limited time only (part two)

As is so often the case, I was on my way to finishing a masterpiece of a post when the computer freaked out, and forgot that I was ever online in the first place. So, pretend that I started out with an extremely clever introduction that linked the previous post to this one. It also talked about how the first post really was a giant incomplete thought... man, I wish I hadn't lost that original "limited time only (part two)" post.

The way I've decided to close out this two-part post is this: instead of whining and spilling out all my thoughts of Brenham for the mostly uninterested world to read, I'm just going to make a little list of things I've learned during this short season of refinement. Some of these lessons are the ones that I've learned before and will continue to re-learn as the years go by, while others are new. Most of them weren't fun to learn, and honestly probably won't be that fun to read, but hey, you came to the blog voluntarily.

• I am selfish - I love myself way too much.
• Ministry is hard - Not hard as in the opposite of easy, rather hard as in not enjoyable, exciting, glamorous, appealing, or other attractive things.
• It would behoove me (and probably you) to focus more on knowing Jesus better, and less on worrying about where He may or may not want me to be.
• Jesus' grace is ferociously amazing

I'm sure I learned more than four things this summer, but those are the ones that have kept coming up and impacting me a whole lot on a daily basis. I'm very thankful that God loves me enough to teach me things like this. I don't deserve it.

As I write this I'm enjoying the fact that I'm done for the summer. I get to go to Dallas this weekend and see my friends, including that special one Brooke! I get to spend one more week here in Brenham debriefing, and hopefully I'll quiet down enough to let the Lord finish showing me the things He taught me whilst I was here. I'm looking forward to a sweet week of rest in College Station following the last week in Brenham, but more immediately than all of those, I'm looking forward to a free dinner tonight.

Chances are, if you are reading this, I love you, and I don't tell you that enough.

p.s. Special thanks to Uncle Stan for the magazine article of a comment he left. I really do appreciate it.

limited time only!

The title isn't to make you think that I'm offering you something that won't be available much longer, rather it's to let you know that I don't have a whole lot of time to write this post. As usual, I'll apologize for there not being a picture. I'll also go ahead and apologize for it not being funny or awesome. Sorry and sorry.

So here's the deal: I've got until Friday the 28th of July. Once that day comes (really, once 12:30pm that day comes) my work here in Brenham is over. I will have to stay another week to clean up and debrief and things of the sort, but the work part is over. Sadly, there just isn't a whole lot that excites me more than the thought of my time here being over. Why is that sad? Oh, well let me tell you. (Disclaimer: being that I have limited time to write this I'm sure I'll say things that I haven't completely thought through yet, but this is what's on my mind, and if it's heretical, know that I really do mean well).

Jesus said tons of things about how we, his followers, ought to be involved with helping those who cannot help themselves. In America, I believe that a huge group of people that fall into that category are the people who we often call "poor." I don't like the thought of calling people poor, but then I realize that Jesus did, so it must be okay. Anyway, the way I read scripture, I think as a follower of Jesus I should be involved in helping the poor, and I think that should be in a more tangible way than simply throwing money at them through some organization like Compassion International. I actually like doing things of that nature, but I really think that Christians do stuff like that and then check the "help the poor" box off their good deeds list.

Ok, crap... lots of people just walked in the room, and I can no longer go on letting my fingers think for all of you to read; not their fault, my mind just can't handle it. I also have to leave to drive around Brenham for an hour, picking people up for a youth conference in a van that broke down on me last week... Sorry for the incomplete blog, but maybe it'll give you something to work with... this one had the potential to be way too long, so it's probably best. Terrible ending... dang it.

music review

Skreet: A'ight den kinfolk, here's whatitdu. I gotta holla atch'ya 'bout dat new Trip record. Dat album goes so hard! Aw-yeah kinfolk, dem beats skrate bangin' and them lyrics are so cold. Plus dat cat Trip is only eigh-deen! Skrate bangin'. But on the real, you gotta hit that record up.

Middle Class: Hey guys, check it out. I absolutely must tell you all about the new Trip Lee, "If They Only Knew" CD. That CD is so stinkin' good. Really, the beats are so sweet and the words are so sweet too. Oh, and might I add that Trip Lee is merely 18 years old... neat! So good. But seriously, I highly recommend you buy this cool CD.

D.O.: If I were to write a real review of this album, it'd be somewhere between Skreet talk and Middle Class talk. I really do recommend purchasing this CD (www.reachrecords.com), it really is good (unless you hate hip-hop... I mean, you don't have to buy it). Oh, and if you click that link, you can hear some of the songs on LeCrae's new album, set to drop August 15th, which is the same day Jimmy Needham's new album drops. But I digress. Done.

Mission Brenham-mobile

I know it's hard, but try no to be jealous.

You can print this picture and make it into a magnet

Reminding you to pray for me as I pray

For discernment as to

Whether or not

I should stay

In Brenham

In the

Fall.

KAA U know U know

We got on the ghetto bus.Kevi made a hilarious mask.
We went to the first ever Wal-Mart.
All my junior high kids posed.
This is my secret spot where I read and napped and hung out with my Jesus.And this is the sunrise I got to see each morning (save the ones I slept in).

So there you have it. It was a wonderful weekend and now you get to see some pictures from it.

so lame

I've been trying to put KAA pics up for a while. I give up. Terrible.

and we're back

I'm so sorry that, yet again, this is a picture-less post. I thought about waiting until I would be able to attach a photo, but then I thought you might all be scared that I had died or something. Well praise be to God for getting that Silver Eagle Bus all the way to Missouri and back. It really doesn't make sense for that machine to have done what it did, so praise Jesus.

The gist of my weekend was as follows: wake up before the sun does, go down to my secret spot that overlooks the lake, spend a few hours with Jesus, breakfast, meeting, and do whatever I want with the rest of the day. It was one of the most restful weeks I've ever experienced (and that rest was much needed). Oh man, that was good rest in the Lord.

I'll share one anecdote to leave you with until my post that actually has pictures.

One afternoon we were given the opportunity to go swimming. For those of you who haven't been to a Christian camp in a few years, swimming pools are no longer what they once were. Now-a-days, simply swimming is not an option. You can however, play water basketball and volleyball, jump off a series of diving boards, jump from a platform to a trampoline into the water, blob, and swing from a trapeze.

I was unfortunately unable to take advantage of each of these options (including the one I most wanted to try: the trampoline), but I did get to hit up a few. I decided to start out with a swing down the trapeze, before I had even entered the water.

I climbed to the top of the of the tower, listened to the nice young man tell me all I needed to know about swinging down and letting go - most of which I dismissed with a confident, "I've done this before." I was holding the handle and recounting all of the various tecniques required to successfully complete the swing. I was told to lead with my toes, so I pushed off, put my toes out in front (pointed, of course, as any former gymnast would), and as I began to swing downward towards the water, I my flight was rudely interrupted by my very own butt. That's right, the platform hit my butt far harder than my father ever did. I still managed to swing all the way and do a back flip off, but the flip was really only to save face for the butt smack.

Over a week later (this morning) I was actually able to look at my wounded butt in the mirror, and it's a pretty gnarly bruise my friends. I'm not sure if that is going to be one of the pictures in the next post, but stay tuned... you never know.

off we go

The bus displayed before you is the very machine that will be taking us (Lord willing, and only Lord willing) to Missouri on July 2nd. It was donated to Mission Brenham by some nice folks at some Tabernacle, and part of their name is still visible on the side of the bus despite the letters having been removed. The farthest this bus has ever gone with Mission Brenham was back in 2005 when it went to College Station... almost. It didn't actually make it all the way successfully, which is why I'm asking you to join me in praying that the Silver and Purple Eagle would by the grace of God get us to KAA and back.

In other news, I was finally able to get in contact with a human being in Marlin who told me lots of valuable information regarding my ticket. I'll be paying, it seems, at least $180 for my driving faux pas. As crappy as that is, you do what you gotta do. Thanks to all of you who commented on my ticket venting post.

Let it be known that I in NO WAY condone breaking of the law. I honestly don't even speed normally, that was just a special day I guess. I hope that you will all follow my lead as I drive defensively and within the given legal confines of speed and yielding.

(For those of you who've been a part of my life for a really long time, this bus is made by the same eagle people that all of our friends in Sycamore tattooed on themselves... you know?)