A hermitudinal view of...stuff...
|
|
| Smeagol is Free! A hermitudinal view of...stuff... |
|
|
8.31.2005 Ish I felt a tad bit sluggish today. I told Pablo that it was because I didn't really get into the Word the way I needed to. Even though I was "ok" for the majority of the day, there was a definite and noticable lack. Hmmm. posted by Bolo | 11:49 PM 0 speakage Buzzzzz... The buzz I usually associate myself with is the buzz of a good cup of coffee...strong coffee. This, however, is most decidedly not a good, strong cup of coffee. Oh, that reminds me. I'm supposed to make Sarah and Charlotte some coffee in the morning. They'll be treated to some goodness from my handy-dandy vacuum coffee maker dealio, which came courtesy of the Cavanaugh Clan :)
0 speakage 8.30.2005 Smelly It's Greek she's studying...that's what's generating the burning smell :)
2 speakage Java Junkies Random picture. That's the best explanation.
0 speakage 8.29.2005 Size Matters Biiiiiiiiig...
0 speakage Smaaaallll...
0 speakage 8.28.2005 Linkage Yeah, we play some ball in Hawai'i :) ESPN.com Spread da Aloha Sports Network posted by Bolo | 9:52 PM 0 speakage Picture This Imagine a short Filipino guy from Hawai'i. Now take that guy and put him on a train in Japan. In the middle of a typhoon. A typhoon so crazy he can't see anything, 'cause the thick rain was coming down hard. And sideways. Now imagine that diminutive brown body on its tippy-toes, eyes wide open, head tilted upward, mouth forming a silent, "Oooooohhhhh!" Why silent? 'Cause that crazy Filipino is leaning over the sleeping Nihonjin on the train in a ridiculous attempt to peer out the windows and through the thick sideways rain, all in order that he might see the waves breaking on the shore. I love Boss :) posted by Bolo | 9:03 PM 0 speakage Random Yesterday, I posted a few quotes from the past week. Today, I'm posting a few thoughts and stories from roughly the same time period. Here they are, in no particular order. A couple of months ago, Cleve had called me out of the blue to chat. I was having dinner with Scott, Emily, and Biggz, so we didn't talk for very long, but before he got off he told me that he had a girl to tell me about. Although at the time he told me that she was part Japanese, I wasn't sure where the relationship was, so I didn't think about it too much. On Tuesday, Cleve and I were chatting over AIM. A big portion of that chat covered The Girl. He told me he was going to visit her shortly, and then emailed me a few pictures of her. She looked good. Very good. Definitely part Japanese, and definitely not the girl I figured Cleve would end up with. Much to my shame (but not sorrow), I very jokingly asked Cleve, "So what's wrong with her? Terminal illness? Missing a limb? What's the scoop?" He found that amusing, then told me that she also had a nose ring. Whoa! When I showed her picture to Scott, Mr. O'Neal's eyes bugged out and said, "That's Cleve's girl?!?!?!" I knew exactly how he felt. When we discussed it later with Lucas and Tom, the consensus was the same: way to go Cleve. But a nose ring? Whoa. Oh...the four of us also agreed that the Cleveland family is just like the Butterworth family, 'cause if you see one, there's no mistaking them for something else. And, both families have three boys...hmmm...Cleve and Pablo are both the old fogies of the three bro's...hmmm, indeed. Next random thought. I've decided that having people on the Radar is far less weird than having them moved to Tracking status. Why is that? 'Cause when you move people to Tracking, there's a whole new set of rules that you must go by, and they're far more complicated than when they're simply on the Radar. The funny thing is that it's sometimes hard to tell when people are bumped up on the Radar and have to be moved to Tracking. *Sigh*...so complicated...so ridiculous. (If you understood this random tidbit, congratulations! You probably think far too abstractly than is healthy for you.) Volleyball...Boyce vs. Southern...*sigh*. Here's what my reply is to those who think I'm a miracle worker: If you give me water and dirt, I can only make mud. If you give me water and dirt and a little time, I might be able to make a sculpture, but it'll still be ugly, and it'll still look like I made it out of mud. Of course, we still had a blast getting blasted, and those monkeys who played on the Sem team will still get blasted next Wednesday when we suit up once again in Levering, so I don't feel too bad. Unless, of course, I find out from Flip that we would've gotten a free meal at Outback Steakhouse if we had won ;) Sarah Cress finds it amusing that I refer to my mommy as "my mommy." I told Sarah that I usually greet my mother's calls with a hearty, "hey," or a somewhat negligent, "yeah." 'Tis my silly, playful side coming out, and not at all disrespectful. Of course, Sarah told my mommy that I was having Girls Night last night, and that they were trying to find me a wife. I told Sarah I'm going to retract her invitation if she keeps it up :) During Dr. Mohler's class on Friday morning, my phone had an incoming call. I checked it, and the panel read "UNKNOWN" where the caller ID appears. I figured it was Boss, but I couldn't answer it during class, ya know? When I checked my voicemail, it was indeed Boss. *Sigh*...it's been nearly a month since he's left, and I've missed at least two more of his calls :( posted by Bolo | 1:29 PM 1 speakage Girls Night II Cress and Stirsman got me in trouble with campus security. Well, not really me, but they were loud enough to get campus security to knock on my door. *Sigh*...'tis the price one pays when one entertains returning students, and they find your asinine and absurd antics astoundingly amusing.
0 speakage The newbies were contemplating my Fido mug.
0 speakage 8.27.2005 Getting It "If you're not perplexed in ministry, you just don't get it." -Dr. Mohler, Southern Seminary's Convocation Chapel, Fall 2005 Big Al said that in the midst of a sermon he was preaching on 2 Corinthians 4. He was on his third point (according to my notes, at least), which covered verses 8 through 12. Such a statement set off an avalanche of thoughts in my brain...what have I really gotten myself into? Is this what ministry is supposed to be like? Afflicted...perplexed...persecuted...struck down...this is ministry? This is life? Of course it is. To not see that clearly in the Scriptures is to not diligently study them with the proper heart. Yet, to hear the sober expectations of ministry and life preached afresh with conviction was to hear the cries of my heart echo, albeit with Dr. Mohler's voice, through the confines of Alumni Chapel for all to hear. Am I struck down? Check. Persecuted? Sure, that too. Afflicted? Yuppers. Perplexed? Yes, more than ever. The thing to remember is that all these things are passing. Furthermore, even though it may seem as though we're destroyed, abandoned, crushed, and full of despair, those things are not reality. As Paul writes near the end of chapter 4, we have an "eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison," that which looks pulls our gazes unto Christ and the hope we have in Him. But what is that hope? What hope is there in this world, so full of sin and despair, frothing over with pain and suffering? What does one do when one has a grandfather with cancer (who will not be seen before his diagnosed three months are up), a friend who committed suicide, and an eternity's worth of sin and shame that Satan uses to trip up your burdened conscience? What does one do? Look to the Word. If there was one book of Scripture that served to lift my weary head this during the long, weary days of this summer past, it was 1 Peter. Living hope...imperishable and undefiled inheritance...joy inexpressible...holy as He is holy...redeemed with precious blood...born of seed imperishable. Those words and phrases from the first chapter alone are the words and phrases that have served to lift my head from the deceptive burdens of the world, those burdens that serve only to cause me to forget the living hope that is mine in Christ. Ministry and life are filled with confusion and frustration, fraught with failure and pain, splattered with betrayal and dissention. Yet, through all of this, there is hope. Am I hurting? Yes. Am I confused? Yes. Why would I keep going, if I'm only going to expect more of the same? Because the weight of glory, that which I long for and look forward to, is an eternal weight, whereas the burdens of this world are light and temporary. They do not last! Peter's opening address in 1 Peter picks up on this theme. How so? His epistle is penned to "those who reside as aliens." Aliens do not belong...we do not belong in this world. Where, then, do we belong? A quick tangent. I find it amusing that somehow, this post somehow circled back to what I'm going to write about in just a little bit. Anyway, back to the post. A look at Ephesians 5 reminds me of the fact that we the church, as Christ's bride, are betrothed to our Beloved. Do we enjoy the fullness of His presence as we will at the marriage supper of the Lamb and henceforth? No, we do not. Yet, we are set apart as His, and so eagerly await His return to claim that which is His. Thus, we are to endure the trials of this world in the joyous knowledge and hope of seeing Him but dimly no longer, but fully, as with full brightness and glory, unashamedly and free of the light, momentary afflictions we once knew. For when our Lord returns, He will never again allow us a moment away from His presence, for that is where we truly belong. "In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." posted by Bolo | 9:06 PM 0 speakage To Quote This week provided many a funny moment, many of which provided many a funny quote. Here are a handful...some of you may get them, some of you may not. Rest assured that no matter what, I find them humorous, and that's all that counts ;) "If she's Princess Leia, you're the rogue scoundrel Han Solo stealing her away from all the decent guys." -Paul Butterworth, describing the state of one person's relational affairs at Boyce College. "Young men, wholesome and gay. No, just wholesome." -Dr. Mohler, who was as embarassed as I've ever seen him. "So what if I know that you know that I know what you're saying that I know? It's amusing to me to pretend not to know what I know 'cause you think that I know what I know but you're not sure that I know what I know 'cause you have no idea how I'd find out what I know, but I still know. And you know how I know? 'Cause I'm John Letoto. I know." -Me, talking to a couple of young ladies who shall remain nameless. "Uuuuuhhhh, yeah. Yeeaaaah. So...how important do you think is, uuuhhhhh, yeah...physical appearance?" -Rob Smythe, posing a question to Dean Scroggins in Dr. Scott's Marriage and the Family class. "Hey! How are you doing?" -Rob Smythe, posing another question to Dean Scroggins in Dr. Scott's Marriage and the Family class, just before Dean Scroggins walked out the door. posted by Bolo | 5:10 PM 0 speakage Sticky Jenna decided to put that "Java King" sticker on my head. I think it's somewhat fitting :)
0 speakage Thief The percentage of nights that Scott sleeps in my room is slowly creeping upward. I'm sure it'll increase still further when papers and exams hit. Actually, once I begin to fold the clothes that I've been needing to fold for the past few weeks, I'll be able to unpack a little and finally move in the couch that's been sitting out in the hallway for the past week, all of which will improve the sleeping/living/chillin'/studying conditions. Soon enough, soon enough. Scott had stolen my blanket from me on Monday night, so I took this picture to document the fact that he was kind enough to acquire a blanket from someone else (I'm presuming that Chriyus wasn't yet sleeping when the lending took place) so that I would not go cold through the night. Bonhoeffer once wrote on the cost of discipleship. I think Scott may one day write a book on the cost of friendship with me, 'cause as soon as you become my friend, you must learn to overcome the constant fear of being blogged about. I mean, I'm sure that Scott feels tremendous relief that I'm only posting this picture and not writing about what he was dreaming while I took this picture ;)
0 speakage Twenty Paul Butterworth is now twenty years old. It's his birthday TODAY, and he's no longer a teenager. Wow...no longer a teenager. He's joined the ranks of The Twenty-Somethings. When I asked him if he felt any different, he said that he did not. Oh well :/
0 speakage 8.26.2005 Yum Kim Mattull, the one and only.
0 speakage 8.25.2005 Heidi Marlene Johnson at Subway.
0 speakage Melissa (who appears slightly embarassed) had asked me to teach her how to tie a tie. We were still on the Four in Hand knot, and I figured after this, I wouldn't even try to move on to a Half Windsor, let a lone a Full Windsor.
0 speakage On display here, we have the spirituality the Boyce student...er...body.
1 speakage 8.21.2005 Conundrum Ok, I've got a problem. Boss, your birthday is on the 21st of August. It's the 21st of August over here. However, it's now the 22nd of August in Japan. I thought about posting a Happy Birthday post yesterday, but felt weird about it 'cause it wasn't quite the 21st over here. Do you see my conundrum? *Sigh*...aaaaanyway... Happy Birthday, Boss :) posted by Bolo | 9:05 PM 0 speakage Reminder Earlier today I was thinking about the times I'd hike Aiea Loop Trail. Often, I'd do just a portion of it by myself after work; the afternoon sun casting a happy glow through the branches and leaves, the solitude lending a surreal quality to the familiar jaunt. Sometimes Jon and I would go together. Those times were great, too, as we spent many an afternoon talking about life. That reminds me...I spoke with Jon last weekend. He's doing well, which doesn't surprise me. Makes me happy, in fact. A little sad, too, truth be told. It humbles me to think back to when I first met Jon. That day is still pretty clear in my mind; I think it was nearly a decade ago. He was our new Youth Pastor, and I was a Junior in high school. The day was...oh...I forget the official title, but it had something to do with the various ministries at FCF. Gary would certainly remember. Anyway, my first impression of Jon, other than the fact that he was very white, was that he was a close talker. Yeah, I know, not exactly the most inspiring first impression for a guy that would become a great friend and discipler, but that's what I remember. Go figure. We'd go through a lot together in the years following that first meeting. He still holds over my head the fact that he poured two solid years into me when he'd first gotten to FCF, and that I gave him nothing back. Nothing. At least, not immediately. My smug retort was that the Lord's timing is perfect, and His word does not return void; it merely returned a little later than Jon was expecting. Nevertheless, all playful banter aside, Jon and I were blessed with a friendship that bore much, much fruit. Sure, we're now at different places and being grown in different ways, but it's refreshing to know that he's still the same Jon that would call me up at 10:30 at night just to see if I wanted to help move furniture. Why'd he call? 'Cause he knew I'd show up :) posted by Bolo | 7:39 PM 0 speakage 8.20.2005 No Good Like most people, the things I enjoy also tend to be the things I'm good at. After all, what well-adjusted, mature individual likes to engage in activities that are predominantly frustrating? Certainly not I. (Incidentally, this post is not serving as a claim to my being either well-adjusted or mature, as those terms were used merely to make a point.) I like playing frisbee; I think it's safe to say that I can hold my own out on the field. I also find reading to be enjoyable. Way, way back during the last century, used to drive my high school English teachers batty with the torrent of reading I'd do during a school year. Why's that? 'Cause I'd read everything but what was assigned me, and when I did venture into reading the assigned work, I'd do it at the wrong time. Volleyball is yet another activity I'd say I have some skill at. Do I enjoy it? Darn right I do! And let's not forget clothing. The feel of fabric, the complementing of colors, the cut of a garment; these are all things that get my creative juices flowing, and despite the good-natured Metro-mocking I get from time to time, I still enjoy a good fabric-feeling session every now and again. What's the point of all this? An observation I made earlier today: Humility, while not being something I am particularly good at, is a necessary facet of our lives in Christ that nevertheless brings me joy. Why this apparent contradiction of my opening statement? I have an inkling as to exactly why, but before I go into that, a few words concerning my humility (or lack thereof) are in order. Humility is tough. 1 Peter 5:5 reads, "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." When I read that verse yesterday, that last line stuck with me. God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. When I am prideful, the Lord is opposed to me. Yes, He still works all things for my good, but there is a definite grace that I am missing out on. And yet, although the verse and its immediate context do not infer this, I would think that the entire context of Scripture points toward a gracious humbling that the Lord works in our lives when we are proud. This humbling, in essence, could be seen as the Lord's being "opposed" toward those whom He loves. Hosea 6, Hebrews 12, and Lamentations 3 are but a few of the passages that point toward the Lord's opposition that leads us into sweet humility. Still, for those whose hearts are hardened entirely toward the things of God, the Lord's opposition is not to be trifled with. Despite all of this, I still struggle mightily with pride. No matter how much I think I clothe myself with humility, pride sneaks into my wardrobe again and again and again. What's horrible about being prideful is that it does not satisfy. Pride is a cheap lie that is easily obtained, yet still manages to render costly damage to our souls. When I have feasted upon pride and am quite full of myself, I feel like I've eaten nothing but cotton candy for a week. Sure, the first nibble or two may have been sweet, but everything after that made me want to barf. Bleh. Which brings me to the reason I like humility. I'm still not very good at it; quite frankly, I stink at it. But you know what? Humility looks good on me. That's not my opinion; it's God's truth. Humility is the grace of God in Christ that is the outward manifestation of the bowing of our hearts before the Almighty. We were made to be humble! That's why it looks good on us. It looks right. The original design that our Creator had for us included humilty, but sin stained that with an irrevocable and irremovable pride. In Christ, however, that stain of pride is taken away. Humility feels so good because that's what we were created for. I'm reminded of Eric Liddell's famous assertion: "I believe God made me for a purpose. He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure." When I think about humility, I think of the ways that we are made to be humble. I may not be good at it, but it's what I was made for. posted by Bolo | 5:46 PM 0 speakage Punctual The following excerpt was taken from an IM conversation with Pablo: WarriorPoetJedi: hey john MrToto2U: yo WarriorPoetJedi: how are you sexy? WarriorPoetJedi: as in WarriorPoetJedi: how are you, sexy? WarriorPoetJedi: not how did you become sexy? posted by Bolo | 5:33 PM 0 speakage House Party The first party of the semester at the Jason/Ben/Ben/Lance/Barrett/Idon'tknowwhoelse house was winding down. This picture of Jason kinda reminds me of The Blair Witch Project...remember that flick? Come to think of it, their house could be featured in some scary movie.
0 speakage Del. Uhhh, yeah.
0 speakage 8.19.2005 Java Junkies So whatsherface wasn't too happy about having her picture taken, but Galen (you can kindasortamaybe see him behind whatsherface) was more than happy to provide peppy contrast to whatsherface's constipated look ;)
0 speakage Pursuit Is this a new dating technique being instituted by the first year students at Boyce College? If so, how well does it work? Returning males may want to know!
0 speakage Bud looks a wee bit lonely, doesn't he?
0 speakage 8.17.2005 Inside Have you ever felt like you just want to cry? Have you ever felt like you can't cry, no matter how hard you try? Jeremy Salmon once said to me that he wanted to crawl up into God's lap and lay there. I feel like that a lot these days. What's sad is that I don't think people really see that. Part of it is my own fault. Sometimes, it's the carefully constructed "Metro" (their word, not mine) exterior that others see. If not that, then what may come across is a certain aloofness that won't allow anyone else outside of the inner circle in. Or, in what befuddles and amuses me at the same time, it seems that some guys find me...inimidating. At least, that's what Poenie said three guys said. I was hands-down the most intimidating guy they knew on campus. They didn't even hesitate, she said. Of course, now that those three know me, they realize how absurd that notion is. Still...it just points me back to my weakness and vulnerability ...or, the apparent lack of it. I wonder what people see. Do they see the frustration, the fear, the little boy inside? Do they even realize how deeply I struggle with sin, with the mere basics of faith? I'm reminded that a handful of my closer friends once...well...did not exactly think very much of me when they first met me. Jaimeson...Scott...Howard (that dislike was deserved)...the list goes on. *Sigh*...I'm not out to make friends...that's not the point. Honestly, I could care less if people don't like me. (Ooooh, I could get in trouble for saying that...hehehe.) The point is that I just want to make sure that people are really seeing me. Forget the Kenneth Cole shoes and the vintage Aloha shirts - what about my heart? Is that being seen? Unfortunately, these days my heart is being squeezed with the Lord's tender mercy. He doesn't always seem merciful, but He is. That much, I am certain of. Beyond that, I do not see. Perhaps if I were to cry, my tears would wash away the blindness...both mine and theirs. posted by Bolo | 5:22 AM 0 speakage Hymnal Laden with Guilt and Full of Fears Isaac Watts Laden with guilt and full of fears, I fly to Thee, my Lord, And not a glimpse of hope appears, But in Thy written Word The volumes of my Father's grace Does all my griefs assuage Here I behold my Savior's face In every page This is the field where hidden lies, The pearl of price unknown That merchant is divinely wise Who makes the pearl his own Here consecrated water flows To quench my thirst of sin Here the fair tree of knowledge grows, No danger dwells within This is the judge that ends the strife Where wit and reason fail My guide to everlasting life Through all this gloomy vale Oh may Thy counsels mighty God My roving feet command Nor I forsake the happy road That leads to Thy right hand posted by Bolo | 4:34 AM 0 speakage 8.16.2005 Orientation Weekend: Again Kristin Joy and Robert Eric Yeldell. How many knew that Eric's first name is really Robert? Supposedly, he just came home from school one day (Kindergarten or first grade...somewhere around there) and told his mom that he didn't want to be called Robert anymore, but wanted to be called Eric. And from then on, he was Eric. Reeeeeeediculous.
0 speakage The Howdy Group Leaders were given bandanas of different colors to differentiate themselves. Wendy and I had light blue, and I wore mine on my head. Quite ridiculous. Others...well...as you can see here, a little creativity was involved :)
0 speakage We had to have some fun this weekend, didn't we?
0 speakage Wendy and I had our Howdy Group play the Skittles Game. Each person was assigned a certain color Skittle, with the objective being to obtain as many of the assigned color in the time given. I, being the polite and helpful person that I am, decided to wait for people to accrue a rather large portion of their color, then delightfully and facetiously fling their batch away from them and back into the chaotic pile in the middle. Needless to say, the game was quite fun for me :) By the way, the Skittles had to be collected using only feet and toes. Mmm...Skittles-flavored toe james. Yeah, nasty!
0 speakage 8.15.2005 Life Why? This is not something I understand. The guilt oppresses, the helplessness haunts, and the finality is the proverbial nail in the coffin, its echo an empty cacophony in my head. Come to think of it, I hear your voice, too; I'll never really hear that again. I wonder what I did or said that I could or should not have. Actually, it's probably what I didn't do and didn't say that bothers me the most. Life is frail and fleeting. I wish I'd not taken it for granted; indeed, I can't say that I no longer do. It's painful to contemplate life when someone else no longer has a life to contemplate....when someone else contemplated life, and decided it was simply not worth the living. posted by Bolo | 11:42 PM 0 speakage 8.14.2005 Old School It's been a while...a long while...a really long while...but the Old School block is updated. posted by Bolo | 8:01 PM 0 speakage Orientation Whoa. That's my one-word summation of Boyce College's Fall 05 Orientation. Whoa. The entire process started out rather dubiously. We were told to meet in the Patio Room at 9:15 on Friday morning, as Kristin wanted to take our pictures. No problem, since move-in for new students started at 10, and we were all set to help out with that anyway. So I set the alarms on my phone for 8ish. All three of them. I figured there wouldn't be a problem getting up. There was a problem getting up. When my eyes opened, I looked over at my phone, and the digits glared at me: 9:15. 9:15. I was supposed to be at the Patio Room at 9:15. Yeah. I'd had a problem getting up. I threw on my handy dandy Boyce College Howdy Group Leader t-shirt and my annointed moving day shorts and ran over to Carver. The problem with running under such conditions? I hadn't even bothered to relieve my rather fully-loaded bladder of its contents, which made for a high degree of discomfort during the run. Nevertheless, I got there before the pictures were taken, so no harm done. The moving itself didn't seem nearly so hectic as last year's. I told Scott that it didn't quite seem right that he wasn't a part of it. (We should've made a cone run.) By the time the moving was done, I still felt like I hadn't met a lot of new students...sort of strange, considering there were new faces all over the halls. The Commissioning Service was...well...more filled than last year's. I went to my room to grab a roll of toilet paper (for a game, silly), and when I got back, the Howdy Leaders were getting ready to go up front. Before I knew it, Wendy and I had a room full of somewhat unfamiliar faces staring at us. I can't say that I was as excited about this year's orientation as I was about last year's, but I do feel that our group will be better this year than last's. Call it a gut feeling, but I do. On a side note, Wendy and I must have gotten every single new Brian at Boyce College in our Howdy Group, 'cause every time I said, "Brian," about half the room looked up. At least, that's the way it seemed :) Day two was less crazy. I think. No, check that, it was just as crazy, but I was more tired, so I noticed the craziness less. I did get up on time, though! We seemed to always be crunched for time, but the overall effect seemed to be that the new students continued to get more and more comfortable and therefore enjoyed themselves more. I, too, became more and more comfortable with the group (even Miss Melancholy herself, Rachel Whatsherlastname), which made for a great deal of...oh...fun. Use your imagination as to how I had fun with the Howdy Group :) Orientation for the Fall '05 semester is over and done. Now begins the hard part. Will Wendy and I be faithful to those whom the Lord has given us to guide through this semester? Will we rely upon His strength, constantly seeking Him in weakness? Will we hope in all the hope and promises that are ours in Christ, and will we do so with our whole hearts? I don't know the answers to these; only time will tell. posted by Bolo | 5:12 PM 0 speakage 8.13.2005 Food Acquisition Wendy and I took our Howdy Group to Qdoba last night. The good thing was we weren't the only Howdy Group there. Why's that good? 'Cause that means that the Toto Rule went into effect en masse during that little outing. I tell ya, there's nothing quite like showing the new students how to conduct themselves so as to best serve me ;)
0 speakage Cheese I shot variations of this picture about 87 different times, 'cause Stephanie wouldn't sit still. When she did, my hand moved. When she sat still and my hand didn't move, there was a solar flare. When she sat still and my hand didn't move and there wasn't a solar flare, there was tectonic plate movement in the earth's crust. When she sat still and my hand didn't move and there wasn't a solar flare and the earth's crust had no tectonic plate movement, a mouse suddenly grew wings and flew in front of the lens of my phone's camera. When... ;) But why, you ask, did the mouse grow wings? To steal the cheese from the spider that was up in the corner of the room. And if you don't believe me, trust me when I say to you that somewhere out there, there's a human being who could easily be convinced that this tale is utterly accurate. Just let me work my rather thespianesque charm upon them, and they won't stand a chance ;)
0 speakage He Resembles That! The ever-talented Miss Stephanie Cavanaugh gave a rather striking rendition of Scott David O'Neal's glorious countenance. Personally, I think she did an outstanding job on his shoulders :)
0 speakage 8.12.2005 Third Floor Look under Willard's derriere, and you'll see that the chair those three monkeys are reclining on is actually a seat pulled out of a van. Look at Seth's waist, and you'll also see that he's buckled in. No ticket for him!
0 speakage 8.11.2005 Announcement Man! I gave Robbie an old-school aloha shirt that I'd gotten off of eBay earlier this summer. He garners such a gift because...well...because he's Robbie Byrd.
0 speakage 8.10.2005 Student Leadership Retreat '05 I have no idea what Poenie (said like "weenie", but with a "p") and Brooke were doing, but it looked funny :)
1 speakage Sarah had the coolest shirt out of everyone at the retreat. I was getting a little misty-eyed at the sight of Chinaman's Hat. *Sigh*...*sob*...*whimper*...*sniffle*...
0 speakage Ok. It was really reeeaaaaally late. Actually, really rrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaalllllllly early in the morning. That's all I've got to say about that.
0 speakage Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Boyce College's Student Council President, Mr. Christopher Alan Dilley!
0 speakage 8.09.2005 Yes, I was taking pictures during one of the sessions. Look on the bright side: this is proof that I was probably awake when I took the picture! And for a guy who'd slept only two hours that morning, I don't think that's half bad ;)
0 speakage Jon and Jenny. Aaaawww...
0 speakage Sarah and Wendy. I told Wendy, who happens to be my Howdy Group Leader partner, that she's continuing a trend that started last year with Jessica Ryherd, the former Jessica Bailey. Wendy is not opposed to this trend, methinks :)
0 speakage Woody (Pablo's new nickname) has his head on Mike's shoulder. Sing it with me..."Reunited and it feels so good..."
0 speakage Heidi Marlene Johnson, on the bus to our Student Leadership Retreat. She was trying to block the picture, to no avail ;)
0 speakage More Kavin Why the intense face? I say he's making a present for mommy! 
posted by Bolo |
5:13 AM0 speakage I remember when Kayla and Kyle were Kavin's age. That was quite a while ago :/ 
posted by Bolo |
5:09 AM0 speakage Aaawwwwww. 
posted by Bolo |
5:06 AM0 speakage My nephews are not cannibals; Kavin merely finds Kyle's cheek to be somewhat tastier than milk :) 
posted by Bolo |
5:03 AM0 speakage I was wondering who would give my nephew something as ridiculous as that thing he has on his head... 
posted by Bolo |
4:59 AM0 speakage But then I saw my father holding his grandson, and that explained it all. 
posted by Bolo |
4:58 AM0 speakage Ssshhh, he's thinking. 
posted by Bolo |
4:55 AM0 speakage Mary's nose usually gets ginormous when she's pregnant. Looks like it's not too bad this time around :) *John ducks*. 
posted by Bolo |
4:53 AM0 speakage Kayla's in the seventh grade. Which means she's twelve years old. Twelve years old. Hmmm...I seem to remember trying to forget that someone was twelve years old when I had graduated from high school... 
posted by Bolo |
4:48 AM0 speakage 8.08.2005 The Question I was thinking today about the upcoming semester. Starting Friday morning, new students living on campus will be moving their belongings into Carver and Mullins. That evening, they'll be turned over to their Howdy Group Leaders (one of whom is yours truly) for some "get to know you" ridiculousness, in addition to the practical "here's what you really gotta do now that you're here" stuff. Before then, however, the entire Boyce Student Leadership...uhhh...people will head up to Cincy for a little training and prep. Am I looking forward to it? Sort of. Here's what I was thinking about today. Rewind to one year ago. I remember when Chiyus got back into town. He had picked up Blind Brandon, and the three of us went out to eat at Cheddar's. It was great to see those two, especially after a long summer of not really being in contact with them. The leadership retreat was different, too. I remember being together with everyone, and how excited we were for the new school year. We'd been preparing all summer, and things were finally coming to fruition. One thing struck me that stuck with me through the thick and thin of the entire school year: when we were standing there, worshiping the Lord together, we were a bunch of people who represented the church leaders of tomorrow. In all seriousness, even today. To worship the Lord in that environment was special; fervor and reverence for the Lord was prevalent, yet with an overwhelming regard for beholding the Lord as He intends to be seen in Scripture. It was a sweet realization, and I remember thinking that that room was a microcosm of what Boyce College was like as a whole. At least, what it should be like. Sometimes, the fresh glow of ministry wears off, and the varnish begins to show a little tarnish. That's kind of how I feel going into this school year. I have many questions, but not a lot of answers. I would love to have a few more weeks of summer, time I'd use to recoup and refresh myself before I pouring into others. Still, that's not going to happen, and life waits for no one. A little over a year ago, before the school year started, I remember telling Leeman that I was looking forward to the start of the new semester. A part of that was because that school year would bring with it the reminder of why the Lord brought me to Boyce in the first place. In another sense, seeing those people I'd come to love would remind me of the Lord's glorious work in the lives of those whom He calls, and I was looking forward to that. Yet, I also told Jonathan that that was not the right reason for wanting things to start. Why's that? It's because of who God is. Although seeing people I'd love to see is a great thing, and being reminded of what the Lord's doing in my life is always welcome, I felt like my hope was...well...misplaced. I remember telling Leeman that I was looking for a distraction from my failure. I told him that I wanted to be excited for the start of the school year for Christ's sake. If I couldn't rejoice over all aspects of life because I was seeing this life with the joy of salvation in my heart, what reason would I have had to rejoice at all? Or, put differently, in whom does my soul truly delight? That's what I'm thinking about now. In a little over twelve hours, I'll be hitting the pavement with folks that share a passion for the Lord. I wonder about what's in my heart; am I going for Christ's sake, or am I going to show everyone how spiritual I am? Will I genuinely desire to see what the Lord is doing in their hearts, or will I feign interest in order to gain brownie points in a friendship or two? That sounds rather cold and calculating, doesn't it? The sad part is, that doesn't even begin to cover a fraction of how horrible and self-seeking my soul can be. The summer's been rough, and I find that I've arrived at the same core question that faced me at the end of last summer: In whom does my soul truly delight? That question is not one that is answered only once; rather, it is to be asked constantly, soberly, searchingly, and rigorously. posted by Bolo | 11:15 PM 0 speakage 8.07.2005 Kavin He won't be really fun until he's at least a few months old. Until then, you can't even toss him up in the air without fear of outright barfage. 
posted by Bolo |
1:01 PM0 speakage The littlest Ing. He's chillin' :) 
posted by Bolo |
12:55 PM0 speakage 8.06.2005 Oops No one ever wants to drop their own toothbrush in the toilet. Maybe someone else's, but never their own. But you know what? I find that my wants often come in a distant second to the Lord's sovereign plan. Heck, I can practically hear Scott reminding me that the Lord works even this out for my own good. (Hey, all things, right?) Nevertheless, when such a tragic event does take place, the only thing I can do is quote Forrest Gump and shrug out a philosophical, "It happens." No...uhhh...kidding :)
1 speakage BR = Broken Record I told Scott that I'm becoming a broken record. A really broken record. It's not so much that I know; it's that they know that I know more than they know, and even if they think they know, they know that my information is going to be newer and fresher than theirs will be, no matter what they think they know. Ya know? posted by Bolo | 7:08 PM 0 speakage 8.05.2005 Word Jeremiah 2:13 "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water." 1 Peter 1:17 - 19 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? posted by Bolo | 10:16 PM 0 speakage 8.04.2005 Moving There's no question that I can get food given to me for free. The real challenge is in acquiring free stuff for my room. As of roughly 4:15 this afternoon, I had finished moving the last of the stuff out of Mon & Dave's and into Fuller. Right now, the room looks like a war zone. Over the next several days, I'll be cleaning and moving and putting away my rather extensive wardrobe. Mon keeps commenting on the fact that I have more clothes than...a small third-world country. I didn't mention that the majority of my clothing is still at home in boxes...somewhere. Mon keeps mentioning a "roommate" who will occupy the other half of the room (and closet). I, unlike my meticulous sister, steadfastly and conveniently overlook the fact that the room was built to accommodate a second person :) posted by Bolo | 5:11 PM 0 speakage 8.03.2005 PR I've decided that I need to go into hiding for the next two weeks. People will ask because they'll know I know, and the only safe response is, "I can neither confirm nor deny any knowledge of that situation." Simple as that. Only, it's not so simple, 'cause I can't hide for the next two weeks, can I? Nope. Can't hide :/ posted by Bolo | 12:57 AM 0 speakage 8.02.2005 Unclehood Sometime yesterday afternoon, I was talking to Scott. My sister (Mary) called. I didn't pick up, and she left voicemail for me. When I checked it, I heard Kason's voice. Kason: "Uncle John, this is Kason. I have a new baby. He's eight pounds. He's a hundred..." Mary: "No, not a hundred, just twenty-one inches!" Kason: "Oh, twenty-one inches. His name is Kavin." The little dude went on for a while, but most of it was muffled nonsense. Come to think of it, he tends to do that quite a bit. I think others would claim that he takes after me in mumbling muffled nonsense during a conversation; I would not be at all inclined to disagree. That, however, is not the point. The point is that I'm an uncle again, and quite the proud uncle at that :) Not that I did anything to help, mind you, but nevertheless, I get to revel in my unclehood. 'Tis my self-given right! Pictures will be on the way shortly, of that you can be certain. posted by Bolo | 1:42 AM 0 speakage To Quote So...Boss arrived in Japan safe and sound. My favorite line from his "I'm safe and sound" email is: "I have two local haole guy roommates who are super tall. I can stand on the bed and they are still taller than me. But at least I fit in the bathroom!" posted by Bolo | 1:33 AM 0 speakage 8.01.2005 Sign? Where? The Health & Recreation Center on campus has a "no food in the HRC" policy. Let's just say that I find ways to bend the rules ;)
0 speakage Dell Coupons |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
