shots from this place. Then it got even better, she told me that the one shot for whatever reason I had to come back in 3 days, which would be Monday. When she asked me if I would be able to do that, assured her that there was no way because I would be back down at school and I just couldn't do that! So I still received 2 shots and one of them made my arm a little sore, but I didn't notice it for about 6 or 7 hours. They also took some of my blood from me.

Other than that it was a wonderful day. I went up to see my Great Grandpa, but he was out of town. So I walked around his yard for a while and took some pictures. Then I went to my Grandma and Grandpa Trump's house. Ate lunch with them, then before I went on my way Grandma insisted on me taking some bakies with me, to which I just couldn't tell her no, you understand.  

In case you are wondering about what a bakie is, I just have one question to ask that will explain it for you... To make a cookie, do you cook it or do you bake it? Think about this one.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, just a football game and a 5th quarter party at the church.

Just a few pictures so you can see a little what my Great Grandpa's house looks like in case you haven't been there and if you have, hear is a little something to remind you of whatever it is you think of when you are there...

The good ole creek or crick as some of you might say it...

This is what most of it looked like though. (Kinda less exciting, huh)

The world famous pond!

Finally the house.

Trip to North Carolina

Over fall break I decided to go down to North Carolina to visit some family. I have a few cousins and a couple aunts that live in the Charlotte area. I spent most of my time with my cousin Kristi and her family, Ian and Kylie. It was a nice change from the busy college life to go down there and have my main objective be to keep Kylie who is two and their dog Maya entertained so they could get some stuff done. I also went to visit my Aunt Carol Lynn and went with her to surprise her daughter Sara by picking her up from school. She was rather surprised and somewhat speechless for a few minutes after getting in the car, she just sat in the back seat and giggled, it was pretty cute. Here are a few pictures from my visit.

Kylie and Maya after a "Nice walk!"

Kylie loved taking pictures with my camera!

Kylie loves her grandma (my Aunt Saundra) and me too.

Cousin Sara and Me! She is getting pretty big and she is in the first grade!

It was a nice and refreshing visit/get-away, it wasn't fun leaving, especially knowing I would be coming back to school, but I hope to see them again soon. I also saw several other family members, but I either didn't get a picture of them, or got one that they didn't care for... for instance, I got a picture of my cousin Traci as she was turning away, so it is more like the back of her head! Know that I was thinking about you Traci, I almost posted it!

A Mossy Creek and Cracked Walnuts

I know this sounds sort of random, but I was thinking about my childhood and one place I spent a lot of time was my Great Grandfathers house. There is a mossy creek that runs through his property which I absolutely loved to walk up and down catching anything from minnows to crawdads. 

Apart from wondering around the wooded wonder, I remember a few cold days outside where we would be enjoying the warmth of a fire. Between my Great Grandpa and Grandma's chairs was an end table that held a bowl of pre-cracked walnuts with a "cracker" in the bowl. I remember my great grandpa teaching me how to crack a walnut open and I thought it was one of the coolest things ever and would crack as many walnuts from the bowl as I could and he would eat everyone that I cracked.

Something that I have been thinking about lately is in Luke where Jesus said that one who does not receive the kingdom of heaven like a child will have a hard time entering Heaven! So this is just something to remind me of my childhood to remind me of the wonder and amazement a child has on life, especially with something as simple as cracking walnuts!