Today, Jordan, Brad and I visited a church here in Lubbock. I really enjoyed it. The teaching was Biblical, well studied, and you could tell that the pastor LOVED his job. Classes start tomorrow...and I just spent $454.54 on books! That is a ridiculous amount of money to spend on something that I will probably rarely use.

Well...i usually don't tell people this, but since i'm 5 1/2 hours away and no harm can be done...it's my birthday. The big 18...My friends Robin and Melissa knocked on my door at 8 o'clock this morning with a big birthday cake and sang happy birthday to me. It was really sweet....the cake that is...haha. But really, my birthday is going pretty well considering that I had band pretty much all day today. Until next year.......

I am definitely in the Bible-belt here in Lubbock, Texas. There are churches on every corner, and people all over campus offering you the "right church home for you". Some might be...others are definitely not. Jordan and I are visiting a local church on Sunday..and I'm pretty excited about it. Praise God in advance for taking care of me while I'm out here. Isn't He cool?

I've been busy these past couple of days with marching band. I am now a member of the Texas Tech Goin' Band from Raiderland. Unlike high school...band doesn't suck, it isn't nerdy, in fact it is really cool to be in band. We got a tour of all the athletic facilities (which just so happen to be some of the best in the nation) and we got to meet players and coaches beacuse they like us THAT much It's kinda weird attending a school where the students actually have school spirit. And the school appreciates the band. To be honest I'm pretty pumped for the football season to start...Rose Bowl????

I'm not sure whether or not it has sunk in yet.

Movin' to Lubbock as we speak...

I keep spending too much money. I need to find a job very quickly when I get out to Lubbock because I have to be able to pay for pizza! What will college be without pizza?

I registered for the draft today and I feel very patriotic because of it.

I said goodbye to a lot of people yesterday...it kinda sucked.

A few more days and I'm gone!

I now own my own coffee pot, ice cream scoop (but I don't have a freezer), can opener, strainer, computer chair, and many other "things". But it's weird because this time it's my can opener, not my family's can opener..."Where is the ice cream scoop??? Oh yeah, exactly where I left it because its mine.." It's just cool.

I'm thinking about buying a sweet sub and speakers for my laptop, so if you have any suggestions let me know.

Why do I have that tape on my nose???...EXACTLY Lawn Wranglers for life.

I leave for good in 8 days....

Hanging out with my friends borders on a spiritual experience at times. I don't have to be out doing something exciting or crazy to be having the time of my life. One thing that I'm going to miss about the flowerplex is the fact that there is no place to go and do stuff....you have to just hang out at starbucks or someone's house when you're looking for something to do. All through high school I hated that, now I believe that it is the reason that I am so close with the people that I am. My relationships with some of my best friends were rooted out of boredom. I'm very thankful for my "boring" suburban lifestyle...

I had so much fun tonight hanging out with the college group. I have some of the coolest friends that I will miss dearly when we all go our separate directions in a week or two. Good news is that I have great friends going the same direction that I am...wreck 'em Tech

I think that my parents are realizing that, in 16 days, they won't have a son to mow the grass, take out the trash, paint the fence, vacuum, dust, wash cars, clean out the garage, or run to the grocery store for them. SO, they are eating up these last 16 days with great pleasure. Last night at Bible study we studied "kindness", one of the fruits of the spirit that we tend to shrug off, or take the "MANliness" away from. We discussed how it normally isn't the manly thing to be tenderhearted and kind....maybe I should work on that in this situation with my parents and give the glory to Him and not myself. DANG IT! I start to write a blog about how I'M the victim and I always realize that I'm the one in the wrong....

As nathan says...it makes me want to kick a puppy.

I get to paint my fence today. You have NO idea how excited I am about this....(sarcasm)

My car that I just bought is having problems already...gotta love American cars.

I just got back from orientation at Texas Tech. I spent three days touring the campus, meeting people and professors, and registering for my fall classes. I now have my fall schedule in hand and I am finally excited about college. It is going to be so much fun. Unlike high school, I get to take classes that I'm interested in, no more of the junk that I hate to take...I only have one math class in all of college, and it is easier than the algebra that I took freshman year of high school. It is going to be incredible. I am taking 15 hours, but my schedule is worked to where I am finished with class relatively early in the day so I have plenty of time to work or play. My guns are so far up right now it isn't even funny! Get your guns up!

I am a little bitter towards American society right now...

Don't get me wrong. I love the country, I love the people, I even love the leaders of the country. I am just disappointed in the ideals of the people, especially of those who claim to be among God's elite. This feeling may or may not pass...it is just that I have had the rare opportunity this summer to serve one group of people in ONE extreme situation...complete poverty, and then turn around and serve a different group of people in the opposite extreme....wealth to the point of boredom.

I don't know if that made any sense..but it's how I'm feeling.

GREAT NEWS! It turns out that I don't have to leave for school on August 10th like I thought I had to. I don't have to be there for band until August 20th. That gives me so much more time to hang out with people and get things done before I leave for good.

It is really good to be home. I have had a blast hanging out with people that I haven't seen in a while. I have been able to hang out with katie, as well as other people from my church. I had coffee with Miles yesterday, which was SWEET. It is just so good to be home and enjoy the people that God has blessed me with. If I haven't seen you yet...call me and we can hang out.

I really missed Tim's sermons..church today was incredible.

I'm back!!!!

I just had the most amazing month of my life. I got to see over 30 kids come to Christ... I also got to serve and minister to, as well as learn a ridiculous amount from tons of kids. I am so thankful that God put me at Kanakuk this summer. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers this past month.

Tomorrow morning...well I guess later this morning I'll be off to Kanakuk. Please pray for my safe travel as well as my time there. I will see you all in a month!

Tonight was so bitter-sweet it isn't even funny.

Almost time...

In two days, I will load my recently purchased, dark green, Saturn SL2 and head up to the good 'ole Ozark Mountains. I will be up there for four weeks. It will quite possibly be the best four weeks of my life thus far. I get to serve God with some of the most Christ-like people on Earth. Each and every one of the people that I'll be working with has an unwaivering love for God that I envy. Pray for me that God would soften my heart as well as the hearts of the kids that I will be in contact with through my time at Kanakuk, and that God would use me to show His love to the kids. I'll try and post at least once more before I head out...

I had one of those moments a couple days ago where I KNEW that without a doubt, God was using me. I can't go into much detail at the present, but just know that God answered some long term prayers of mine and He is amazing. Just wanted to share some of my joy with all of you...