Lectures to My Students

So, it has been a long time since I did any heavy reading (or really any reading much at all). In an attempt to regain some initiative in my life I want to take up once again some seriouos reading. One book that has been on my shelf for a LONG time is, Lectures to My Students on the art of Preaching by Charles Spurgeon. It was recommended by a fellow traveler in life's journey recently which spurred me to pull it off my bookshelf. I will keep you posted on how it goes!

In a quiet house in the YL

Last night my parents had quite the visitor. Here is the story as told to me by my mom...

At approximately 12:00 my mom went to bed. About an hour later, my brother, who was still up and doing homework or facebook - who knows - on the computer, heard a knock on the door.

Considering he has a myriad of friends, that are also of the same age demographic, I suppose that he thought this was a bit strange, but not completely out of the ordinary as their house is set up so that you can see into it and easily tell that their are lights on and someone is still up. HOWEVER, for some reason (will have to get this detail later) he opens the door before finding out who it is. It is a obesely overwieght young lady (approximately 19 or 20) wearing way to short shorts, who is wreaking of alchohal and obviously completely intoxicated. She asks for natalie. However, there are no natalies at our house. My brother tells her this, that she has the wrong house, but she proceeds to come inside. Ya, seriously! So, he gently guides her back outside, shuts and locks the door.

Then he hears the back gate opening! He goes outside and tells her she needs to leave, that this is not Natalies house. He locks all the doors and calls the police. By this time the parents and sister are awake due to the fact that the dogs are all barking VERY loudly. She spends the next five minutes knocking at the windows hard enough that my parents are afraid they are going to break. All the while saying that she needs Natalie. However this is all nearly incoherant.

Finally she gives up, walks up the street and sits down on the corner. Shortly after the police arrive. My dad, brother, and sister go and talk to them. They arrest her and the story ends. Apparently she isn't from the area and must have been attracted to the house with the lights on.

Quite the story. The moral? Don't get overly intoxicated in unfamiliar territory!

Old information made new

A good friend and professor from college asked me to help her by subbing one of her classes. I will be teaching one evening of a five evening adult degree completion course. So, I am taking on one fifth of the course. Of course, she has all of the powerpoint/schedule/visual aids already prepared. Really all I have to do is show up and follow the outline provided by her. I am looking forward to it. It is basically intro to hermanuetics. (Which by the way is bad when you then take it is a grad student and the new prof wants you to do it a different way then the old prof and you can't take yourself off of autopilot)
What was interesting to me is that as I was reading the text book to brush up on the subject matter, it all came flooding back. I took this course as a sophmore, which would have meant that it was in the fall of 2000. It is now 2008. Eight years is a long time. I did TA for this class and graded many a paper, but it isn't like I studied the notes a whole lot as I was doing that. At one point I actually remembered what was and was not on the test, how sick is that. One of those points I thought I would share with you... In a Bible study method that is ideal, there are four major componants, maximum accuracy, maximum application, joy of personal discovery, and can be done within a reasonable amount of time. After seeing those once again, I can almost repeat them from memory again. Our brains amaze me sometimes...

A good day...

Today was a good day. I felt good (no headache), got a lot done at work, had a good time at work, survived the grocery store (a scary place sometimes), made dinner with a friend, watched a fun movie, and now I am home nearly ready for bed. Anyway, today got me thinking about what makes a day a good day. There really wasn't anything extra special about today, but it felt different. What makes a day a good day for you?

Trip to the Observatory

On Saturday, my brother came to visit me. It was a lot of fun. We spent the morning in Old Town Temecula, and enjoyed some crepes.
Then we decided to drive to the Palomar Observatory. It was a long drive and it was cold, but we had fun. The telescope is very large and impressive and overall it is just a beautiful place to be. Enjoy the pictures!

Pic from their website - cool looking huh?

Pic we took - it was foggy that day, but it made the whole landscape look like a scene from Star Wars!

A large Manzanita tree that Kenny thought was cool, it was cool, and very red, although you can't really tell, sorry!

A new church

Today I went with my friend Merideth to try a new church. The whole idea of church shopping just sickens my heart. I hate it. But considering what is going on at the church I had finally decided to call home, it seems as though it is time to go. Anyway, back to today. The church was good, we walked in, didn't announce ourselves as visitors (It is hard to walk into a new church and announce that you don't yet belong when that is all I want to do.) found the worship center, realized that like most churches everyone comes late, and enjoyed a longer service. The message was on being the church. They are challenging their congregation to be the church, to serve, to not be served, but to go out and serve. As a matter of putting this into practice, there will be no sunday morning services next week, the whole church is supposed to meet at a community home for troubled teens to do service projects. I thought it was pretty cool. Overall it was a positive experience. I am excited about going back next week on Saturday night, learning more about the church. Although I am not in the mindset of church shopping, I do want to find a church that is passionate and full of vision for their children's ministry department.

Where to begin...

The last few days, I have spent some quality time with two different college friends. One was a great friend, who is about to leave for the mission field. The other was a professor who has been a great support and encouragement throughout not only my college years but every year since. Through the discussions, in which you seem to recap what is going on your life now, what was good then, what is good now, what is hard, etc. It has been a good time. I time to be reminded of what God is doing, not only in my life, but in the lives of those around me, in the world at large. I am thankful for great people that are partners in life and ministry throughout many years.