We are just getting started folks!

So I have now been in the real world for about a month and a half now...and to say the least it has been interesting.

First things first; college students, I would recommend one of the summers you have, going out, getting an apartment, paying the bills, moving in, and all that jazz for at least some summer. I have found the adjustment to all the "typical adult stuff" has been very easy with already having spent time doing it last summer.  I can't imagine the greater anxiety trying to navigate bills, apartment maintenance  and the like would have been without having that experience first.  Ok, off my soapbox.

I think the most interesting thing about this whole transition has been the social interaction.  I have never really thought about it, but the amount of people I interact with more than just a 30 second encounter have diminished ..a lot.  Now, this is coming from a guy that spent 3 years living in a fraternity house with at least 15 other guys, not to mention classmates, teachers, co-workers, etc.  I would guess that I probably interacted with at least 25-30 people on a normal Monday-Friday.  Now, that number has greatly diminished   I see my roommate every day (for obvious reasons), I see Teresa maybe 2-3 times a week, I work in an office with 4-5 other staff people at the church twice a week.  Outside of my CapFed job, at the random times I may have a meeting or youth group, that is it.  What is most interesting to me is that the people (besides my roommate and Teresa) that I interact with the most on a week-to-week basis, are my co-workers at CapFed that I hadn't even met until about 3 weeks ago.  They are great people, and it really helps that they are easy to talk to, and a lot of them are around my age.  In fact, my direct supervisor is only a year older than me! (which begs the question...what have I been doing wrong?).  But now I am down to 10-15 people a day, if I am lucky.  Days I don't go into church or see Teresa, it is like...6....  I think that is the biggest difference.

I miss Baker sometimes, but I am enjoying life here for now.  Working 7 days a week is probably the hardest part about it.  I am aching for a vacation already, but my guess is that I am just growing into it, and it just takes some time getting use to.  Well, that's it for now  I'll be sure to update some more later!

In between things...

So, I sit here, in my room, in Zeta Chi.  A week from now, I will be in my new home in Olathe.  It is weird to think that in a week's time I will be leaving this place that has helped me out the last four years.  There is good news about everything though:

I am excited for the future.

Let me be clear, I am not always excited for the future because I know what the path will be.  I have not made a full decision on the next steps, not even close.  But I am excited for the future because...well...I am excited to see what is in store.

But here is what I do know:

I will be moving to a townhome in Olathe, KS on December 28th.  I will not be living alone however.  My old compadre and one of my partners-in-crime in college, Eric Ford, will be rooming with me, along with his cat Lancelot and Teresa's cat Gatsby.   I will be posting pictures  here and on Facebook when we get settled in.

On January 2nd, I will start my part-time job as a teller at Capitol Federal Savings.  The specific branch I will be working at after my training is at 135th and State Line in Leawood.  The great news about this job is that the hours work PERFECTLY with my youth ministry job, and it gives full benefits   While I didn't need a lot of the benefits I will be receiving, it will be good to have experience with them before I get too far into my post-college life.  Not to mention that it will allow me to make ends meet comfortably without much worry as well as starting to save for grad school.

I am very excited for all of this, and to continue working at Stilwell UMC.  I have to admit, it is very weird to be in this time off period, but after talking to all of my grad school friends, I know I am making the right decision by taking some time off.  While I would love to be applying to places and looking and getting ready to go in the fall...I want to take that time.  I am patient (even if I am very excited).  I can't wait to see where I what the future holds..and that includes the future in a week time!

Final Countdown

Welp, when I last wrote, it was the beginning of the semester.

Now we are one week from finals.  I really don't count finals as school, mostly because that time period isn't really like you are here at all, you are just studying.  So, really I'm a week away from the end of my college experience here at Baker University....

I'm already starting to tear up writing this.

Tonight started off the goodbye festivities.  I had my last radio show and last Speech Choir class.  Both of these things were very difficult for me, and both have made me want to change my mind and be a Baker student forever.

I knew that, more than likely, Dr. Emel was going to have her senior goodbye for me during Speech Choir today.  What I didn't know was how profound it would be on me.

Each senior gets a "roast" from another Speech Choir member on the night of their last class.  There are three people in Speech Choir that I knew could give a roast for me that would bring me to crying.  She picked one of them.  Kyrie Bair, if you are reading this, thank you so much again for your words.  They meant the world to me, and I will never forget them.  Kyrie is a person whose friendship I cherish dearly, and  I feel so blessed to have her as a friend.  The nice words she had to say for me, were, beyond anything I could have expected, and it makes me feel good about being here.

Then came Dr. Emel.  Dr. Emel always gives her seniors a parting gift.  She got me hot chocolate and a chocolate bar from the fair trade organization that UMCOR supports.  I'm actually making some hot chocolate with it right now as I type this.  She also gave me a book called Craddock on the Craft of Preaching by Fred Craddock.  Hey, what can I say, she knows me well!  It is taking everything I have not to crack it open now and read, but I know when I start, I won't be able to put it down.

More goodbyes and tears will come later, as I still have my last ZX meetings and last Loud Noises shows coming up (the two activities I have done all four years at Baker).  Once those are done, my blog posts will start taking a different approach.  For those of you that don't know, I am the Director of Youth Ministries at Stilwell UMC.  I am enjoying my time there, and will continue after graduating.  I am taking some time off so I can take some more time and learn more about ministry from this awesome oppurtunity I've been given and so I can take a rest from formal schooling.  Of course, I would by lying if I said that I'm also looking forward to still being around since there is a certain blonde-haired Baker student that still has my heart here ;)

The plan right now is to live in Olathe.  Myself and a roommate have applied for a rental in town, and we are hoping to hear back soon.  I will be taking a lot of time to read (starting with the Craddock book) and do ministry at Stilwell.  My blog posts will probably be more numerous, since I will be hopefully reading more, and really counting down until seminary.  There might still be some big life moments before then, but that is the next step.   Baker University has been a step towards my goal, and completing my schooling here is just taking another step towards that goal.  I am ready for what lies ahead.  I know God goes with me, and as I said at the beginning of the semester:

That is all I need to know.

That's all I need to know

I am at a very scary point in my life.

In about a week and a half I will start my last semester at Baker University...

Yikes...

Just writing that is giving me the willies!

I will be taking my last lap at this wondrous university.  I could never imagined when I arrived in in the fall of  '09 what all would have happened to me.  My college experience has been so formative, and, while it may sound cheesy, I am not the same person that I was back then.  Not even close.  So many experiences, so many faces, so many stories, so many memories.

Soon all over.

I would be lying if I said I was looking forward to it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to being out on my own for a while.  I'm excited for the opportunities and challenges I get to face at Stilwell UMC and with the youth there.  The mission trip I had with those students showed me that I am in the right place, at the right time.  Believe me, I am also really excited to be going to seminary after a while.

But this place is my home.

Baker, Baldwin, Zeta Chi, all of it.  My home.

To think of leaving this place, is hard.

So I'm going to enjoy this semester.  I am going to go through one more recruitment week with my brothers. I am going to welcome a new set of brothers to our house.  I am going to enjoy homecoming week, as a student, one more time.  I am going to probably eat a lot of Joy Garden, and make many late night trips to the Kwik.  Ramble, ZXmas, Boo-ha-ha, and Silver Bullet will be fun to do once more.  I am going to take classes, write papers, and do finals one more time (at least until grad school).  I'm going to survive 401 (hopefully).   I am going to let Chapel be the highlight of my week a couple more times.  I am even going to get the sincere privilege of preaching there one more time.  I am going to breathe in and embrace Baker Life one more time.  Then it will all change.


But here is the thing. The one thing that will remain the same.  God is with me.  Hasn't changed since I got here, and it won't change after I leave.  I know it seems a little cheesy, but...I believe it.  So when I walk across that stage in December, I can have confidence that the constant love and strength of the Lord is with me, no matter where I go.  The great thing, is that He will never let go.

And that's all I need to know.

Mission update 6

Our last day was full of fun.

We started the day off at breakfast.  Due to our weird schedule that day, we had some time to kill.  We all threw around the Frisbee and them the boots played some football while the girls got some *ahem* interesting hairdos.

Finally it was time to got white water rafting.  The adult sponsored were with Robert as our guide who had over 17 years of experience in the Ocoee.  The students were with Adam.  The girls ended up flipping off their raft. 

After that we grabbed some lunch, some took naps and then we went horse back riding with Josh, our team effort staff member.  It was a great ride for...well...most of us (Mary Kate's horse did not cooperate).

After that we went into town for dinner art the riverside grill.  We came back, had some fellowship with other groups then went to bed.

We are now on the road and very excited to return to Stilwell!

Mission update 5

Today was our first of two free days. 
In the morning we took in two outdoor sights.  We took a hike at the Green Mountain Trail.  While there we talked about the 23 Psalm and how God can lead its out of the wilderness. The  second place we visited was Anna Ruby Falls, which is a waterfall in Georgia.  The waterfall was 150 ft. While there we looKed at Isaiah and the majesty and power of God. 

After that we went ziplining.  The place we went to was the ocoee river basin.  The zipline went through the trees with 9 lines and 3 bridges.  After we finished we went to the blue hole swimming area.  That was the site of the 1996 Olympic kayaking.  We ate at a grill by the hole and them came back for chapel.
Chapel was all about trusting God with our baggage.  After some group time we had a bonfire with our friends from Virginia and finally got some sleep

Mission update 4

We had our last day at our mission site.

The team effort staff have told us we are too far ahead and that next week wont have enough work to do.  We took it a little easier today and doesn't some time getting to know the homeowners of the house we were working on.  Turns out that Mr.  Cruse use to be a world famous chicken breeder! 

We managed to get a good portion of the shingles on before we had to say goodbye.  We were very blessed to get to serve the Cruse family this week.

We got back to camp, hit the lake, dinner, and then chapel.  At chapel we heard a an amazing territory from one of the staff members about  labels and how they can affect us and others.  We then had some group time and then headed for bed.