HITC Coming Fast!

I Cannot believe that school is just around the corner.  In one week I will be going to the HITC [Harvest International Training] Orientation.  AAHHHH!!  I'm so excited!!!

The County Fair

The fair is truly an amazing event.  With roots going back over 150 years into our nation's history, it is a chance to step back into simpler times.  Only a few generations back, a man would move out west with nothing more than his wife, a wagon full of supplies, and a dream.  The dream was simple: start a new life, a better life, a life where he and he alone was his own master.  Many men died on such a journey, but many more succeeded, and it was through the courage of men like this that the Western United States was founded.

Just like today, men in those days complained of overcrowding.  The first people to arrive got their pick of the choicest land.  The land was pure and untouched by the western world.  They were far enough away from civilization to where they felt like the only person on earth, and at the same time just close enough to others in case of an emergency.  However, as more and more people moved west, neighbors became a nuisance.  People would complain about being able to see their neighbor's chimney smoke on a clear summer day.

Circumstances have changed a lot over the last couple centuries, but one thing that has not changed is people's need for community.  With all this adventure and isolation, people still had the need for community, and one thing that they would do is go to the county fair.  People lived off the land: they ate what they could  grow or kill, they wore clothes that they made themselves, and their hobbies were making trinkets with their own two hands.  However once a year people would bring all these items together in one central place to share a sense of community and engage in some neighborly competition.

Technology and modern culture have absolutely had their effect on fairs over the decades, but what strikes me most about the fair is how much has not changed.  Yes there are the shows, and the rides, and all the vendors in the sides of semi-trucks.  But when I went through the different exhibition halls and look at the quilting displays, and the crafts, and the painting, I was brought back to a simpler time, when these things would have been the center point of culture.  It was an amazing journey back into the history pages of our country.

However, after my little jaunt of nostalgia, I needed modern-day thrill.  I got three other friends and went on the meanest, wildest ride I could find.  It was awesome!!

Timing

Provided by: tmlights.com

One thing that I have been thinking a lot about over the course of the last several weeks is the question of timing.  When doing something new, timing is perhaps one of the most difficult questions to answer.  Often times, when the government works on a new construction project, the project is completed late, and over budget.  Also, new product roll-outs for companies are routinely delayed and pushed back.  Then there are the numerous explorers and adventurers over the centuries who expeditions took longer, and were more difficult than they anticipated.

Timing is a difficult question to answer, and it is one that I am facing right now with my blog.  As many of you know, I was originally hoping to go to Mexico this fall.  While I have talked to people individually, I wanted to officially announce on this blog that this plan has been delayed, at least for one year.  I want you to understand that I am not disappointed, dismayed, or discouraged by this turn of events.  In some ways it was expected.

Mexico was a dream that is still very much alive in my heart and mind.  This is not the end!  On the contrary, one thing that I discovered is that in order to make Mexico happen, there was something else that need to happen first: training.  Through talking to family, friends, and leaders in my life, I realized that I need to finish my education before I stepped out on the mission field.  I have one more year of bible college before I have my bachelors degree, and I need to talk advantage of this opportunity.  In looking at my life and the direction that it is headed, not only will this education be vital in fulfilling my mission in life, but it is likely my last opportunity of complete it.  I am not getting any younger, and my life is moving so quickly right now, that must take this chance to finish college while the door is still open.

With that said, something I want to say to all of you is: don't be afraid of detours.  Yes, it seems glamorous and romantic to drop everything and run after a dream without any inhibitions, but how effectively will you accomplish your goal?  The position I am in right now is that I want to best accomplish the work that God has for me.  If I were to say that I wanted to most quickly accomplish this goal, I could get down to Mexico a lot more quickly.

In truth, I have the money where I could go down there right if I really wanted to.  But what would I accomplish after I got down there?  How effective would I be?  What work would actually get done?  The way I look at it, if I prepare now, then I will be much more effective later.

And so I say to you: don't be afraid to prepare now.  Don't be afraid to invest in your future.  Don't be afraid to become the best you can be so that when you do step out you are equipped and ready for the work that God has for you.

I will see you all tomorrow for more adventures.  I have pictures and stories to tell you from the fair last week.  It was so much fun.  Don't miss it!

"Legitimate Rape": A Christian Repudiation

Todd Akin: Imbecilic the Month
Provided by: en.wikipedia.org

It has been said, that the fastest way to kill a movement is to support it with false arguments.

There has been a lot of news lately about a misguided politician who has blundered his way though one of the most sensitive and intimate subjects in modern politics.  This buffoon, in a few short sentences, managed to do more harm than the entire liberal media has been able to do in the last several years.   In the hearts and minds of so many Americans across the spectrum of the political world, his comments were condescending, offensives, and just plain wrong!

As a social and political conservative who has strong views on the subject of the origin of a human life, I feel as though it is my obligation to stand up for the truth after it has been so egregiously assaulted over the last couple of days.  I fully understand that it is not the type of subject that is typically discussed in religious circles.  Christians often times do not like to discuss this type of thing; it’s too uncomfortable.  Instead, many Christians adopt an abortion form of “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”  Christians who have grown up within the hierarchy of church know how they are supposed to be, know how they are supposed to think, and know how they are supposed to act.  If they are out of step with that view, then they do not say anything out of respect for those who have gone before them.  And if they do tow the social-conservative-Christian line, then why talk about something so uncomfortable?

Akin disqualifies himself for office in 38 seconds

The problem with this logic is that it provides little-to-no guidance for those following after them.  It leaves new Christians open to confusion and question when they hear a bungling idiot come along like the one who was flapping his mouth several days ago.

In order to fully encapsulate this subject, it is vital to remember the full context of what the Bible says.  The Bible talks about marriage being the most beautiful, sacred, and precious relationship in a person’s life.  This relationship is distinct from anything else in all of creation.  It is given special priority and significance in scripture, and it is designated to be the one relationship that best helps us understand our relationship with God.  In fact, out of all the rites and ceremonies in the bible, the institution of marriage is the only one that appears in both the Old and the New Testament of the bible.  It is designed to be a little taste of heaven with joy unspeakable, unmatched closeness, and totally vulnerability.   And… at its most special and intimate point, a miracle happens: life!  While science seeks to explain it, it cannot duplicate it.  It is truly amazing that the combined facilities, money, and genius of the entire scientific community cannot produce out of inorganic material what two loving people can produce: a child.

The intimacy between a man and a woman is the single most remarkable thing in all of creation, because out of this union an eternal soul begins its existence.

Therefore, out of all the perversions that exist on earth, there is nothing as abominable as one that would seek to transform what is most precious into something vile.  The act of a man trying to “take” what can only be “given” is more than just a violation of law.  It is a violation of humanity.

While I cannot totally relate to what a woman would go through is such a horrendous circumstance, my life has been personally touched by this type of tragedy.  Things could have been worse for me.  Others have had it worse than I.  But suffice it to say that I have experienced more than I would have chosen, at an age earlier than what I would have chosen.  Dealing with this tragedy has been one of the greatest victories of my life, but arriving at this place of wholeness has only been possible through walking my own personal trail of tears.

On the downhill side of my mountain of adversity, I am grateful that it was not worse.  It could have been much worse.  I don’t know how I would have coped with circumstances that other people have had to face.  This acknowledgement is not a repudiation of God.  He is faithful.  Rather it is a simple acknowledgment of the limitations of my own soul.  I do not know how I would have been able to deal with the questions, the shame, or the confusion that could have ensued had things been worse.  Therefore, when I hear about someone who has been touched by this type of tragedy, my heart goes out for them.  Words cannot express how this type of violation wars against one’s own soul.

And then, after I think about all this, I let me mind wander a little further….

What if someone was to suffer everything I suffered and worse, and what if that “someone” was a young lady, and what if that young lady, on top of everything, else was to be faced with an unplanned pregnancy?  I cannot imagine.  The grief… the confusion… the shame….  I shake my head.  I cannot imagine.

Everyone knows: this is not how life is supposed to begin, this is not how it’s meant to work, and this is not how it is supposed to be….  And yet, it is….  This circumstance that never should happen… does happen.

What do we do with that?  Where do we go?  What do we do with the innocent victim that was so brutalized?  What do we do with the scum of a male [I avoid the term “man” on purpose because he has abdicated his role in society] who has violated the purpose of his very existence?  And what do we do with the miracle of life that is now growing inside of her?

These are tough questions.  No sane person will deny that it was not suppose to happen this way.  We are stuck in a situation where there is there is no “good” answer.  All we have is the “least worst” answer.  And what is that answer?  Where do we go from here?

In the instance of a “planned” pregnancy, if a woman is attacked, and the baby does not survive, the wretch of a man is guilty of two crimes: assault, and the murder of an unborn child.  Is this a good law?  Is this a bad law?  It all depends on your definition of when life begins.

If a woman chooses to have a late term abortion, or a partial-birth abortion, is that ok?  It all depends on your definition of when life begins.

When does life begin?  Does life begin when the child becomes self aware [somewhere around the age of two-years-old]?  Some actually do say yes.  Does life begin when the umbilical-cord is cut?  Again, some would say yes.  Does life somehow spontaneously come into being out of living-tissue which is simultaneous “not alive” until it is more convenient to call it “alive?”  [empathetic shrug].  Or does the miracle of a new living soul start when two independent and autonomous people come together and produce a separate living soul?

What is true?  My beliefs are obvious based on the tone of this article.  I do not write this article because it is politically expedient, or because it is the convenient answer.  My views are neither.  No, I write it because, through my study of the Bible, my interactions with society, and my knowledge of biology, my conscience convicts me of the truth.

So what do we do in the case of incest or rape?  How do we, as a society, handle a tragic circumstance which is compounded by an unplanned pregnancy?  This is a debate that we need to have as a country, and it is a debate that must be handled with the utmost care and respect for the heart wrenching circumstances of the people that must live with the consequences of the outcome of this debate.  But it is a debate we must have, and it is an issue that we must settle.

There is one more thing I will enter into this discussion: if “life” does indeed begin at conception, as many would suggest, then even in cases of rape and incest, there is only one intellectually honest answer to this debate.  It may not be easiest answer in the short-term, nor will it be most convenient answer.  But if true—if life does begin at conception—then we are left with no alternative, even in these catastrophic cases.

Western Idaho Fair

I'm going to the fair today!  As part of small group, I am going to the Western Idaho Fair today.  It will be my first time ever to this fair.  Ahhh.   It is going to be an awesome time hanging out with awesome friends.  There will be pictures and stories to come.  Stay tuned! :)

Many Members, Many Functions

Provided by: en.wikipedia.org

Last week we talked about being fruitful.  We looked at what it took to have benefit and increase in one’s life, we talked about discerning strengths and weaknesses, and we talked about concentrating on developing one’s strengths to accomplish all that God has for them.

This week we are going to explore weaknesses.  What do you do about the things that you are not good at?  What do you do when you start to become fruitful in one area, you go to prune back a different area, and you find that the aspect of your life that you are about to cut away is also vital?

Provided by: en.wikipedia.org

For example, let’s take the example of a photographer.  Let’s say that s/he is very artistic, they have the skill and eye to capture pictures that most could not, and they have even taken some photography classes to augment their skills.  Now, let’s also say that their business starts to take off, but they hate doing accounting.  They cannot exactly just drop the accounting side of things to take pictures.  They will be out of business in a month.  Nor can they afford a full time accountant.  What do they do!?!?

Provided by: en.wikipedia.org

Well the good news is that they do not need a full time accountant.  Their accounting needs are probably very small, and they are also probably fairly simple.  If they were doing all of their accounting needs on their own, then they don’t need a world class accountant.  Probably the only thing they need is a college student who is good with numbers and needs a little extra money.  This photographer could hire a math-minded college student at $10-$15/hour for a couple hours a month to take care of all their billing needs.  Even if this college student were paid the same amount of money as the photographer makes per hour, it would still be worth it, because this math-minded college student could get the work done in half the time.

Now let’s take this example and apply it to any situation in life.  No matter what the circumstance is, you will not be good at everything!  Nor are you supposed to be!  The bible says that the Body of Christ is made up of many members with different functions.  Let’s stop trying to be good at everything, and surround ourselves with people who are strong where we are weak!!!

Have a good one.  See you all tomorrow!!

Best Off-Roading Vehicle EVER!!

So, lets say that you wanted to go off-roading with a couple of your closest friends.  Which vehicle would you choose?  Maybe a Landrover, or a Jeep Rangler, or maybe a Hummer H2.  But as I discovered last week, there is another vehicle that trumps them all!

Last week me and some of my best friends were driving up to a young adult camp in Challis, ID when the unexpected happened.  A wild fire had started right next to the highway, and the smoke was so thick that the forest rangers could not let us drive through.  We had to back track 20 miles to a ranger station to find a detour.  The standard detour would have taken us all the way south to Ketchum, ID before heading north again, a detour that would have added 4 to 5 hours to our trip.

And then we saw a little gray squiggly line on the map.  This little gray line represented a dirt logging road that went around the backside of the fire.  It would be a 90 minute detour, but it would be much shorter than the alternative.

The reason why this is so monumental is because of the vehicle that we were in.  Not an SUV, or truck, or even an all-wheel-drive car.  NOPE.  It was a 2006 Toyota Corolla.  And yet, as we embarked on our journey, this little car was amazing.  We were over dips, around corners, and up loose gravel hills, all with greatest of ease.  Never have I been so impressed with a little car.  Thankyou Toyota for making such an impressive little car.  You are my hero!!

Where's the Fruit

Provided by: kleijnnurseries.com

Welcome back everyone!

Today, we are talking about determining which path to take in the mission of your life.  Just to recap a little, we have already talked about several principles in accomplishing all that God has for you.  We have talked about stepping out, even when you do not have all the information.  We have talked where to begin and avoiding possible dead ends.  Well today, we are going to further explore an idea that we have already touched on a little earlier: what to do with the unexpected.

It is vital to remember that God has a calling over your life.  There IS something that He has for you to accomplish.  You just need to find out what that is and do it!

Provided by: ogdenbotanicalgardens.com

One thing that I have found over the years, is that following God is similar gardening.  Sometimes when you plant a bush or a tree, or a shrub, it grows different than you expect it to.  You can prune it, and you try to tie the branches here, or manipulate it to grow there, but you as a gardener only have so much power.  For example, if you plant a vine rose, you are going to be extremely disappointed if you wanted a traditional rosebush.  You can prune it, and shape it, and tie it off, but in the end, it is a vine, and it will want to grow.  It doesn't make a very good traditional rosebush.

Well, you are similar to this rosebush [or fruit tree, or tomato bush, or whatever].  You see we are all supposed to grow.  We are all supposed to have our lives bear fruit.  But we really don't know what kind of plant we are when we are first planted.  There are certain rules-of-thumb which apply to all peoples life, just like there are certain rules-of-thumb when it comes to gardening.  However to know what a specific plant needs, you need to know what type of plant it is.  Similarly, to know what you need, you need to know what you are called to.  So how do you find out!?

It's just like planting a seed in the ground.  If you don't know then you don't know.  You can guess as it starts to bud and sprout, and you can narrow your idea as it starts to mature, but ultimately you won't know until it starts to bare fruit.

srq-ag-food.blogspot.com

Therefore this is my suggestion in life: find out where the fruit it and develop that area.  Are there general principles to life that everyone must follow?  Yes.  It's called the bible.  But above and beyond that, if you start to be successful in an unexpected area, or one aspect of your life starts to become easy for you, or you excel more than others in this area over here, then praise God, your life is becoming fruitful.  Don't get upset, that your whole life mission is not unveiling exactly as expected.  Just realize that you are finding out type of person you are, and you are finding out the types of things you were created for.

My suggestion to you then is to develop those fruitful areas, and prune off the areas that don't come naturally, and the areas in which you are not excelling as much.  Concentrate all your growth, and all your energy in the things that God is blessing and see where it will take you.

Next week we are going to talk about what to do about those areas that you prune off, and tomorrow I have a hilarious story for you.  Don't miss it.

Stop the Presses! VP Ryan Announced

Provided by: en.wikipedia.org

I know that on Monday's I have been doing a series on achieving God's mission for your life, however today there is an announcement that is so monumental that it has totally distracted me from the current structure.  Tomorrow we are going to go back to the normal schedule.  However today I feel compelled to talk about this recent development.

Let me frame this in: we are living in the most prosperous country in the history of the world.  We are, from a global perspective, living in the most MORAL time period in the history of the world.  We have, from a global perspective, never seen less hunger, more access to clean water, more morality, less violence, less discrimination, than we do right now.  It is hard for someone like me, because from the perspective of the United States of America there seems to be some decline in some of these areas.  HOWEVER, from the perspective of the entire world, the principles of the Bible continue to advance and revolutionize the social landscape of the world.  As Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."

My hope in God and His principle shall continue, no matter what the outcome of an particular country.  However today I have new hope in my country.  I have renewed excitement that my country as I know it is not over.  I have reasonable expectation that my country can turn things around and that the end is not here.

Over the weekend, Mitt Romney announced his running mate for Vice President: Paul Ryan.  Of the many things that I admire about Paul Ryan, it is his fiscal honesty.  Every democracy in the history of the world has FAILED after about 200 years because people discover that they can elect personal benefits for themselves through their votes.  In every case, this type of voting has bankrupted the country and sent it into economic collapse.  

In 1980, the United States was on pace to follow all the democracies in the history of the world.  We were slated to follow the economic demise of every democracy that has passed before us.  The country was in a state of stag-flation, there was economic distress, and hope in the country was waning.  And then something remarkable happen.  A politician stepped up who told the truth.  A politician came on the scene who was willing to speak the truth boldly and articulately.  A politician was willing to say that, "Government is not the solution to our problems; government IS the problem."

Not only did this politician go on to win by sweeping majorities, but he ushered in a time period of fiscally conservative government principles that lasted the next 25 years.  To say that fiscal conservatism has been eroded by both parties since then would be true.  Since Ronald Regan, each subsequent presidential administration has been LESS fiscally conservative than the previous [whether democrat or republican].  And therefore, the country is understandably in a similar position that it was in back in 1980.  In some ways we are in a better position, and in other ways we are in a worse position.  But the bottom line is that we need a politician who is willing to tell the truth.  We need a politician who is willing to be bold in the face of adversity.  We need a politician who is willing to say, that if you vote for the candidate who will make you the most expensive promises, then you will go the way of EVERY PRECEDING DEMOCRACY and your country will END.

I believe we potentially have that person in Paul Ryan.  I am excited that we have a young man who is not afraid to look reality in the eye and see it for what it is.  I would encourage each one of you to watch this youtube video and realize that up to this point, we have had fickle politicians who were too cowardly to tell you the truth about the economic cliff that we are on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1yTY2MciOk

Top 10 Camp Pranks

Tomorrow, I am going to be leaving for camp, and so, I am not going to be posting on Thursday, or Friday, but as my last post of the week, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of top 10 camp pranks.  Enjoy:

10. Classic: Put shaving cream or whip cream in a sleeping person's hand and then tickle their face with a feather.  This one has been done over and over, but is it simple and effective

9. Extreme Makeover: Similar to the previous one, you can give someone a makeover in their sleep with the creative use of lipstick, eye-liner, blush, etc.

8. Post-It Notes:  This one is extremely practical because of how small post-it notes are to pack.  Just bring up a bulk package and find something amazing to cover... like all the walls of someone's cabin.

7. Sleeping Bag Christmas Tree:  If it's the middle of the day, go into a different cabin, take out all their sleeping bags, and hang them from a nearby tree.

6. For Sale: If there is a good-natured counselor with your group, then one idea is to move their car to the far end of the parking lot, put a for sale sign in the window, and then have a member of the camp staff call their cell phone as an "Interested Buyer."

5. Flour Shower: For all you guys out there, this is another classic.  Get a fist full of flour in each hand and pelt someone in the shower with it.  Not only is there the initial surprise, but also the flour turns to dough on their body.  An alternative is to use ice cold water if flour is not available.

4. Reptiles: One of the best parts of camp is getting out into the great outdoors.  The best part of the great outdoors is that there are an abundance of reptiles: snakes, frogs, lizards.  Catch one or two, and hide is strategically, and the wait for the laughs

3. Boobie-Trapped Trail: At night, before everyone heads back to their cabin, tie a fishing line across the trail to the bushes.  Make sure to tie the string to flexible branches!  The idea is not to trip them, but rather to scare them with all the rustling.  The more lines the better!

2. Claim Another's Cabin: Create a flag, a banner, or a poster, and affix it to the entrance on someone else's cabin in a location that would be difficult to remove.

1. Take all of another camper's socks and underwear, wet them down, and freeze them into a solid block of ice.  Not only will the camper have a difficult time defrosting their skivies, but after they do, they are all still soaking wet.

I hope you had fun reading.  See you all next week!!

New Clothing

Hello Everyone!!

Provided by: Reap Clothing

I am excited to announce that I am partnering with Reap Christian Clothing to produce some t-shirts and hats for Matt's Mexican Adventure.  Reap is a Christian Clothing line started by Tylor Desilet and Random Navarro, two good friends of mine. These guys are two young men who are interested in affecting their generation and making an impact in society.  I would encourage you to go check out their Facebook page, and "like" them.  They have some awesome clothing already in production.  I know you will like their work!

The items they are producing for Matt's Mexican's Adventure are not quite complete yet, but very soon you will be able to support me in style.  Stay tuned, there are more details coming.  In the mean time, have a good one, and I will see you all tomorrow!

The Real Pitfalls

So what are the real dead ends in life?  Last week it seemed as though I were saying that there are no dead ends.  It seemed as though all paths lead to your life destiny.  It seemed as though all things work together for good....  Is that true?  In my experience, no.

Provided by: rainsalestraining.com

Right now, in my life, I have a period of 3 or 4 years that just seem absolutely wasted.  There is no good fruit that came from that period of my life, and as time goes on, there is still yet to be fruit come from it.  I am not saying that God cannot redeem the time, and I am not saying that it will stay that way forever, however as of right now, looking back, there was a AVOIDABLE point in my life where nothing good happened.

In my opinion there are two things that will always lead to a pitfall in someone's life.  One of those things is a destructive lifestyle.  When I say, "destructive lifestyles" I am talking about any behavior pattern which causes damage in an individual's life, and in the lives of the people around them.  I do not have time to debate which behavior patterns are bad, and which are beneficial.  I am merely going to state that if anyone has a destructive lifestyle or behavior pattern, it will hinder them from achieving the mission of their life.  It will not help.  It NEVER helps.  And ultimately, it could end their life in absolute disaster.  Destructive lifestyles are the antithesis of the mission that God has for you to accomplish.

The other thing that can cause someone to fall off the path that God has for them is selfish ambition.  This one is a little more difficult to define, but basically, there is a difference between accomplishing something to bring attention to yourself, verses doing something to bring glory and honor to God.  The main qualification that I always have is, "Who gets the credit?"  If people are trying to advance, achieve, or accomplish something only to benefit themselves, then if they switch to try to bring honor and glory to God, they often have to start all over.  Rarely can that person just switch and transfer success from one venue to another.  In addition to that, it is much easier to be successful with God's help, than without it.

Well, that's all for today.  Thanks for reading.  I will see you tomorrow for more awesome adventures!

P.S. Here is a helpful list for identifying destructive lifestyles:

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
NKJV

So yeah, these would be things to avoid!  :)  Have a good one!

Satisfaction in a Job Well Done

Provided by: google maps

Over the last couple of days, I was going to post something entirely different on the blog, but a funny thing happened: I got called into work!!  Ahhh....

Now before I go on with the story, keep in mind is that I have never, in my entire life, walked off a job before.  I have never up and quit, or said "I am not doing this any more," or anything like that.

This last job that I was doing, I was working on painting the exterior of a house, and I was working for a friend who has been in the re-model business for over 20 years.  Now here I was working on painting this house with this guy, and this was the second time I have ever, in my entire life, painted the outside of a house, and I was getting so frustrated.

Going into the job, I thought that I was a pretty good painter.  I could put and ever coat down with a brush, and I could cut a straight line, and things like that.  But... when you are working with a guy who has been in the business for over 20 years - a guy who painted an office for Madonna, and who also painted Jerry Bruckheimer's master bedroom - you quickly realize how good you are NOT at painting.

Can I paint a straight line with a brush?  Sure.  Can I do it while 15 feet up in the air, hanging off the side of a ladder, and painting with my left hand!?!?!  Noooo.  And yet, that was exactly what I was asked to do.  We were painting the trim, and I had to paint the trim around the second story windows.  Now to give you a little perspective, the reason why I was doing this was because my boss was doing the hard part.  He was lying on his belly on the roof, hanging over the edge, and painting the fascia upside-down on parts of the roof that were too steep to walk on.

So here I was, up on my ladder, trying to paint my second story window trim, and my boss's head keeps poking out above me from the roof as he paints the fascia.  He is just going along as if it is no big deal, and here I am making a mess.  I would go over my line here, and make a splotch there, and then I couldn't quite reach, so I would have to get down and move my ladder again, and the whole thing was just a mess!!!  Of course all of his work looks perfect, while my trim looks like something out of a kindergarten classroom where they were painting with their toes.

I am usually pretty talented at "stuff" in general, so to feel this inept, this sub-par, this deficient is skills was almost more than I could take.  I wanted to quit.  I wanted to throw in the towel and be done with the whole thing.

Fortunate for me I didn't.  My boss saw I was struggling, let my finish my window, and then took over for my while I when on to something on ground level.  Sigh... what a day....  Now, the house looks great, it is done, and today, we got to move on to something else.  Today, I was paid to crawl underneath a half million dollar home, and chase snakes!  So much better!!! :D

Shark Bait Ooh Hah Hah

Small group last night was fun, crazy, and even a little weird at times.  There was 3 on 3 volleyball on a court that was more the size for badminton that volleyball.  There were various pool activities including a front flip high jumping contest over a fun-noodle, a driving catch into the water contest, occasional wrestling matches, and also intermittent people throwing (some people were just too dry).  But above and beyond all that, there was the food.  It was delicious.  It was plentiful.  And in one case, it was very artistic.  At one point during the small group one young man [Shane Fender] showed up with an amazing display of artsy deliciousness.  Let me just stay that I am still in awe of the creation.  I have never had such awesome watermelon before, and I nicknamed him "Shark Bait Ooh Hah Hah."  Shane you are amazing!

Well, that is all for today.  Thanks for joining.  Tomorrow's blog is going to be a little more of a peaceful one, and then I am really excited for Friday.  Don't miss it!!