Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Walking and Talking is difficult

It is only 11am and it has been a long day already. Most of it is completely my fault though. It started when I decided that it would be a good idea to start a movie at midnight knowing that I had an eight o'clock class to go to! Brilliant idea right? Eagle Eye is a pretty decent movie - not the best, but definitely not the worst movie I have seen. Anyway, the movie ended around two and I got in bed. Naturally, even though I was yawning and tired as all, I could not go to sleep to save my life. Last time I checked the clock it was almost four.

If you remember my post about me not being a morning person, you know that I have a major difficulty getting up in the mornings. And if you dont remember that blog.. well then just know that I have a major problem getting up in the mornings. Well when I got in bed, I knew I was going to have to get up and so I set three alarms. One at 7:15, one at 7:17, and the other at 7:21. The snooze is five minutes so every time I hit the snooze after just one more minute it would go off again. I really was not happy with myself for doing that this morning but after hitting the snooze fifteen times, I begrudgingly got out of bed at 7:45. And once again my room mate had to be mr. shunshine. (he is not gay, I was just unhappy with him so I am making it appear that way.) So as I went to class, I realized that my midterm is on Thursday in that class. WOO! exciting start to the day.

It was followed by the lovely Dimensions. I am required to go to ten of these things per semester and they are basically the worst preachers Gardner-Webb could find that come to speak. This time it was a black southern gospel preacher who I could not understand to save my life. So while I was sitting there unable to listen to him I decided to text Paige (shes in my blog list thing). I had not talked to her in a while so I thought I would see how she was doing. Well after 45 minutes of utter boredom in dimensions it finally came to a close and I left, still texting Paige.

I am generally good at multi-tasking.. except for when I get very little sleep and have a rough morning. As I was walking through the cold, texting Paige, I forgot to look up. I walked right into a tree.

I don't really know how to recover from something like that when I am in a group of people who all saw it happen. So I just looked up, glanced around to see a TON of people laughing and went about my morning still texting Paige. But this time, instead of focusing on what I was saying, I decided to focus on every step, ensuring that I would not embarass myself again.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Opening Slugfest

I love spring. Technically it's not spring yet, but I still love it. The brisk mornings. The birds chirping. The buds growing on the trees. I love it all. The best part though is the sound of aluminum ringing across campus from solid contact with a 90 mile per hour fastball. The semi-green grass growing in the diamond. The smell of hot dogs and (not here at GWU) beer. The cracking of peanuts under your shoes as you walk. The salty taste from seeds. Budweiser Presents blaring over the loud speakers. Little kids running all over the place playing catch and the serious scorekeeper focused intently on the game. Coke, popcorn, and cotton candy vendors walking up and down the rows.

Today marked the first day of the college baseball season. Gardner-Webb squared off against the Canisius Golden Griffin's from Buffalo, NY. The cold 35 degree start to this mid-afternoon contest seemed to give the Golden Griffin's a slight advantage as they had to travel through a snow storm. However, that advantage did not last long.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (1-0) lefty Brett Stackhouse came out on fire. Retiring the first three Griffins with ease throwing just 15 pitches. Not only was the pitching hot, but the bats came out golden as well. Thanks to an error at first on a squibbler to first followed by a single and a deep fly ball, Brock Miller scooted around to give the Bulldogs the lead.

That lead didn't last too long as Shane Wilson clobbered one to left center tying the game at one. Gardner-Webb didn't like that too much and decided to answer back. Kurt Fulginiti lead off the inning with a sharp single to left field followed by Tyler Johnsons single to left. Catcher Ty Boyles add a beautiful sacrifice bunt down the first base line to move both runners into scoring position. Finnaly brought in by John Ahearn's fielders choice to give Gardner-Webb the lead for good.

Gardner-Webb added a three run fourth and a six run seventh and failed to score a run in only the eighth inning. Big league prospect, Daniel Cook, led the way offensively for the Runnin' Bulldogs going four for four with a walk, homerun, three runs scored, and two RBI's. Bubby Spake and Ty Boyles added dingers for the Bulldogs, and Brock Miller went 3-5 with a triple, three runs, and an RBI.

Kevin Mahue led the way for the Golden Griffins (0-1) going 2-4 with two runs and two RBI's. Shane Wilson added a homer and an RBI. Brett Stockhouse improves to 1-0 on the season while Mike Goemans drops to 0-1.

The series continues tomorrow with a double header beginning at noon and then a game on Sunday at 1. The Golden Griffins will be have to stretch out their pitching as the starter the 84 pitches in just four innings, and his relief didn't do much better - 70 pitches in just 2 2/3 innings.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Odesa, Ukraine

Today I received some very interesting news regarding my trip to Romania this summer. I had just gotten out of my New Testament class when Randy called me as I was walking back to my room.

As we talked I found that I will be the only intern this summer, which means a LOT of work for me, but I am pretty excited about it! We will be working with kids all over western Romania and Odesa, Ukraine. I found out from Randy this morning that we will be spending a week to a week and a half in Odesa leading a creative ministries camp for some of the kids there. Odesa is located in the southern part of Ukraine on the Black Sea. I remember about 10 years ago when my dad had the opportunity to go to Kiev, Ukraine to rebuild a church. I am super excited to be able to go to the same country my dad went to about 10 years ago!

I still do not know an official date when I am leaving or coming back. However, with this trip to Ukraine I may be leaving a few weeks earlier. There was not to much more information that I found out this morning but, as I find out more and more information, I will continue to post on here and hopefully I will be able to continue to keep you updated over the summer.


I never would have thought that I would be blessed in this way. God never ceases to amaze me with the opportunities and doors he has opened for me. Even though I have many, many questions about my faith and what I believe, He is still using me. It is incredibly humbling to have all these questions about what I believe and yet, some how, some way, He is using me. INCREDIBLE!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

I am NOT a morning person

So last night I knew this would not be a good morning. I set my alarm for 7:15 and because I absolutely cannot miss anymore classes, I set my alarm out of reach from my bed. My first words this mornings were, "This is a BAD day." Little did I know that the worst was yet to come.

For those who know me well and have seen me in the mornings, they know I need at least an hour to wake up and comprehend words people are muttering to me. Apparently my room mate Elliot, has not learned this lesson yet.

I got out of bed turned my alarm off and then went back to sleep on the couch... good plan I know. Well, Elliot gets up and gets a shower and I have the only peace I will have for the next two hours.

He returns from the shower chattin up a storm. And, at first, just out of the kindness of my heart I try to respond with something understandable. I have no idea if it was actually English or not. But anyway I manage to pull myself off the couch to get dressed for this class that we just happen to have together. It's about 7:35 now and I am dressed and walking out the door with one eye open.. or both eyes half open equaling one eye. Anyway, I stumble to get a biscuit in the Kennel and the whole way there Elliot is rambling on and on about random stuff. Just talking his little.. or rather large head off. By the time we got to the food I was ready to punch him in the face.

I do not talk in the mornings and I do not want to be bothered in the mornings simply because I do not want to offend anyone by ignoring them. However, this morning, I had no choice. He would ask me a question and sure enough no answer from the dead peanut gallery. I just walked still 75% asleep.

So I post this blog to inform you that if I ignore you in the mornings it is not because I do not like you it is because of one of two reasons. The first being I simply do not comprehend things or words or anything for that matter for at least an hour after I wake up. And the second is that you are just talking way to much and I am frustrated with you.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Romania news

Last summer, I went to Romania with my Sunday school class and a few other adults. I had a GREAT time there. Playing with kids and just watching God work through the team. Playing games and hiking and crafts and worship and small group, I had so much fun through the whole thing! At the end of the week, as most of you know, I had talked with Randy, the missionary there, about a possible internship this summer. We left and I tried and tried to get in contact with him, only to find out last month that I wont find out until the first week or so of February. I was also invited to spend a few weeks in Nairobi with Chris and Lindy so I really needed to find out what Randy's plans were. So I sent him an email yesterday afternoon and well, look at the date, February 5th, in the first week of February and I received an email back from Randy. I will be leaving for Romania the last week or so in June and coming back sometime in August, just before school starts back!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Focused on Unity

I went on a FOCUS trip to Thomasville and it hardly seemed as if I was in my hometown. I spent all of Friday night and Saturday in Calvary United Church of Christ. There were about 20 students that showed for this twenty-four hour lock in. Man, those students were WIRED. We had a GREAT time playing games and rock band and eating... and for them, not sleeping.. I did not enjoy that one so much.

The weekend was focused (get the pun?) on unity. Which is a difficult subject to talk about, but nonetheless, I think the students were able to get a lot out of it. There was one student in particular who I connected with the most, Winfield (because some may know him, and I dont know if he wants his name on the internet, this is what I called him). We talked about everything. We were partners in sardines and were definitely the best at that game. He is a mature, excited, and curious student.

I am excited to meet more students like Winfield on more FOCUS trips that are to come. Oh, and my FOCUS group is INCREDIBLE! I consider them some of my closest friends and I am incredibly blessed to know them and have the privelage of calling them my friends. For those on my team that read this, Thank you!