Week 3 Update

I am making a conscience effort to keep track of the days and weeks of my summer in order to avoid that unfortunate morning when I wake up and say, "Oh snap! There are only two more weeks left of summer." So far, my summer has been a flurry of activity. I spent week one (of thirteen summer weeks) traveling to Texas and all over California.

I spent week two pretty much working all day every day. In the mornings I wake up at 5AM and go open up the fitness center at school at 6, and then I work there until noon. Then I would drive out to Simi Valley/Moorpark to work on a political campaign. My work on the campaign falls into two primary categories: walking and knocking (door-to-door) and smiling and dialing (calling voters on the phone). Let me just say that these are not my favorite activities. However, I must say that the weather has been awesome for walking. I'm glad I'm not doing this in Texas. Also, the views from some of the places in Moorpark are pretty sweet. One of the things I've learned on the job is not to take myself too seriously. It's easy to get apprehensive when you're knocking on doors, and it's easy to be afraid that someone is going to slam the door in your face. I've learned to just keep going and not really worry about things like that.

My parents have been gone for the last couple weeks in South Africa. They get home in about 52 hours, and I'm really excited about. While they have been gone I have been able to spend some time with friends. Last Friday, a group of us made our own huge pizookie at Tommy's apartment. On Saturday, a few of us had a BBQ at my house. For four guys, it was a pretty good meal: grilled chicken, salad, garlic bread, strawberries, chips, and strawberry shortcake.

Well, that does it for the Week 3 update. Hopefully I'll post some tomorrow or Friday about the Beatitudes. Peace.

Happy Birthday, Mom

Today is a wonderful day because it's my mom's birthday! Unfortunately, right now my mom is in South Africa, so she will be celebrating her birthday on the other side of the world.

I appreciate my mom. She has raised three boys who seem to have turned out all right (although I'm not so sure about the third one) and she has been constantly involved in the church. A couple things I appreciate most about my mom are her heart of service and her devotion to the Word of God.

My mom is a servant. She continually serves out family. She has done this beyond just cooking and cleaning (let me also mention that I am definitely missing my mom's home cooking while she is away), but she also has served our family spiritually. Her sweet spirit and constant love have shown us Christ in a tanglible way.

My mom is also lover of the word of God. She shares the attitude of Jeremiah when he says, "Your words were found and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." (Jer. 15:16) I commonly saw her reading the Bible around the house in my youth. I have watched her involvement in leading women's Bible studies. She is gifted in both understanding and applying the text.

There are many things I appreciate about my mother, but her attitude of service and devotion to the word of God top the long list. So all this to say, Happy Birthday, Mom!

Blessed

So once again I must apologize for my lack of blogging. Near the end of school I gave most of my time to the fourth edition of the Hotchkiss Starlet CD, which is now for sale at music stores all over the country.* After school ended I went to Texas and spent time with friends there. I got to see friends from high school and friends from church, and it was great to catch up with all of them. I even had a couple of people there tell me they were reading my blog, although I guess they haven't been reading it much lately because there hasn't been much to read.

After Texas, I flew to San Jose. I helped my brother and sister-in-law out with their final event with their youth group, which was loads of fun. Then last Saturday we loaded up all their stuff in a U-Haul and drove down to San Clemente. Bobby is the new high school pastor at Compass Bible Church. We all went to church there on Sunday, and I am very much excited about Bobby's opportunity for ministry there. They (along with little Tyler) are now in Chicago with the rest of the pastoral staff for a conference. (While traveling might have slowed down my blogging, Bobby and Christa have stayed strong. Check out their blogs for some good posts.)

As for me, I am back in Santa Clarita and will be spending most of my summer here. Right now I am working pretty much all day every day. In the mornings I am working in the fitness center at school, which is a really fun job. In the afternoons/evenings I am heading out to Simi Valley to work on a political campaign. This has been a good experience to see politics firsthand.

While I've been traveling, I have tried to chart out the things I want to study in the Bible over the summer, and I've settled on the Sermon on the Mount and Colossians. Just the past few days I have started looking at the Sermon on the Mount. This is the best sermon ever preached, and what better preacher than the Lord himself. I've decided that I cannot study the sermon and not be changed; if I'm not being changed, then I must not be studying. Christ's words are revolutionary.

This morning I was looking at the Beatitudes and was blown away by the blessings Christ offers. The Lord himself promises that the hungry will be filled up, that the mourning ones will be comforted, that the pure in heart shall see God. True blessing in life comes only from the Lord.

All the thirsty
Delight in his love
And are filled up

All the hungry
Find in His word
Life forver
-Godsong, "Come"

*And by all over the country I mean, if you want a copy, ask me.