Theology is in the Air

For the last three consecutive days we've had friendly neighborhood street preachers outside the students center. It makes things pretty interesting. This afternoon there was a crowd of close to 50 people gathered around one of them. Some were there to mock him; others to justify their faith; others to observe. I hung around for a while to see what gospel was being preached and looking for opportunities to start spiritual conversations. All in all I have a very mixed view on the preachers' presence here, but I do know that whatever gospel they preach, it gives me opportunities to communicate the truth. I also realize that there are MANY MANY people who are interested in spiritual things and I should never relax, "Always be ready to give an answer for the hope that you have."

Busy! but not...

I just got hired by tech services here on campus. My job is to do set up, backstage work, and tear down for shows at the theater and other random events on campus. Yesterday we had our scheduling meeting and I somehow ended signing up for 35 hours of work over two weeks. Scream? Actually I have time to write this right now instead of doing homework because I'm fairly sure the only homework I have to do yet this week is study for a test on Thursday, so I think I'll be okay. This morning I worked a few hours setting up lights for a show. It's pretty crazy how heavy power cables are...

I has cell phone (and other stories)

Well I discovered that I and my roommates could save a large quantity of money by changing our internet service to being just internet and no land line phone. Thusly, I was forced into getting a cell phone (tear). I was able to join the Cherney's family plan, so it's a bit cheaper than other national plans and a lot more minutes per month. It would be even cheaper if I could find another person who needs a phone though (hint hint).

I've decided that the book of Psalms is pretty much amazing. My latest rediscovery is Psalm 62, another one of those "safe feeling" Psalms.

This semester is a bit different than others. I'm crazy busy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but I only have one class on Friday. So by 2pm on Thursday, I feel like my weekend has practically started. It good for time to get things done, go disc golfing, take a nap, and other random stuff, but a feeling of impending doom rises on Sunday night.

I changed the title on my blog because I got tired of the old one, but I still haven't thought of anything good so I just did my best to be clever.

I went to see Stardust this afternoon with a new friend and an old one. I didn't expect much, so I enjoyed it quite a bit :). It turned out to be pretty clever and entertaining at bits and the guy got the girl in the end. So aside from the expected crudeness (light for a PG-13 movie, actually), it is a pretty decent film.

My modification of my project from last semester is almost done. I spent a couple hours on Friday soldering and the code is almost done. Just a few minor changes and get the timing down so the clock keeps good time and I'll be all set.

I've had my phone for three days now and I've talked on it for just over 2.5 hours already--glad I didn't get a prepaid phone.

Sorry if you were expecting something deep tonight, I'm too tired to think about anything very hard, I was working on advertising for Cross Training (InterVarsity Fall Conference), so my brain is shot now.

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields ^[b] with fire.

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Tonight Zach, BP and I had our "wing meeting." We talked about a bunch of little things ("why is the fan in the bathroom always on?") and then studied Psalm 46. BP had a different translation that instead of "Be still and know that I am God" said "Cease striving..." That gave me the picture of a drowning person who is desperately struggling to stay afloat while his would-be rescuer tries to save him in spite of his frantic efforts to save himself. When we let go and trust God, things end up getting a lot easier.

Thought number two: After reading the passage together a few times, I said "I wish I was that guy, it sounds so safe!" In truth, I am that guy, I just don't live like it.

Things are Happening

I have to get up at six tomorrow morning, so I have to make this quick, but I need to at least cover a couple things that have been happening that maybe I'll expand on later.

A few days ago BP and Zach were going through the drawers in the kitchen (add more here later)

Last night Zach, BP, Megan, Hannah, and myself made a Walmart run for food and other household items. When we got home we realized that we had to clean out the freezer to make room for our food. That led to the Refrigerator as well. An hour and a half later, we had discarded an incredible number of ancient and inedible items including multiple containers of salsa and ketchup, artichoke hearts, and some meat that was dated April.... of 2004. That meat was placed in our freezer before I graduated from high school. I have some sweet pictures that I'll post later.

Tonight Zach and Hannah went to town on the rest of the kitchen, even down to scrubbing the floor with whatever weapons of cleanliness that they could locate. BP tackled the basement and I took on some miscellaneous sweeping jobs. Mega was MIA.

Back in P-Vegas, baby!

Being a Senior is pretty cool. I'm recognizing people all over the place, especially since most underclassmen haven't arrived yet.

1. Four people at the grocery store
2. Guy at the career center desk
3. Guy at the library desk
4. Guy at the computer lab help desk
5. Bunch of people while wandering around campus.

Tuesday when I went to Otts I ended up talking to our lab manager and one of the EP professors about my summer for close to an hour.

Life is crazy at the house I'm living in this year because the three guys who lived there last year are still in the process of moving out and me and my two roommates are moving in, so stuff is everywhere. It is wonderful to be back in the midst of old friends though. I don't have internet at the house yet, but hopefully it will be set up on Friday.

To Cell, or Not to Cell

So I've been looking seriously into getting a cell phone. Yesterday I spent a couple hours on the net and finally found the best bargain prepaid phone I could. I didn't buy it immediately because part of the deal included that the phone is "reconditioned" and until I know what that means I'm not going to pay out a ton of money for it. Last night I was thinking about a number of things, one of them being this cell phone deal. The cost still comes out to approximately 15 cents a minute for calls. So I started thinking, "Is a ten minute phone call really worth $1.50 to me? Is a twenty minute phone call worth $3?" I can make a meal for two or three bucks, is that the same value as a phone call?

The reason I've resurrected this idea is for the sake of staying in touch with people better while I'm living off campus. I'll be spending more time on campus and for the sake of being available to people and getting a hold of new friends and old ones, it's tempting to get a cell phone. Half the convenience is having a digital phone book that you carry with you.

But in another year I will probably be making a lot more money and will be able to afford a cell phone more easily. I've made it three years of college without a cell phone and I'm sure I could survive a fourth.

Preparation

The last few days I've been acquiring furniture and such for living off campus this year. I head down to Platteville in just over a week. Today I procured a desk and a dresser and I have a mattress to get too. I also picked up two old floor speakers and an old receiver at a rummage sale and have been having lots of fun with them. It's a bit exciting to start getting my own furniture and begin the process of moving out of the nest officially (sorry mom). I'm 21 years old and have one year of school left. I may not be a mature fount of wisdom yet, but I'm ready to be independent and it's cool to be moving in that direction.

New Plan

It seems like it'd be easier to blog a little more often in smaller posts than to do a long post every now and then.

Today's thought is about the song "Blessed be the Name."

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name

It's easy to bless the name of the Lord when I'm surrounded by Christian friends at church or camp. When the sun is shining. But when you think of this song when times are hard, "when the darkness closes in," it isn't quite as easy. If you sing this song as I have, you have made a promise, as I have, to continue to praise God no matter what your circumstances are. I thought of it today when my mom was talking about how difficult it was to say goodbye to my sister, her husband, and her 6 week old child. She mentioned the importance of believing in God's promises. Many times in the last couple years I've been reminded of this song in a time of duress, and forced myself to respond: My heart will choose to say/Lord, Blessed be your name.

So much for a short post :D

Is this the end?

Well, I've been home now for just over a week, so I guess I can't keep blogging under this title. Although UD is still around and I am still producing thoughts, these thoughts are not emanating from UD anymore, so I'm going to have to either stop blogging or change the name of the blog. Thank you all for reading and the feedback you've given.

Today I met with Kori Cherney, my IV staff worker, to continue planning small group goodness for the fall semester. The time we spent went really well. My excitement (if that is an appropriate word) for the coming semester continues to grow.

I also went through my mail today and discovered that last June the bank changed my savings account terms and has been charging me $4.00 a month for having a low balance for over a year. Two lessons can be learned I suppose.

1. There is a reason to open all those blasted mailings from the bank, they will occasionally have important information.

2. Don't let little mistakes bother you. Do your best to prevent them, but don't spend the rest of the day beating yourself up about it.


And lastly today, an example of clever wordsmithing from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

"Aurther Dent woke up and instantly regretted it."

I'd like to think that I'll change the name of my blog and keep going as my life continues, but I can't say for sure, so check back every now and then if you feel like it, the web address won't change.