Thankfully I have brothers

I know that these pictures look like i am a long way off from moving into a comfortable home. But I have the help of two very talented brothers and a good friend that have, with enthusiasm, attacked this project. Move in date, Feb. 1, 2006.

This years fishing trip

My much anticipated fishing trip turned out to be an epic battle, not between man and fish, oh no my friends, that story has been told. This engagement was between stomach and sea. What was at stake included the following: Tasting breakfast once, or twice. Possibly having to swab the deck, or basking on the deck in glorious victory. Enjoying the spoils of the catch, or spoiling the catch with my spew. Landing dinner, or "landing" last nights dinner. The seas at time had the upper hand. There were moments when I took off my glasses and hat, hunkered to the side of the boat and showed obvious signs of retreat. But the sea never saw my white flag. And I returned to shore having given nothing to the sea.

The trip was great. At times on the boat we were all miserable. I was with three good friends and we were determined to make the most of the situation. Eight to ten foot swells with heavy rains attacked our equilibrium constantly. One of my friends did happen to feed the sea gulls with his breakfast. But no loss, he had already tasted it twice. I am not sure of the quality of that meal by the time the sea gull got his share. The captain, yes the captain had his bout with the vomit. In a fit of graceless convulsions he threw his bran flakes at the sea with disgust. At this moment fishing took a back seat to survival. We did manage to catch a few grouper, but this was the consolation. Land was the true prize.

All in all, I can not wait to do it again.

Good resume, but one hell of a thumb wrestler

I spent all morning trying to impress people. This is not a task I enjoy. More of a chore really. My new job is contingent on enrollment into an education program that would eventually lead to a teaching certificate. So this morning I danced around the university campus, did the charleston with a few secretaries and finally was able to coerce the graduate liaison into a full on waltz. All of this while it was raining and 45 degrees. Filling out applications and handing over resumes seems so old fashion and quite frankly a bit absurd. I have a new theory that might, in a moment of glory, reduce these forms to nothing more than spit ball ammunition, or in my case, the dogs urinal. No more interviews, no more applications that require you to recall the exact date and time your last boss told you to kiss off, no more middle initials, no more maiden names, no more present and yes permanent address(does this mean I can never relocate). Specifying position desired? I just want to tell'em to figure it out, I want the one that has the most pay,compensation, time off, single women in the department, retirement at 32, and possibly a position that is stationed in the Caribbean. Oh, and the joy of listing educational history/background. High school and college and yes, they want street addresses. As if that info is in the palm pilot that i do not have. Yippee, references too. I just want to say, shake my hand, listen to my voice and look me in the eye (kinda like the old west i guess) Alright I will quit this banter and give you my alternative to all of this.

Interview = Watching "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" together
Application = Sharing a beer
Resume = not sure, perhaps a thumb wrestling match would suffice

Teaching Again

Thank you for the prayers. The guy to the left has officially been offered a teaching job at a middle school. It seems every time I let my net down into the water it is filled with great things. Pray that I can learn to be truely thankful. I am very excited about the position and all that the new year will bring. Hopefully i will be in my house by February and settled in to the school setting. I will be working toward certification (schooling) as well as planning the rest of my life.

Cleansing

Pete: Well I'll be a sonofabitch. Delmar's been saved.

Delmar O'Donnell: Well that's it, boys. I've been redeemed. The preacher's done warshed away all my sins and transgressions. It's the straight and narrow from here on out, and heaven everlasting's my reward.

Ulysses Everett McGill: Delmar, what are you talking about? We've got bigger fish to fry.

Delmar O'Donnell: The preacher says all my sins is warshed away, including that Piggly Wiggly I knocked over in Yazoo.

Ulysses Everett McGill: I thought you said you was innocent of those charges?

Delmar O'Donnell: Well I was lyin'. And the preacher says that that sin's been warshed away too. Neither God nor man's got nothin' on me now. C'mon in boys, the water is fine.

This exchange is probably my favorite bit of dialogue in any movie. It cracks me up just reading it. This picture of redemption is so simple and pure, almost laughable. But I absolutely love Delmars innocence. On the one hand, Delmar seems to lack the needed intellect to process Christ's salvation, and on the other hand it is if he understands salvations completeness far better than I do. On Christmas day I will be baptized. But as this day approaches I keep asking myself "why am I doing this". I know that my ottoman in heaven does not depend on this ceremony. But this is more than a ceremony, thankfully it is my rite as a child of God. And I must take part in this sacrament that symbolizes his saving grace. Simple answer: When you are in love with someone, and they give you a gift, you accept it.

rejoice

this life
this mire
no, wait,
this pilgramage.

my praise
my pains
my hopes
knowing they will fall on good ears
they are whispered,
faithlessly, at the top of my lungs.

the body
the blood
the slain lamb
taken with a plea for help,
healing and forgiveness
in a moment of remembrance
then forgotten.


suffering
sorrow
the cursed aftertaste of the fall
causes me to see.
debilitated,
i am doubled over,
trusting grace.


clinging to the bosom,
hiding in the rock,
seeking that great shelter,
with the wind at my face
i will rejoice,
i must rejoice.

Your place or mine?

As I returned home from my vacation in DC I noticed that there was a dog in my back yard. And this dog happened to be barking and growling in my general, well, specific direction. Immediately wanting to find out which one of us was at the wrong address I peek in the kitchen window and see a couple of empty Papa Johns boxes, a loaf of bread that has not been properly closed and my roommate. I conclude that this is my place, and that some how the dog had perhaps stumbled home to the wrong address. However, for the next three days I was greeted at my driveway with a bark that sounded pretty much like "what the hell are you doing here?". The dogs name is Maggie and my roommate has unofficially given it a new home, which happens to be my home as well. We are warming up to one another, with a little help from the bologna with a first name.

Never mind Bed and Bath...Welcome to Beyond

Taken during the first stages of the project, about a year ago. I assure you there is still no bed, but damnit, i got a bath.

licking the salt

This holiday i was blessed to reunite with some old friends. It was refreshing, and that is an understatement. Not to say that every relationship is perfect, every career a dream, every smile genuine, but these people were and are a gift. Some family and some friends, and all of them experiencing struggles. I hung out with people with more intellect, love, humility, encouragement, genorosity, ambition, and vision than one could imagine. I mean, these people are gifted. I love'em. And i can not understand it, (they, we, I) struggle so often. I am young, naive, and daily try and convince myself that i am an idealist, and that I have this big faith. Life should not be this difficult. We have got it, for the most part, too good. But I stare into sorrow filled eyes, listen to terrible news and weep to my redeemer repeatedly. And through all this I see so many reaching for a bit more faith, pleading for a better glimpse, and praying just a little harder.

My very first blog

Oh, the excitement. The pressure is immense and I feel compelled to write something important, serious, lasting. But you see, I have spent the last two hours figuring out how to download a free anti virus from Mcafee, using someone elses comcast connection and now it is late. The eyelids are reaching for each other as if they have not hugged in days. So this is it, my very first blog, oh so dim.