Thursday, September 16, 2010

Updates

So I have been hounded like crazy for not posting anything on here in over two months. SO here you go.  This is absolutely nothing serious.. just a funny story, then some updates about me.

Have you ever been sitting in your house, heard a loud thump against one of the windows and realize that it was a bird? I have and it always scares me, at least momentarily. After I realize what happened, I always find it funny that a bird flew into a window. I don't really know why but I find it funny. Sometimes I like to think about why the bird wanted to fly inside? Was it because it was pretty inside? Warmer? Why did that bird decide to try to fly inside? Or was the bird blind? I have yet to figure out the answer to that question.

I was walking back from class yesterday just minding my own business, listening to music, and just in my own little world. AsI got closer to my apartment, I was looking at the lake off to the left and thought to myself, "I should probably watch were I am going." So I turned to look at where I was going, took a few steps, and SPLAT. I had a bee fly directly into the left lens of my glasses. This bee died and fell straight to the ground leaving a bit of bee residue on my glasses. It scared me more so than the bird flying into the window. However, I have been asking myself many of the same questions.

SO updates on Kevin. I am glad to be back in the states. I have been going back to the foster home since I got here and I LOVE it. I am in the process of talking to the nursing home here to go hang out and talk with old people and I cannot wait to see what happens there. School is going well. Classes are going well. I have been reading Philippians and I LOVE it. That's really about all that is going on in the wonderfully, magnificently, boring life of Kevin.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Dance

Dancing. It is something that we all do. Good or bad, we all dance. I love driving down the road listening to loud music and dancing. Playing drums on my steering wheel is on of my favorite things to do.

Dancing is something that we go do for fun. It is a from of entertainment. There are different types of dances for different types of people. TV even has a show about dancing with famous people. I want to tell you about dancing with a famous person.

This past week I was in Odessa, Ukraine working with four students to develop the arts of clowning as a use for children's ministry.  They learned every thing from magic tricks to skits to juggling in the mornings. And in the afternoons, we would go to different orphanages, hospitals, or parks to practice. (I was not a clown for most of the week because  I was taking pictures for everyone.) There were two places that we went that really got my mind rolling. The first was a hospital for physically handicapped children. As I took pictures and watched these kids smile I found myself in awe of them. I wasn't staring awkwardly. I wasn't turning my back ashamedly. I was smiling because of the joy they possessed despite the difficult times they face.

The second place that will be embedded in my mind forever was the Down Syndrome Orphanage that we visited on Monday. This time, I was talking to Kate (a Ukranian) about her experience there. Tearing up she told me this story.

"I was playing with one little girl who has never been able to walk. She has been in a wheel chair her entire life. As the puppet team was singing its last song, she asked me to dance with her."

So they danced.

I can only hope that through all the adversities I face in my life that I can dance. I pray that we can be filled with the same joy that David had when he was able to bring the ark into the city of David.  He danced before the Lord because he knew that he could not bring the ark into the city with out the Lord.

These children understand that there isn't much they can do without the help of others, and when this girl had the opportunity, she chose to dance.

I hope that we choose to dance with joy for the Lord because we know we are incapable of doing anything without Him.



Sunday, July 4, 2010

Follower

Well, it has been a while since I have posted. We had camp this past week and it was absolutely incredible! There is nothing better than spending an entire week with kids and just loving on them and having a GREAT time! I have a couple of stories I want to share with you all from camp.

For those who don't know me, I love to give high fives and fist pounds. One of my favorite things to do with all the kids is to come up with a handshake with them. So throughout the week, different kids and I come up with new handshakes. Well, I met this one little 11 year old girl who is absolutely adorable. Her name is Stefania (pictured below), and we came up with a very simple hand shake and did it all the time.

On Thursday we went on a hike, like we always do. I was carrying a bunch of water and walking at a pretty fast pace. Stefania stayed right by my side the entire way up. If I stopped to fill up someone's water bottle, she stopped and waited with me. When I started walking again, she started along right by my side. If she got in front of me, she would look back just to make sure I was there and then wait for me to catch up. On Friday night, we had the invitation as we normally do, and she was on of the people who made decisions to follow Christ. There is just something about seeing someone you know, especially a child, come to know the Lord. I am so very proud of her.

The team from Florida had to leave on Friday night to get to the airport on Saturday morning. So Ade and I went with the team on Friday night. The kids don't go home until Saturday morning so we missed out a little bit with the kids but Friday night is probably my favorite memory of all. After worship, I had to go up to my cabin to pick up my bags so I could leave.  (The boys pictured to the left were in my cabin along with two others.) As I got up to my cabin, all 5 of them were waiting there crying . They all ran up to me and hugged my legs and gave me different crafts that they had done throughout the week. As I finish giving all of them hugs, I hear some people outside calling my name. I thought it was time to go. So I pick up my bag and one of the boys takes it for me. I walked out and there were 15 to 20 children waiting at the bottom of the stairs to give me a hug.

I don't understand it. I never will. I simply come to love on kids, and they end up teaching me much more then I can imagine.


For those who are praying for me, we are traveling to Ukraine tomorrow morning and I am very excited about that. Health has also been an issue this past week. Ade wasn't feeling good on Thursday morning, I was throwing up and had a bit of a fever on Thursday night, and so health and energy are ways we need prayer the most right now. I thank all of you very, very much!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Whats my name?

Yesterday, I decided to push back some funny stories to blog about my Dad. Well here goes some funny stories from Sunday.

After church, we drove to Cluj, which is about a two hour drive, to see Becky's mom. The ride was pretty uneventful except for some gorgeous views and some crazy Romanian drivers. Once we saw Becky's mom, Ade wanted to go to the mall in Cluj to go shop. So off to the mall we go. None of us really knew where the mall was, but we had signs to follow that got us there easily.

Once inside, Randy and I had to use the little boys room and the signs to the restrooms were not so easy to follow.

We searched and searched for the signs to the restroom and finally found one that had an arrow pointing ahead (there was a hall leading across to some more places to shop), so straight it was. The next sign pointed left. Left it was. Next up was another sign telling us to turn left. we keep walking and come to another sign, just across the hall from the first one, that told us to go straight. So we walked around the block to get to the restrooms when we could have just cut across the hall.

On our way back from Cluj, we had a Romanian GPS. That should pretty much tell you everything you need to know. We got lost up on top of a mountain in Cluj trying to find our way back to Oradea. The GPS took us in a giant circle which was quite hilarious.

And finally, this story comes from the beginning of the day. The churches here almost always ask us if we have something to say to the congregation, so since I have already been here for a summer, I knew this. Randy and I had prepared our talks earlier Saturday and were ready to speak if they asked us to.

In church here, they have a time where members of the congregation can get up and sign or speak about whatever they have been learning. Well, we were supposed to end this time up. So, after a while, Randy gives me the nudge to get up and go speak.

I was nervous. (quite possibility an understatement)

I got up there, said pace (pache. it means peace. thats how members of the church greet each other) , and started into my talk.

There is one thing I forgot to do, and it is a pretty important part.

I forgot to introduce myself

I never told the congregation who I was or what I was doing in their church. In the states, that might not be such a big deal, but when some guy gets up and starts speaking English in a Romanian church, people want to know why he is there.

After I finished, I settled back into my seat and Randy walked up and introduced me for me. It was at that point that I realized what I had done and I just buried my head in my hands and laughed.

I forgot my name.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Father's Day

I have many funny stories to tell from today here in Romania, but they are going to have to wait. Today is a much more important day back in the States that I have missed for the last two years now.

Father's Day.

I could go on and on and on about how great of a Dad I have. Many of you know my dad in person and know that he is one the hardest working people around. My dad will do anything for anybody at seemingly anytime and I do not know how he does it.

He works night and day to provide for our family. He is tired almost all the time. But he does it because he loves his family more than anything in the world, including himself. My dad loves the Lord with all of his heart and has instilled within each one of us (Tim and Noelle) that same desire to have a growing relationship with our Heavenly Father.

As I think back to all the times I have had with my dad, I think about the times we have played catch in the yard or the times we have done the paper route together. I think about what an incredible example he has been for me.

Dad,
Thank you.  Thank you for all the times you have loved me when it wasn't easy. Thank you for teaching me that God is my Father. Thank you for all the late night paper route times. Thank you for you. I miss you, Dad. I love you.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Journey's in Romania

I have been troubled by the thought of going on yet another mission trip for the last few weeks. Every time I would talk to someone, I would talk about the mission trip I was going on. For whatever reason, unknown to me, the word trip bothered me.

As I have thought about it, I could not figure out why the word trip bothered me. Until I had a conversation with a friend from the states on facebook just yesterday.. err Thursday. I jokingly greeted this person by saying whats up slacker, because with the time change it was late morning when they woke up. This person replied, "slacker? who's the one on facebook while on a mission's trip?"

I responded with, "this is also where I am living for the next two months." After that, the conversation quickly turned into catching up and such. But that part of the conversation has been eating away at me for the last day or so.

I keep going back to the word trip. I have come to realize that I am not on a trip right now. I am living here. I am not on a vacation here. I am living here. Whether it's for two months or five days. I am living here.

I have come to see why the word trip bothers me. And it's because the word trip implies that I am doing something different that what my daily routine calls for. And in this case, that something different is serving the Lord with everything I have.

As Christians we are supposed to live out our faith. If I am living out my faith, should there be any difference, other than location, in my daily routine while on a mission "trip"?

Serving the Lord is our mission. Serving the Lord is what we live for no matter the location - Romania, Kenya, India, Japan, America. I no longer am on a mission trip, instead I simply see myself as on a journey living in Romania

My question to you is are you living out your faith on a day to day basis, or do you go on mission "trips" to serve God? And maybe, just maybe it's because we go on mission "trips" that we often revert to life as normal with in two weeks.

P.S. This is part of the reason I love Romania. This is what I go to sleep to every night.


Thursday, June 17, 2010

Lion's pit.

I am reading a book together with Randy called In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day. The first chapter is about a passage of scripture in 2 Samuel 23:20-21. A man named Benaiah chased after a Lion.

How strange is that? If I were to see a lion face to face in the wild, I honestly would probably wet myself and run in terror. This man Benaiah however, had a desire to chase after the lion and seize it. Benaiah was not afraid. He knew that His God was watching over him.

I think too many times we, myself included, have the opportunity to see God move in a mighty way, but because we are afraid of what it requires we miss out. This book is going to be good I do believe. There is a question on the back that reads, "What if the life you really want, and the future God wants for you, is hiding right now in your biggest problem, your worst failure, your greatest fear?"

That was very uncomfortable to think about. So, I ask you all to think about it with me. What are your thoughts on that? Are you willing to chase a lion?

An update on camps and such, today went incredibly smooth. We were able to get all the reservations made until the first week of August so that was very nice. Now, we start getting all of the supplies for camp ready. Randy and I are leading games in the first so we need to come up with all of the games. We are also having to pack for Ukriane because a day and a half after this first camp ends, we fly to Ukraine for 8 days.

Randy, the whole Romanian team, and myself are very thankful for your daily prayers.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Traveling gets to me.

Anyone who has ever traveled a great distance knows that it messes with everything. It messes with your physical body and mental body. I have two instances to share with you all.

To start off, let me give a little background to this story. Some of you may know that one of my nicknames over here is Zippy. There were, on several occasions throughout last summer, that I forgot to zip up my pants. The first was in the first camp. One of the older women there had Randy inform me.

And then there was the time in the last camp playing Blitz (a card game) at 3am with the translators that I stood up to go get some food, and Anca screamed, "Kevin, your pants are unzipped!" So, laughing, I zipped them up. What a way to leave, right? Right!

Well then, what better way to come back! As I was flying from Chicago to London, I was sitting next to two old grumpy German people who did not know much English. I was on the isle seat, thank goodness. After the cabin went dark and people started to go to sleep, I closed my eyes and went to sleep as well. After about 45 minutes, I was awakened by the sudden urge to use the restroom, so quietly, I rose and went to the restroom, did my business and headed back to sleep. As we were landing in London, I took my blanket off, only to see that my fly was COMPLETELY open. Awesome.


Flying always backs me up for a couple of days and so this evening was the first time I have taken a poop since like the day before I left. Well, I found out very quickly that the plungers here are VERY short. The tube of toothpaste is there to show you just how small this plunger is.
Well I tried and tried and tried to get that toilet flushed and it did not work. So I went and brushed my teeth and all that other stuff, and finally about about a 15 minute struggle with the toilet and plunger, I got it to flush. 

Sorry for the absurdity and no real content of this post. I felt I should share it anyway though. We have many many things to get ready for including a team that is coming next week. So if you could all join in praying with us here for the camp and all the preparations like Hotel reservations, transportation reservations, and food reservations, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

SUMMER!!

So, as many of you know, I left on Monday morning for Romania. It is 10pm on Tuesday night and I am here.

After a very long trip, some bumpy plane rides, and picking up where I left off, I am ready to hit the ground running sleeping. Ill post something tomorrow when I am not quite as tired.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Romania!

I am a little under two weeks away from leaving for the summer. For those who do not know, I will be leaving for Oradea, Romania on June 14th. Randy Bullock is a missionary there and I will be staying with him all summer working along side him. Our main focus this summer is five children's camps that teams from across the world will be helping lead.

A team from Ocala, Florida will be coming in the later part of June to help lead the first of our five camps. Last year, the team from Florida did a phenomenal job; teaching the students about faith, hope, and love. Sixteen children made decisions last summer and this team will be working with the same group of children to allow for further discipleship.

Following the Florida team, Randy, Ade, Chris Lovell (from Ocala, Florida), and I will be going to Odessa, Ukraine to continue to showing people there how to use clowning as a ministry tool. We will be going into a camp leading a 40 minute program, along with staying a few days in an orphanage. The trip last year was different, but a new and exciting opportunity to minister to the children of Odessa.

Two teams from my home church will be coming to help in the next two camps. The first team will be starting afresh in a new village out towards the central part of the country called Rau de Mori. I personally got to work with these children last summer when we took a handbell group to Rau de Mori and I am very excited to see how God is going to work in these children's lives.

The second team from Rich Fork will be leading a music camp in a village just outside of Oradea. This is the first time a camp like this has been tried. The goal is to put together a show including songs and skits. The songs will be in English and the skits will be in Romanian. This is going to be a fun camp and I know that He has everything under control.

And finally, a team from Bristol, England will be coming to lead a hospice camp. Last year, this camp was easily my favo(u)rite and I eagerly look forward to working with these hurting children once again. We will also have two more people coming for this camp. Annie-Grace Shaffer and Amy Ergle (both from Ocala, FL) will be coming on August 10th and staying for the camp and leaving with me on August 22nd.

The summer will be a busy one but I look forward to seeing how God will use all of the teams, and myself to bring glory to His name. Acts 1:8 says, "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will by My witnesses in Jerusalem and all of Judea and Samaria and to the remotest part of the earth."

As my departure date draws closer, I ask that you pray with me that the hearts and minds of the Romanians will be opened to His message. But more importantly, pray that His will is completed in the lives of those we encounter. If His will is completed, and not one life was changed, praise Him. If His will is completed, and 90% of the people we encounter pray to follow Jesus, praise Him even more.

I will be doing my absolute best to keep everyone updated through my blog during the summer. There will be weeks where I will not have internet, so please check back regularly to find out how you can be involved with the people and children of Romania!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Observations!

There have been many observations I have had over the last few weeks. I have been to new places, nice ones... and not so nice ones. I  have taken new stuff and I just would like to share with you a few of these observations. Most of these, I find quite funny and think that, partly at my expense, you will find them funny as well.

Many of you know that I dislocated my shoulder about a month ago. That was one heck of an experience. I wish I had a video of it because it was a pretty spectacular collision. I think I would feel better if I actually had a video of it. Anyway, I had to go to the hospital to get it put back in. I have never been to the emergency room and I have never ridden in an ambulance.

First observation. For vehicles that transport hurt people, either add shocks to the vehicle... or take speed bumps slower. I got in there and they strapped me down like I had broken every bone in my body, proceeded to cut off my shirt to assess the damage and then the driver decided to drive mach 10 to the hospital completely ignoring the 4 speed bumps that you have to go over to get out of the school. I think the simple solution is to just take speed bumps slower.. that's their purpose.

Second observation. Once at the hospital, despite the pain I was in because of my shoulder and the ride, I wanted to have fun. So I decided to try and make some jokes. Hospital people have zero sense of humor when they are on the job. I tried to make a couple of jokes about the pain level like Brian Regan does and I also tried to make jokes about the drugs I was being given. My friends who were standing there laughed... but the nurses did not. In fact, they looked at me with crazy faces. Maybe jokes are not politically correct to make in the emergency room?

Third Observation. Medicine bottles. You know, those ones that you have to push down and turn to open. I was a very lucky man and got some vicodin for my shoulder after I got out of the hospital. Only problem was that stupid bottle. I could not get into that thing with out having to hurt my shoulder even more. I had to go through more pain to get to the pain relievers. I know they are supposed to be child proof... but we all know that they are not child proof at all - just people who have injured arms proof. There were numerous occasions that I had to ask someone to open my pain meds. That was pretty humbling.

Fourth Observation. Tying shoes is not possible when one of your arms is completely immobile - at least I never figured it out. So, I had a jogging class that I obviously could not do.. but I had to be there anyway. One morning I woke up to go to my jogging class and slid my shoes on only to realize that I now had a T-rex arm and was attempting to lift my leg up to tie my shoe. Please picture that in your head, it will make you laugh. After about 2 minutes of trying I just gave up and decided to walk to class. One of the guys on my hall said, "dude you know your shoes are untied?" to which I responded, "yes." He then proceeded to ask me if I would like for him to tie my shoes. I accepted. That right there is also humbling. I went and bought shoes without laces later that day.

Final observation. I was at a job interview yesterday. As I was sitting in this room waiting to be interviewed, I noticed this color coded map on the wall of all of their different regions. Typical regions, the west, the central, the south west, southeast, mid west, northeast. Pretty typical regions. But the more I studied this map the more I noticed that they got the southeast region, the northeast, and the west regions correct. Bravo. However, they messed up a bit on the mid west. They put Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and part of New York in that region. Folks, ALL of those states are EAST of the Mississippi. But I will give them credit, the nailed the central region. It extended from Missouri to Minnesota and then over to Idaho and Utah. Here's a picture for you:
Does this mean that the United States now has a Middle East? Maybe that's not politically correct. Sorry! Anyway, I don't think I want to work for a company that does not know the geography of the country that they live in.

Tha tha that's all folks!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Kevin is an Idiot!

Ok so I apologize for not posting a blog in over a month! There have been a TON of things going on and in the midst of it all, I forgot my password and had difficulty recovering it. So anyway, here is a recap of the last month.

1. I have been writing for the newspaper here at school and I love it!
2. I have learned a TON, I wanted to blog about it but due to the fact that I didn't have a password kinda made that part difficult. Ill probably blog some of my thoughts this weekend while I am camping.
3. I am going to Romania in 33 days.
4. I almost couldn't go. I dislocated my shoulder in late April and and just now starting to use my right arm again.
5. I just finished my last final today and I am SO glad that Western Civ is over. That is a blessing.

I need to go pack up some stuff. So, this weekend while I am down here camping out with some guys, check up, I will be posting a couple of blogs most likely.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Self Worth

This is kinda long so stick with me. Anyway, because I have only been home once this semester, very few people know about this situation here at school.  First of all, there is... or was this girl (that probably tells you everything) that I really liked. Things were going well and looking up for me and then one evening Kevin opened his mouth a bit more that he should. 

Picture this if you will - I am sitting on the couch with a girl just hanging out watching a movie and what not. Then I open my mouth and words start flying out. As I opened my mouth I really just wanted to shut it and not say a thing at all - but that didn't happen at all. In fact, in a not-so-crazy twist, I said too much resulting in being friend zoned. 

Friend zone - that place is BAD. No me gusta. me no likey. Anyway, we have been friends just hanging out having a good time. Play some disc golf here and there maybe go to a park or perhaps dinner or something like that. Well this girl needed a place to stay for Easter. So I was like hey come hang out at my place. No awkwardness at all. We are friends thats it. And she was really contemplating it. I would have enjoyed having one of my good friends come up and meet all of you. 

Then this weekend came. One of my very good friends here at school was hanging out with her all weekend - no big deal at all. This friend, who shall remain nameless, invited her home for Easter. She is now going with one of my friends and having me get and mail her mom's Easter present - because I am a nice guy.

This whole situation has been an eye opener in many ways. First of all - it hurt me a bit. And with the last blog I did about forgiveness - not for this girl because she is doing what she wants, but for this guy - has been tested like crazy. 

The main thing I have been learning is self worth. Over the weekend while I was in Florida, I was talking with a friend and we are going through almost identical situations and it is super easy to talk with her about them. This was one of the things we talked about this past weekend was self worth. I am made in His imagine. He loves me for me. 

It is super cool how God speaks so directly when we choose to listen and seek Him. Everything I have listened to or talked about over the last five days or so has come back to His incredible love for us. 

Last night at the Verge, our midweek college service, Neal said something that was like dang ok thanks God. Here is what he said. 
"Quit wasting time trying to gain acceptance from others because you will never be satisfied. Is God not enough for you?"
Well thank you, Neal. Even in my quiet time, I have been reading Ephesians (one of my favorite books of the Bible) and in chapter 1 it pretty much tells us that He loves us so much to adopt us into His family. Verses 3 and 4 really jump off the page to me.
"Blessed be the God and Father of out Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places to Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him."
We are His and He has blessed us with more than we can imagine. Why am I trying to change myself so that I can fit in with other people? Each morning, there is nothing like waking up and knowing that the creator of the universe chose me to be His.


Remember that you are loved by God. You are worth more than anything in this world, and simply be yourself. 

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Forgive and Forget

I feel I owe an apology to many of you. I have failed as a friend, a brother, a son. 


I have really been challenged by this one thing called the Bible. It is super uplifting, and I have a difficult time making through my day without reading it. However, it drastically messes things up. 


Ephesians 4:1 says, "I, a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ, implore you to walk in a manner worth of the calling with which you have been called."  One, that gets me asking what have I been called to do with my life? And two, once I figure out what I am called to do, how must I walk? What do I have to change? 


As I have been praying and studying and reading, I am finding that my calling does not lie in journalism, baseball, missions, or even family. My calling, along with each of yours, is to be 100% obedient to the Lord. 


Well, I am sure if you are a Christian you have probably heard that one before, but the next question is how do I know what He wants. The answer is simple. God gave us the Bible, it is 100% truth, He manifest Himself in us through the Holy Spirit, and through the Holy Spirit we can communicate through prayer. By allowing the Holy Spirit and the Bible to speak to and for us, we are able to clearly see how we are to obey.


For me to continue to walk in a way worthy of our calling, lets look at the Lord's Prayer


"Our Father who is in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Thy kingdom come.
Your will be done, 
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

We are all pretty familiar with that prayer. It comes from Matthew 6:9-13. One thing that I have never latched on to is the phrase, "as we also have forgiven our debtors." I pay attention to the "forgive us" part, but in my selfishness fail to see that I also have to forgive in my prayers. 

Have you ever read on just past the Lord's prayer? The first two verses are very interesting. Verses 14 and 15 say,
"For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions."

I have found those verses pounding on my heart like a hammer on a nail over the past few days. I want to say that I have made a pact to forgive, not because I want to be forgiven, but because of my desire to lead a life that is worthy of the calling with which we have been called. 

For those of you at home, I look forward to see you all again and seeing what the Lord is doing in your lives. 

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Scared?

I am scared. Normally, things do not scare me. I am not a very skittish person. Things just do not scare me anymore. The other day, I watched the Exorcism of Emily Rose (I know it is not the BEST thing for me to do). There was one part that brought me to tears.

In order for the priest to perform the exorcism, he must know the name of the demon possessing the person. This demon began counting to six over and over. After more prompting, the demon named its six names, the last of which was Lucifer.

I am a visual person, and seeing this on a screen scared me like nothing else has ever scared me before.

Another thing that does not necessarily scare me, but more challenge me is this thought that less people will be in Heaven than I think. Over the past month or so, God has really challenged me to live my BEST for what He wants.

But, where do I get my guidelines? Simple. The Bible. The Bible is absolute truth and without it, we have no guidance. So, as I have been studying and learning, things have began to change in my life. Most movies do not really interest me. Most music does not really interest me. I am beginning to realize the comfort that God gives us on a daily basis.
I am beginning to see that living my best for Him is the ONLY way.

"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." says Matthew 7:14.

The more I am challenged by this verse to live the narrow way, and refine how I live to what the Bible says, the more challenged I get.

We had Celebration Week this week. It's basically a week long Celebration of what God is doing here on campus. Tonight was the culmination of Celebration Week, with an awesome service. However, I left more scared than I did excited.

The optimist in me said, "this is AWESOME!" However, the thinker in me said, "now what?"

People are excited at a worship service where people are singing songs and getting in touch with their emotions.

God is not an emotion that comes and goes as He pleases. He is present with us always.

As people sang the last two songs louder than they ever have before, I sat back down in my seat wondering if people are going to do their absolute 100% best to allow themselves to be refined by the Holy Spirit so that we can walk in complete harmony with God.

Now what?

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Nano Technology

Battle is taking place today. I have infiltrated the AX defense systems with some new nano technology designed to eat away her defense shields allowing me to strike with ease.

When you go to her blog and look at the number of times she has posted something this month, you will see a number regarding higher than the number of days in any month. We aren't even to the end of the month and she has already surpassed the one blog a day rule.

This rule is not written down however, it is common knowledge that one does not post more than one blog per day. She posted three, yes THREE times yesterday. This score is more like golf, the lower the better.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I declare war.

1. 2. 3. 4. I declare a blog war. My friend Katie has been saying some very hurtful things in her blog about me. They have not severely offended me. So this is the official beginning of the epic AX-KASSAKATIS blog war.

I will be sure to limit my self to one attack per day. However, I may decide to save up multiple days and land one huge attack. She can win the small battles. But, behold, I shall win the war!

This is my message to all Wisconsonians with the name Katie Ax. Behold, the power of the Quail. It is far more powerful than one might think. Watch out pansies.

Monday, January 25, 2010

I have too much time

So, I haven't posted in a long time. That's the cool thing to do these days. Unless you are Katie, who updates 3-4 a day. Just messing Katie! Anyway, so as most of you know I am weird. And I am TOTALLY cool with that.

On weekends, a lot of my friends go home, but because I have to work, I stay here. So time, no one to hang out with, and my brain = INSANE ideas.

My roommate David, found the first season of Doug on DVD. So we watched most of season one last night (Saturday Night). As I was laying in bed, I thought wouldn't it be AWESOME to dress as Quail man.

Quail man is Doug's personal super hero for those of you not alive in the 90's.

After church this morning, I took Sarah and Katie (because they rode with me) to Walmart to get the necessary things to dress as Quail man.

I got back to my room and assembled the greatest costume known to man and looked with great fondness upon my creation. Behold. QUAIL MAN.



The Real Quail Man


The Imposter