Speechless

I went to church this morning.

When I got there a man that I have known since I was ten came up to me and gave me a bag. Inside the bag was a leather-bound, high-quality, Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible, with gilded pages and my name engraved on the cover. I was speechless.

I have never received and don't think I ever will receive a gift that means more than this. I have wanted a study Bible for the longest time, but I've never had the money to splurge and buy one that would be worth it. Yet, a man I only see twice a year payed eighty dollars to make sure that I have something that will serve a great purpose to my daily life and the fulfilling of my potential for a very long time.


This is what Christmas is all about. Not the eighty dollar gift. But the intent behind the giving.

Thank you, Gerald.

Technology Schmechnology

If there was a technology train, my father would be on the very back of the caboose. Better yet, he would be trailing along tied by the ankle to a rope whose other end was attached to the caboose of said 'technology train.'  

All this is to say...that...my father just got a cell phone this evening.

A cell phone which was activated, programmed, and charged by me. 

My poor father. He didn't even know that there was a backlight on the phone. Every time the backlight went out, he got really angry and said things like, "Dang it, I thought this phone was supposed to stay on." and "I didn't turn this off! What's going on!?"

I'm afraid now that he has this new fangled contraption, he will forever be plagued by the fact that it keeps turning on and off by itself.

Oh dad. Give me a call as soon as you figure that thing out.

You've got my number.

...So...About Last Night

Last Night

Nights that begin with me taking pictures like this are bound to be interesting.

I will forever be baffled by the fact that Vanilla Rum makes me a different person. But I'm also ok with that person.

I indulged in a game of Doomstack (the hot new drinking commodity), had a long conversation that wouldn't have happened had I been sober, and also participated in my SECOND round of Spin the Bottle this weekend, all in one night. I know this may sound petty to most other twenty one year olds, but here is why it is a big deal for me:

• Until 2 nights ago, I had never made out with anyone at Catawba.
• Until 2 nights ago, my lips had never touched another male's other than my father at the age of 6.
• Until 2 nights ago, I'd never actually been drunk enough to just want to have sex with whoever might have been the first to ask.

I blame it on The Wild Party. If I hadn't been cast in the role of a rather promiscuous man, I wouldn't feel like playing Spin the Bottle every time I found myself in a large group of people.

The Diet

All this talk of The Wild Party brings me to the diet.


Over Christmas Break, I will be running and doing Pilates every morning.
Over Christmas Break, I will be eating small portions of foods I probably won't even like.
Over Christmas Break, I will be getting on a scale every time I use the bathroom.

...and for the first time, I'm ok with that.

I currently weigh about 237 pounds. I'd like to weigh 215 by the time the show opens.

It can be done.


I think I'll talk a page from Candace Neal, and document it in another blog.

Yeah.

The Morning

Its almost 3 am.

I'm going to bed.

Pixar Shorts and Dogs Named Nugget

Food

Cracker Barrel will always make me the happiest boy in the world. Whether its a Half-Pound I-Promise-I-Will-Go-Straight-to-Your-Gut Bacon Cheeseburger or a full plate of Mama's I-Promise-I-Will-Go-Straight-to-Your-Arteries Pancake Breakfast, I will never cease to be completely satisfied with clearing my whole plate and basking in the glow of my expanding waistline.

School

I rest assured in the fact that my Senior year is almost halfway over and there is NOTHING stopping me from graduating...

except maybe that really bad Spanish grade.

Lo Siento.

Illness

::cough cough::

Fine.

Home

You're so close I can taste you. In all your cat-filled, remotely located, insanely rural glory.

No matter how much I complain about it, I will always look forward to returning to my humble little twin-sized bed in Waxhaw for a month after a long, hard semester at school.

Christmas

I don't care how you get here. Just get here soon.

I should probably make a Christmas List...

Christmas List:
iHome
iPod Recorder
a flat stomach
clean laundry
a new roommate
CD player
Gift Cards
sleep


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I will always be okay with Christmas and the holiday season in any capacity.

Love

I will forever be in awe of the things we do for love. Or what we think is love at the moment.


If you're in an unhealthy relationship, get out while the gettin's good. What's the use in hurting yourself and the other person any more?



I say this in hopes that you will stumble upon it in five years and realize he was right:

You are ignorant, egotistical, and more self-centered than you've ever been. You're not going to get very far by thinking the world owes you something. If you could only see that your actions hurt others more than they help you...maybe you could have a stable relationship with someone. But as far as he's concerned, its too late and he doesn't deserve to be treated so poorly by you anymore.

Wish You Were Here...

...of course you do. ;)

After a long drive and an exhilarating trek into the deep mountains, I arrived at a cozy little cabin in West Jefferson where I was greeted by the smiling faces of one of my most favorite families: The Neals.

Its so relaxing to just get away from everything. Even if its just for one night.

Don't get me wrong. Thanksgiving was great. The whole family was together again for the first time in a long time, and it was awesome. But I needed some time away from everything.

School.
Friends.
Family.
Work.
Worry.

Everything.

And boy, has it helped tremendously.

Twists and Turns

I never really knew living with someone could be so hard.



I also never knew that you had a right to be angry at someone for doing something that you never mentioned would bother you.


I also never knew that telling someone you're allergic to cats would be something you would say AFTER living with a cat for two weeks.

-------------------------

I didn't ask for any of this.


My world has been thrown for too many loops lately and I'm not sure that I am ready for another one.

Some would say that having a friend die, having your car stop working, failing your first college test, and having a strained back muscle for three weeks are...uncommon occurrences. However, these have become everyday activities for me lately...

and it sucks.

I've also been given the pleasure of having a twenty-one hour schedule for the Spring semester of my SENIOR YEAR of college!





Everything happens for a reason.

Even if I've yet to actually find out what that reason is.

Utah, Lumbar, and Jesus...

So. Here it is. The first of many.

Or few.

Depending on what kind of time I have for procrastination these days.


What happened? Fall Break happened. I did not fall, but I did break. I never knew something as simple as putting a glass of water on the floor would amount to the pain and suffering known as a "Lumbar Strain." Ah, whatever. It'll be fine in a few days.

Besides I didn't let it ruin my Fall Break.


I had my first Fall Break at home this past weekend, and I must say I've never felt more refreshed...except for the back thing. I actually took advantage of that word..."Break"...and I'm totally ok with that.

The NoDa (or arts) District of Charlotte has quickly become my new favorite place with its Indy rockers and dive bars and Utah Greens. If you haven't heard of her...you need to.

If you stuck Jewel in the mountains for 15 years and told her to write an album about it...chances are that album would not be written by Jewel, but by Utah Green.



In other news, I got my fill of Jesus this weekend and I'm not sad about it. It came in the form of a church dedication dinner, fellowship with old friends, and the new RETURN Worship cd. (Yet again another album I would recommend for any of you church-goers out there.)



I think the many ways God manifests himself are so interesting and unique and wonderful.

Just a thought.



I think that's all I've got. Darvocet and Skelaxin just seem to take the words right out of your mouth, don't they?