College 101

My mother.
Is dumb.
So we're riding in the car, coming home from the airport, and an ad for Del Tech come on the radio.
Then my mom says something like, "I need to find out if you're going away to college or going to Del Tech."
Of course, I immediately reply.
"I am not going to Del Tech."
The way she said it was like I actually would consider going to Del Tech.
I don't have anything really against Del Tech, it's just, that it's Del Tech.
And it's still in Sussex County.
And I would live at home with them.
Which would suck immensly.
And then she went into this sales pitch for Del Tech how I wouldn't have to pay tuition or something since I'm in state (and in-county for that matter).
It was insane.
Then she kinda eased off and just started talking about how my sisters took classes there before they went off to college and that cut off a bunch of time and money from college.
Oh gosh.
Idiots.
At least I've survived College 101.
101 of many.

"Take my hand"

Mason and I.

In school.
Day 4, I believe.

Many thanks to my photographer.












Touch my skin and tell me what you're thinking,
Take my hand and show me where we're going
Lie down next to me,
Look into my eyes and tell me,
Oh tell me what you're seeing.

So sit on top of the world and tell me how you're feeling,
What you feel is what I feel for you.
Take my hand and if I'm lying to you,
I'll always be alone, if I'm lying to you.

See my eyes, they carry your reflection,
Watch my lips and hear the words I'm telling you
Give your trust to me and look into my heart and show me,
Show me what you're doing.

So sit on top of the world and tell me how you're feeling,
What you feel is what I feel for you.
Take my hand and if I'm lying to you,
I'll always be alone, if I'm lying to you.

Take your time, and if I'm lying to you,
I know you'll find that you believe me, you believe me, you believe me.
Feel the sun on your face and tell me what you're thinking
Catch the snow on your tongue and show me how it tastes
Take your time
Take my hand and if I'm lying to you, I'll always be alone,
If I'm lying to you
Take your time and if I'm lying to you,
I know you'll find that you believe me, you believe me.

Take My Hand, Dido

Stereotype yourself

The other night, I was talking to one of my friends who isn't quite sure if he's a Christian or not, and in this conversation he said "I'm not the good Christian boy anymore," which made me think.
Deeply.
True, some of the things he's done are things I wouldn't be doing, but that's the point. Christians don't have to be cookie cut outs of each other, we all screw up in one way or another, and that seems to be the point. I read somewhere this little message:

"When I say... 'I am a Christian,'
I'm not shouting 'I am saved,'
I'm whispering 'I was lost!
That is why I chose this way.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian,'
I'm don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need someone to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian,'
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say... 'I am a Christian,'
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I've failed and cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say... 'I am a Christian,'
I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are too visible but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian,'
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches which is why I seek his name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian,'
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority I only know I'm loved."

This is my point --if the whole point of Christianity is that God will forgive anyone, no matter what they've done (as long as they ask for forgiveness), how can we stereotype ourselves as the "good Christian" boys and girls? Hmm? Is there such a thing? No! There isn't! Because there was only one good "Christian" boy, and He wasn't even a Christian, He was Jewish! So, in closing, don't stereotype each other just becasue they are or aren't a certain religion. That's pretty much the end of my stroke of genious for the day.

"Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play."

Yesterday a lot of things happened.
Other than getting rice thrown all over me yet again during the skits for VBS, I was drafted to run the nursery for the night. Yeah, there were only two kids in there, but it was a pretty new experience for Kim and I. So, the one girl that was there, Bethany, is about one and a half years old, and is quite the vocalist. As soon as Kay took Bethany and I down to the nursery, Bethany started wailing into the carpet for a minute or two. Kim comes back in, Kay leaves, and we get Bethany all under control. Eventually Kay brings her baby son Cole back in for us to watch for the rest of the night, and Kim and I were very excited. For a while I was entertaining Cole while Kim kept Bethany from screaming or climbing all over Cole's stroller. After a while Kim got totally jealous and made me switch with her, but I didn't care. I had already had a breakthrough during my short time with Cole Steven. What did I discover, you ask?
A heck of a lot.
So, first, I was looking in his eyes and I realized that they were amaing. An incredible deep blue that got lighter closer to the pupil. Looking closer at the whites, I realized that the whites were blue as well. Not overly blue, but they had a blue tint that's kindof hard to notice. Kim came over and said "He's gonna have gorgeous eyes when he's older," "He already does."
But what was even more incredulous was that I picked him up out of his stroller and held him.
And it was, I don't even know how to begin to describe the feeling. It was, I guess, empowering to realize that I was holding this, this thing that is so simplistic that it doesn't even know what is happening or who I am or who he is, and at that very moment I had control of his life. I determined where he was going to do, and even could have changed his life simply by showing him television (children under one aren't supposed to watch television because it can cause ADD later in their life), man I had his life in my hands. Quite literally. I could have easily killed him if I got distracted by Bethany or some random event, or I could have saved him if another random dude broke into the church or anything.
But, in case you were wondering, yes, it was the first time I held a baby.
Hopefully it won't be the last time.

Yesterday I went to my school. Its summertime and school is just freaking depressing during summertime.

I am trying to get into the Wellness Center, but all the doors near it are locked so I have to walk up to the main doors near the office. On my way up, I notice that the blinds in the art room are up so, for a split second, I hope that the art teacher is in there so I can have another round of our "God's Plan" discussion (even though their car most definitely is not in the parking lot). So then, I get to the doors. I turn the corner and start walking down these dark hallways and immediately I see the principle standing there talking to a janitor and he just kinda gives me this "I recognize you" look as I walk on by. So I'm following this random janitor who's carrying a SmartBoard down the hall, pass the swarm of people who went into the Adult Ed office, and down the dark, deserted 100 Wing, home of the art room, Wellness Center, and several other unimportant rooms. Light is streaming forth from the art room, but, wait, why is there a fan in the doorway? Why are all the tables and computers in the hall? Wh-wh-That's right, our art teacher HAS a life. And a family they love much more than me. I keep walking to the Wellness Center and am trying not to think about the large, empty white room. Sitting in there, waiting as they fill out my paperwork, I'm clearing my mind and just listen to the conversation around me and try to place this woman sitting in front of me. Oh yes! The paperwork is done! Thank you, goodbye, RUN AND GET OUT!

This is totally dumb and very stupid.

So. I go to the bathroom in our upstairs bathroom (and, coincidentally, receive a text!). I go to wash my hands and realize there's no soap. So I come downstairs, go into the bathroom, but the soap has been moved into the bedroom right next to it because we had some guys working in there. Anyways, I go into the bedroom, get a handful of soap, then go back into the bathroom and finally get my hands washed. It was amazing how long it took to wash my hands --good thing I didn't leave the water running!

Aaaah, the technologically dependent!

I, like many people I know, have a cell phone. I proudly carry it in my pocket (when not in school, because I just got a phone that will fit in my pocket while sitting down, but that is besides the point) everywhere I go. So a week or so ago, when I was chilling in Rehoboth with my English teacher and her five "hooliganious" children (okay, technically only four of them were there the entire time), she said "Oh you normally have your cell phone with you, don't you?" I assured her that I did because I felt, well I knew I felt something without it but I didn't know how to complete this phrase: "I feel ______ without it." She tried to fill it in for me with the standard "naked," but I thoughtfully shot back, "No... I feel... incomplete without it." And sadly, it is the truth. Without that comforting black Razr in my pocket, I feel like I could be missing out on life. Hardly anyone ever calls me, but I'm certain that if I ever went somewhere (even into the bathroom) without it, someone vitally important would text me and I wouldn't have my phone with me, allowing me to read it immediately or potentially miss the fact that I had even received a text. Laugh all you want, but it's the truth. And sometimes, "the truth, the truth freaking hurts." (Grey's Anatomy episode something or other)