Photography and House Sitting

Sitting around playing video games is only satisfying for so long. So after a time, Mark, Jamie, and I decided to do something productive. So we went to downtown High Point to take pictures. (some of which you may see on Mark or Jamie's blogs) Apparently High Point is pretty close to a ghost town when market isn't in. We soon got hungry and took a trip to CB's before going to Oak Hollow park to eat. Mark ordered a cheeseburger, 2 BBQ sandwiches, and a tub of potato salad. So we ate and skipped rocks then went back home to play video games. However our bot killing was interrupted by a call from Brad asking if we wanted to go to Rodie's house. Jamie was tired so Mark and I went to Rodie's around 10:45. We didn't really care about the movie we were going to watch, we just wanted to listen to Brad. We stupidly assumed that since we were going to Rodie's house, Rodie would be there. However, it turns out Rodie's whole family is in California and Brad is house sitting for them. What would possess someone to hand over there house keys to Brad is beyond me.

Of Dill Pickle Chips, Cheese Curls, and People

Well yesterday was everything advertised and more. Maybe Mark or Jamie will blog about the actual events, but what I'm going to do is make sort of a cast of characters.

Brad- at 26 he's by far the oldest of us, yet he's at best only as mature as Kevin. He has the ability to make himself look pregnant, and he exemplifies childlike faith.

Chris- one of the weirdest kids I've ever met, he spent yesterday naming frogs and sticking them down his shorts (the frogs usually end up on Jamie in the end) and singing John Mayer songs to dogs and Mark. He also drives as wrecklessly as Dustin. Marshall and I sunk his canoe yesterday.

Meryl- one of the most lovable people I've ever met. She also happens to be an excellent musician who is opening for Audio Adrenaline at Atlanta Fest.

Kim- Brad's girlfriend, she keeps Brad alive.

Rhett- he may be small in stature, but he's got a big heart. He also looks like Hobbit when swinging on a rope.

These brief descriptions don't even begin to encompass the personality's of these people. Especially the total lunacy of Chris and Brad. I only hope the rest of you get to experience people like this. They are SO entertaining.

Promise of Adventure During the next 12 hours

Today shall be good.

New Nightmare

I had the craziest dream last night. As I'm typing this, I'm extremely reluctant to tell it but it's so weird that I have to. I don't remember to many details, but here goes. All of us were at Marshall/Mark and Jamie's house (in the dream they where the same) we were all sitting around and some random lady who reminds me of a daycare worker at my school, informs me that I've somehow managed to impregnate some girl in Ohio whom I've never met. It then turns out that everyone but me had known this for some time and thought it was funny. It gets worse. Stephen then informs me that I've done it again to some girl in Arizona, whom I also have not met. So of course I'm in my own personal hell at this point because I've got two kids and their mothers, none of whom I have ever seen before. So all my future plans for marriage and college and stuff have just come to an abrupt and strange end. The whole dream I never questioned the fact that I was the father, even though I'd never seen either of the mothers. Anyways, this dream was extremly powerful because I've never felt such strong emotions in a dream before. I was SOOOO depressed. I actually woke up and it took me like 20 minutes to come to the beautiful realization that it was actually a dream. I'm totally crazy apparently.

What You've Missed

Well as you probably know, my blog left me for a time, but Jamie retrieved it from where ever it was. In the mean time I've officially graduated from high school, spent alot of time with family and friends and become confused again. Graduation was boring, hot, long, and pointless since they didn't actually give me my diploma. I have to go back to school on Monday to get it. Oh well. All of my grandparents came. This is partially bearable. I won't miss a whole lot about Wesleyan, just a few people really. We had a huge graduation party on Saturday at Marshall's house. We had loads of fun especially when we took my Grandad's camera and wasted all the film on gross pictures of us. Stephen and Jacob drove a golf cart on main roads to Jacob's mom's house at 12:30am, and of course got stopped by a cop. Stephen tried to give me a hickey with a piece of pipe. I convinced Tiphani to stare at a blank tv screen to see a face. Jamie beat me in checkers. We rented a movie, but never watched it. We left at 1. So basically it was just like every other night we all spent together.

trying something

im trying to get my blog to work...

Weekend Raving and BIngham Rantings

This weekend was quite amazing, I worked a men's retreat at A Place for the Heart. God answered a long time prayer of mine, and broke Will's heart. Well there we were about 9 big strong teenage guys weeping. Still and all I was full of joy, so I'm not sure were the tears came from oh well. Jesus has Will and there's nothing he can do about it. In other weekend events I hurt myself on a huge waterswing. Watched Spinal Tap, Helter Skelter, and Scotland PA. Today in our daily 7th period trip to the crapper, Bingham began to espouse about how he's the last chance for the Bingham line. It went something like this," when I get married my wife is gonna have to understand, we're just gonna keep going 'till we have like 4 or 5 boys at least, even if the first 4 are girls like poor Paul, we're goin' 'till we get all my boys." It was alot less sane sounding when Bingham said it.

I hate thinking of titles

On the way to the Helser's last night I realized that when I move to Boone in August, the thing I'm going to miss the most is going to be, going to A Place for the Heart with Jamie. That alone is enough to make me dread moving away.

Beautiful Farewell Turned to Crap

Well I should've known better. Today was the annual Wesleyan senior chapel, where seniors get to address all the underclassmen. And I should have known better than to open my mouth, but no, I had to get up in front of 400 people, voluntarily, and say something stupid. I swear I do not have the ability to say something publicly without offending someone. The one reason that I have so looked forward to leaving Wesleyan is that all the people are so petty. Well, I'm sure you're all wondering what I said that was so awful. All I said was, "growing up sucks", that's all it took to get me a trip to Rickman's office. Course it didn't help that I accidently acted quite disrespectful towards him in front of the whole school. Oh well I'm out of here next Friday. And I'm going to a place for the heart tonight that always makes things better.

Special thanks...

I would like to thank Charlotte Latin for their brave (11-1) sacrafice on the altar of a Wesleyan State Championship!
(sorry Mark and Jamie I couldn't resist)
Oh and incase any of you zip line villians reads this, stop calling me to appraise me of the status of your zip line!!!!

Where it all stands...

Well as of 30 minutes ago I am essentially done with high school. My AP Physics exam was alot easier than I thought it would be so I might have passed (doubt it though). I won my first Monopoly game last night (legitamtley). Who knew that game could be fun. We met a guy named Al at the Helser's on Thursday. The best way to describe him is Santa Claus/ Jerry Garcia/ John the Baptist. He was amazing, I hope to get a picture on here eventually. I feel like I've figured some stuff out, even though I havn't so that's good. My friend Will came to Christ again about two weeks ago, but I think it's gonna stick this time, mainly because of Al. While I'm on the topic of Will Lehman, Mark and I went to his house Saturday night to witness some HALO action. I never cease to be amazed by how much these kids care about HALO. If I ever become that obsessed about something that's not Jesus, my wife, or my kids, please shoot me.

In the Middle of the Storm

Well I've kind of left out a pretty big recent occurence in my life. A friend of mine, Josh Haybrock and his dad where lost a sea for several days a few weeks ago. You probably saw it on the news. When I first heard he was lost and the Coast Guard was looking for him I admit I had virtually no faith. I was pretty sure that he was dead. Fortunately, God did not take my lack of faith into account when he showed the coast guard where they were. So now Josh is back and everything is back to normal and once again God answered my prayers.

What's So Confusing?

I don't know. But I am confused about something but I don't know what. My heart is bursting with feelings but I can't sort them out or make any sense of them. Maybe it's trying to figure out what you really think or feel that makes life so worth living or maybe it's something completley different. What makes a mountain more than a big rock? Or an ocean more than a big salty lake. Are they really more than that? What makes love more than just a chemical that your body releases? I believe I know, or at least understand why, but I don't think I can explain it. If I can't explain it do I really know it? I guess I am just glad that mountains are more than big rocks, that oceans are more than big salty lakes, and that love is so much more than a chemical reaction.

Recent Happenings and Thoughts

Last night I fell asleep on a pile of carpet scraps by the sound and light table at OFY while the praise band was practiceing, I woke up because Frank was trying to set me on fire.

Life is confusing so I think I'll ignore it.

John's surgery was today, it went well apparently, another answered prayer.

I hate money. (I don't have any so I might as well)

I also hate rules, for example I'm not allowed to have paintball guns, extension cords, or a microwave in my dorm at App. next year. How do you live without a microwave?

Manhood 101

Well the church men's retreat went pretty much as I expected except that Jesus is never just as good as we expect he's always better. Brian, Jacob, and Josh all went through the right of passage ceremony which actually ment more to me than when I went through it two years ago. Instead of being the one recieving the fatherly advice from older men, I found myself looking through Proverbs for a verse to back up my own advice to the three men to be. The best thing to happen unfortunatly takes some background info to explain so here goes. My church believes that the earthly father's blessing is extremely important to a young man, unfortunatly in modern America fatherhood has lost a great deal of it's meaning which has resulted in untold amounts of pain. So on the men's retreat, older men who never recieved this blessing from their earthly father's have the opportunity to recieve this blessing from their brother's Christ. Anyway, as all these old men where receiving the blessing they should have recieved from their fathers, (and crying like little children at the same time) Larry Daniels stepped forward, proclaimed that Jesus Christ was his Lord and walked into his blessing and the arms of his sons. Of course in order to know how big a deal this was you have to have known the Daniels for as long as I have, but trust me it was BIG.

Let's go back to Thursday real quick, another amazing night at the Helser's, Ken is the most amazing man I've ever met hands down I want to learn everything I can from him. Jamie and I had a great conversation on the way home. I can't wait 'till this Thursday and Friday.

"No more LSD for me, I met the man from Galilee..." - Ken Helser