This is in response to my post a few months ago entitled "Literally Struggling with Forward Motion." It was written by Jordan Egli, a good friend of mine during a class we have together. It made us both laugh. He asked that I put it on my blog but I forgot about it, so I'm doing it now because I want to put off my work for a little while longer. Enjoy!
My name is Adam
I"ll sing you a song...
I really love singing with glee
And telling stories that make me happy
A few days ago I was on my way to class
And then I broke my face.
I shamely looked up and what did I see?
A beautiful girl looking back at me.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm not sure," I said.
"Is there any way I can help?"
"Well yes," I said.
"You see, I'm bleeding,
But not just my nose
It's my heart for you...
Love, I suppose."
So we took hands
And walked away
I was glad that I fell
(In love) that day.
Originally written September 26, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Keep it Simple
I read this in a devotional last week and it really encouraged me. I often miss this so I need to preach it to myself:
"A father is delighted when his little one, leaving off his toys and friends, runs to him and climbs into his arms. As he holds his little one close to him, he cares little whether the child is looking around, his attention flitting from one thing to another, or if he's intent upon his father, or just settling down to sleep. The father doesn't care, because essentially the child is choosing to be with his father, confident of the love, the care, the security that is his in those arms." - Basil Pennington
I love this. Lately I've been wrestling with how much I believe what I say I believe because my life often doesn't reflect that. I've been challenged by how much faith it takes to follow Jesus and I see how little faith I've had lately. I've been discouraged by how routine the Gospel sounds to me, and I've been overwhelmed by the long list of things I need to do better. That, and the even longer list of things I should start doing. When this happens I often look at Christianity as a checklist of dos and don'ts, and that's exactly what it isn't. I'm not bound to that, and there is so much more freedom in the arms of my Abba.
So far it sounds like I've had a rough couple weeks but it's been quite the opposite...it's been amazing! While I'd love to be intently listening and doing all of those things right, sometimes I'm just not in tune with the Spirit, but when I just show up I can trust that my Father will gently lead me in the right direction and I'll soon be back on track. God loves it when we, his children, simply come to him and seek his company. He is bigger than our trials, our doubts, our struggles...those things often distract us from the joy of being still in his presence. Slowing down, getting quiet, sitting on Daddy's lap and listening to what He wants to do in my life and being open to that has been a really cool experience, and it makes all of the other things seem less overwhelming because I know he's shaping my heart to do all those things better.
"A father is delighted when his little one, leaving off his toys and friends, runs to him and climbs into his arms. As he holds his little one close to him, he cares little whether the child is looking around, his attention flitting from one thing to another, or if he's intent upon his father, or just settling down to sleep. The father doesn't care, because essentially the child is choosing to be with his father, confident of the love, the care, the security that is his in those arms." - Basil Pennington
I love this. Lately I've been wrestling with how much I believe what I say I believe because my life often doesn't reflect that. I've been challenged by how much faith it takes to follow Jesus and I see how little faith I've had lately. I've been discouraged by how routine the Gospel sounds to me, and I've been overwhelmed by the long list of things I need to do better. That, and the even longer list of things I should start doing. When this happens I often look at Christianity as a checklist of dos and don'ts, and that's exactly what it isn't. I'm not bound to that, and there is so much more freedom in the arms of my Abba.
So far it sounds like I've had a rough couple weeks but it's been quite the opposite...it's been amazing! While I'd love to be intently listening and doing all of those things right, sometimes I'm just not in tune with the Spirit, but when I just show up I can trust that my Father will gently lead me in the right direction and I'll soon be back on track. God loves it when we, his children, simply come to him and seek his company. He is bigger than our trials, our doubts, our struggles...those things often distract us from the joy of being still in his presence. Slowing down, getting quiet, sitting on Daddy's lap and listening to what He wants to do in my life and being open to that has been a really cool experience, and it makes all of the other things seem less overwhelming because I know he's shaping my heart to do all those things better.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Stoked to Have A 'Y' Chromosome!
Any time a conversation starts out with, "Now I don't mean to offend anyone, but..." someone's about to get dissed. I love it when people try to pull that trick because it never works. People get offended and make a big deal about it anyways. The story I'm about to share might rub you the wrong way. I'm simply telling the story because I think it's hilarious...and it's my blog. Should you feel yourself becoming agitated simply click the red X in the top corner of your screen and think about punching me repeatedly in the face...maybe that'll make you feel better...if not then think about happy things! Here goes...
Last week a couple of my friends and I grabbed some freshman to hang out so that we could get to know one another better. We get to the HOP (that's what we call my house) and decide to play games. What better way to get to know someone than through some friendly competition? The ratio of males to females was about even, so of course it's gotta be men versus vermin...I mean women (please direct your attention toward the red X at the top right hand corner of your screen). We start out playing 'Battle of the Sexes.' It's a good game, we shared lots of laughs... some of the answers we made up were absolutely ridiculous. Eventually the ladies got bored - probably because we were winning - so we agree to play Catch Phrase. Some of the best memories I have with my friends come out of this game, and this time was no exception...
I love this game because it's fast. I also love it because it forces people to think outside the box. I love to see the way people think when they are rushed. The men lose game one, quite a pedestrian performance at best. I credit the ladies this game...they controlled the timer in superb fashion. We fight back to win game two, and trust me it was a fight. The ladies brought their 'A' game, for sure. After the game, one of the girls says, "Well, should we stop now since we're tied and everyone's happy?" My friend Mitch quickly responds: "The only thing better than beating the girls once is beating the girls twice." Mitch, dudes like you make me stoked to have a Y chromosome! It's game on once again, and we go up 4-0 and we can taste sweet victory, but the ladies come back and suddenly we're in a dogfight at 5-4. They tie it up, and tie it again at 6...next point wins! Everyone is on edge now, ready to bring their team glory. We start, and the timer starts beating faster, it could buzz at any moment! The girls pull out a clutch response and pass it off to Eric freaking Smith...
The only thing going faster than the timer is my heart. Eric glances at the word and goes to work: "OK, stereotype: where the women are supposed to be..." All at once the men shout unanimously, "KITCHEN!" Eric nods and hands the electric game off to the lady sitting beside him, and the buzzer goes off. Ahh sweet, sweet victory in dramatic fashion! And what better way to end it than on a female stereotype!
Come on, you have to admit...that's a good story! Unfortunately all of the ladies probably hate us now...
Last week a couple of my friends and I grabbed some freshman to hang out so that we could get to know one another better. We get to the HOP (that's what we call my house) and decide to play games. What better way to get to know someone than through some friendly competition? The ratio of males to females was about even, so of course it's gotta be men versus vermin...I mean women (please direct your attention toward the red X at the top right hand corner of your screen). We start out playing 'Battle of the Sexes.' It's a good game, we shared lots of laughs... some of the answers we made up were absolutely ridiculous. Eventually the ladies got bored - probably because we were winning - so we agree to play Catch Phrase. Some of the best memories I have with my friends come out of this game, and this time was no exception...
I love this game because it's fast. I also love it because it forces people to think outside the box. I love to see the way people think when they are rushed. The men lose game one, quite a pedestrian performance at best. I credit the ladies this game...they controlled the timer in superb fashion. We fight back to win game two, and trust me it was a fight. The ladies brought their 'A' game, for sure. After the game, one of the girls says, "Well, should we stop now since we're tied and everyone's happy?" My friend Mitch quickly responds: "The only thing better than beating the girls once is beating the girls twice." Mitch, dudes like you make me stoked to have a Y chromosome! It's game on once again, and we go up 4-0 and we can taste sweet victory, but the ladies come back and suddenly we're in a dogfight at 5-4. They tie it up, and tie it again at 6...next point wins! Everyone is on edge now, ready to bring their team glory. We start, and the timer starts beating faster, it could buzz at any moment! The girls pull out a clutch response and pass it off to Eric freaking Smith...
The only thing going faster than the timer is my heart. Eric glances at the word and goes to work: "OK, stereotype: where the women are supposed to be..." All at once the men shout unanimously, "KITCHEN!" Eric nods and hands the electric game off to the lady sitting beside him, and the buzzer goes off. Ahh sweet, sweet victory in dramatic fashion! And what better way to end it than on a female stereotype!
Come on, you have to admit...that's a good story! Unfortunately all of the ladies probably hate us now...
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Jumping for My Parachute...
I'm kinda bummed right now...I just burned my mouth and tongue sipping my tea. I was really looking forward to it, but now every sip is going to be a burden and far from soothing. Because of that I can't even eat anything, and I'll probably have sores in my mouth tomorrow, so I'm sitting around with nothing to do and I have lots on my mind but I don't want to talk about it because my mouth hurts. Thankfully I don't use my mouth to type so this is a solid choice. I'm done venting now...
What I really want to type about is this: I really appreciate music. I know lots of people who love music more than me and who understand music better than me, but I love how music meets me where I'm at. I love music's ability to articulate my thoughts and feelings. Relient K does this kind of thing to me all the time. I used to despise this band because, at first glance, they come across as really silly. Christians singing about a chick asking this dude out to the Sadie Hawkins dance isn't my idea of spiritual fulfillment. As I listened to more of their music I found that they have this brilliant quirkiness that makes a whole lot of sense. They talk about spiritual stuff in a very creative way and I can really relate to it.
In their song, "Life After Death and Taxes" (a little spoof on a common phrase...they're good at that) there is this one line that I absolutely love. In fact, it's one of my favorite quotes:
And this is how I choose to live
As if I'm jumping off a cliff
Knowing that you'll save me...
I like extreme stuff. I want to strap myself into a parachute and jump out of airplanes and off of cliffs or buildings or bridges. I love that feeling I get when I do stuff like that. I think those lyrics are a great depiction of the Christian life. Sure, life is dangerous and uncertain, but it's also exciting and beautiful! Why stand on the edge and think about the things that could happen? What are we waiting for? Jump! Wouldn't you do so much more stuff if you knew that everything would end up ok? I know I would! Not only that, but I would invite others to join me. "God works for the good of those who love him," right? We have the confidence that we will be safe when we land, so enjoy the ride! That's not to say that we won't get banged up or bruised along the way, but we'll be safe nonetheless.
This is a great thing for me to think about because like so many other people my age, I have no real idea of what my future is going to look like, and based on past experiences, my dreams sell myself short. With all of the things going on in my life - school, friends, church, relationships, ministry, carreer aspirations...the list goes on - wouldn't it be easier for me to jump, enjoy the ride and trust God to have me land right where He wants me? Afterall, where I end up will be better than what I could do for myself. I shouldn't worry about all of that. It's all in the Lord's hands and he's blown my dreams away time and time again. I think life is better this way...I think it's supposed to be this way.
What I really want to type about is this: I really appreciate music. I know lots of people who love music more than me and who understand music better than me, but I love how music meets me where I'm at. I love music's ability to articulate my thoughts and feelings. Relient K does this kind of thing to me all the time. I used to despise this band because, at first glance, they come across as really silly. Christians singing about a chick asking this dude out to the Sadie Hawkins dance isn't my idea of spiritual fulfillment. As I listened to more of their music I found that they have this brilliant quirkiness that makes a whole lot of sense. They talk about spiritual stuff in a very creative way and I can really relate to it.
In their song, "Life After Death and Taxes" (a little spoof on a common phrase...they're good at that) there is this one line that I absolutely love. In fact, it's one of my favorite quotes:
And this is how I choose to live
As if I'm jumping off a cliff
Knowing that you'll save me...
I like extreme stuff. I want to strap myself into a parachute and jump out of airplanes and off of cliffs or buildings or bridges. I love that feeling I get when I do stuff like that. I think those lyrics are a great depiction of the Christian life. Sure, life is dangerous and uncertain, but it's also exciting and beautiful! Why stand on the edge and think about the things that could happen? What are we waiting for? Jump! Wouldn't you do so much more stuff if you knew that everything would end up ok? I know I would! Not only that, but I would invite others to join me. "God works for the good of those who love him," right? We have the confidence that we will be safe when we land, so enjoy the ride! That's not to say that we won't get banged up or bruised along the way, but we'll be safe nonetheless.
This is a great thing for me to think about because like so many other people my age, I have no real idea of what my future is going to look like, and based on past experiences, my dreams sell myself short. With all of the things going on in my life - school, friends, church, relationships, ministry, carreer aspirations...the list goes on - wouldn't it be easier for me to jump, enjoy the ride and trust God to have me land right where He wants me? Afterall, where I end up will be better than what I could do for myself. I shouldn't worry about all of that. It's all in the Lord's hands and he's blown my dreams away time and time again. I think life is better this way...I think it's supposed to be this way.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Fight for Joy
So the name of my blog is 'Fight for Joy.' If you know me, I think you'd agree that the title describes me fairly well. I only just recently realized that my life story thus far has been one complex, messy and beautiful quest for joy. Growing up I searched for happiness...things that I thought would make me happy: friends, popularity, success, material stuff, girls, sports - the list goes on. Those things did make me happy, but much to my surprise, I wasn't satisfied, so I pursued more happiness. Little did I know that I was being set up for a kick in the face...
...And what a glorious roundhouse it was! The summer before my senior year in high school, the Lord did an extreme soul makeover inside me, and in a period of a couple days I went from the 'pursuit of happiness' being my life and all that I am to God becoming infinitely worth it. I had been blindsided by the outrageous love of Jesus! Only then did I realize that I desired joy the whole time, and I had no idea what I got myself into. My world was turned upside down and I didn't even know it...that comes later on in the story...
Where does joy even come from? It certainly doesn't come from me, since I couldn't produce it growing up. (God loving me - his creation - and not the personas which I created comes into play here, but I'll save that for another time) That must mean it comes from the Lord...it's a gift (makes sense since it's a fruit of the Spirit). We are instructed to 'be joyful always...' how does that work? If we can't produce it how can we reflect it? That's where 'Fight for Joy' comes in. If you've experienced the Love of the Lord of the Dance (I can't take credit for that...those are Brennan Manning's words) you know exactly what I'm talking about. You've tasted that joy. Unfortunately we mess it up and we lose sight of the prize and our joy fades with it. What are we supposed to do? We fight! Is it worth fighting for? Satan thinks so - if that wasn't the case then I think joy would be easier. Lacking joy is losing sight of God's glory...FIGHT TO SEE! He wants to show us amazing things!
So, the name of my blog is 'Fight for Joy' because I desire to see. I fight because I want to see more. I fight because I think it's worth it. Entire books have been written on this topic, but this is a blog so I can only share a couple points before you get bored! I hope it encourages you to fight to see. Look into it! Thanks for reading!
Special thanks to Brennan Manning, Nate Larkin, and John Piper for helping me articulate my thoughts...
James 1:2-4, Habakkuk 1:5
...And what a glorious roundhouse it was! The summer before my senior year in high school, the Lord did an extreme soul makeover inside me, and in a period of a couple days I went from the 'pursuit of happiness' being my life and all that I am to God becoming infinitely worth it. I had been blindsided by the outrageous love of Jesus! Only then did I realize that I desired joy the whole time, and I had no idea what I got myself into. My world was turned upside down and I didn't even know it...that comes later on in the story...
Where does joy even come from? It certainly doesn't come from me, since I couldn't produce it growing up. (God loving me - his creation - and not the personas which I created comes into play here, but I'll save that for another time) That must mean it comes from the Lord...it's a gift (makes sense since it's a fruit of the Spirit). We are instructed to 'be joyful always...' how does that work? If we can't produce it how can we reflect it? That's where 'Fight for Joy' comes in. If you've experienced the Love of the Lord of the Dance (I can't take credit for that...those are Brennan Manning's words) you know exactly what I'm talking about. You've tasted that joy. Unfortunately we mess it up and we lose sight of the prize and our joy fades with it. What are we supposed to do? We fight! Is it worth fighting for? Satan thinks so - if that wasn't the case then I think joy would be easier. Lacking joy is losing sight of God's glory...FIGHT TO SEE! He wants to show us amazing things!
So, the name of my blog is 'Fight for Joy' because I desire to see. I fight because I want to see more. I fight because I think it's worth it. Entire books have been written on this topic, but this is a blog so I can only share a couple points before you get bored! I hope it encourages you to fight to see. Look into it! Thanks for reading!
Special thanks to Brennan Manning, Nate Larkin, and John Piper for helping me articulate my thoughts...
James 1:2-4, Habakkuk 1:5
Friday, October 3, 2008
I Love it when this Happens!
Ever experienced one of those times when you come out of something and feel like a better person? A changed person? I wish that those would happen to me more often.
Today it happened in the form of a nap. Yes...a nap. (by now you're clicking the 'x' in the top right hand corner of your screen because this is ridiculous, or you're completely captivated...)
A life changing nap? Come on, Adam, that's absurd! Don't waste my time and everyone else's by blogging about a stupid nap... First of all, I had a pretty rough week. I'm not bragging about my week because I know people who had way more stressful weeks than me, but considering my major, it was a busy week. I normally rock between 7 and 8 hours of sleep per night. (also goes to show the vast workload i have) Actually, I really try to manage my time so that I can do that...I love my sleep! Anyways, this week I've been rocking 5 and a half to six and a half...so it's quite a decline in sleep production. I woke up yesterday really feeling it: sore throat, stuffy nose...not good. Today was worse. I wanted to crash walking to class, sitting in class, walking home from class, and eating my lunch after class. Being done at 11 on Fridays is such a blessing.
I grab my down blanket (so nice!) and my goose feathered pillow, lay on the couch and dose off to the soothing sound of Jim Rome's voice...ok his voice isn't that soothing, but it was like having a friend read you a bed time story as you fall asleep...serene! An hour later, I hear the back door open. I figure it's just Ryan so I fall back asleep. Apparently it wasn't Ryan because Ben had written me a nice little letter. All I can say is that I hope he's jealous of me because when I woke up I was a new man...completely reenergized and excited for the afternoon! My stuffiness was gone, I was completely awake, and there was Jim Rome, still talking as if he never stopped. I was overjoyed! I could almost hear the soft angellic voice in my head: "Hello Adam, this is the weekend speaking. It's good to see you again. I heard you just paid a visit to Mr. Friday afternoon nap...I hope you enjoyed his company!"
And I did enjoy his company. In fact, I was so stoked that I had to share my experience with a friend who's had a similar experience. Then I had to blog about it, and now you have to read about it. But seriously, can anyone relate to this? (Ryan Stauffer probably can...) Some people think I'm crazy when I tell them about my life changing naps (This isn't the first time) and I feel kinda sorry for them. You are totally missing out!
Bring on the weekend!
Today it happened in the form of a nap. Yes...a nap. (by now you're clicking the 'x' in the top right hand corner of your screen because this is ridiculous, or you're completely captivated...)
A life changing nap? Come on, Adam, that's absurd! Don't waste my time and everyone else's by blogging about a stupid nap... First of all, I had a pretty rough week. I'm not bragging about my week because I know people who had way more stressful weeks than me, but considering my major, it was a busy week. I normally rock between 7 and 8 hours of sleep per night. (also goes to show the vast workload i have) Actually, I really try to manage my time so that I can do that...I love my sleep! Anyways, this week I've been rocking 5 and a half to six and a half...so it's quite a decline in sleep production. I woke up yesterday really feeling it: sore throat, stuffy nose...not good. Today was worse. I wanted to crash walking to class, sitting in class, walking home from class, and eating my lunch after class. Being done at 11 on Fridays is such a blessing.
I grab my down blanket (so nice!) and my goose feathered pillow, lay on the couch and dose off to the soothing sound of Jim Rome's voice...ok his voice isn't that soothing, but it was like having a friend read you a bed time story as you fall asleep...serene! An hour later, I hear the back door open. I figure it's just Ryan so I fall back asleep. Apparently it wasn't Ryan because Ben had written me a nice little letter. All I can say is that I hope he's jealous of me because when I woke up I was a new man...completely reenergized and excited for the afternoon! My stuffiness was gone, I was completely awake, and there was Jim Rome, still talking as if he never stopped. I was overjoyed! I could almost hear the soft angellic voice in my head: "Hello Adam, this is the weekend speaking. It's good to see you again. I heard you just paid a visit to Mr. Friday afternoon nap...I hope you enjoyed his company!"
And I did enjoy his company. In fact, I was so stoked that I had to share my experience with a friend who's had a similar experience. Then I had to blog about it, and now you have to read about it. But seriously, can anyone relate to this? (Ryan Stauffer probably can...) Some people think I'm crazy when I tell them about my life changing naps (This isn't the first time) and I feel kinda sorry for them. You are totally missing out!
Bring on the weekend!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
College Football Madness
Dear College Football Fans,
You can't spell 'suck' without the letters "USC."
Warmest regards,
The Oregon State Beavers
WAR the Nittany Lions 31 point beatdown on the Beavs
WAR quality wins
WAR college football magic!
You can't spell 'suck' without the letters "USC."
Warmest regards,
The Oregon State Beavers
WAR the Nittany Lions 31 point beatdown on the Beavs
WAR quality wins
WAR college football magic!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Literally Struggling With Forward Motion
So...people always love to listening to to other people's humiliating stories. I don't know, I guess it makes them feel better about themselves or something, but when people ask me about my most embarrassing moment, I can't think of one. I wasn't embarrassed that one time I got pantsed in front of the entire track team. I actually took three or for steps before readjusting my drawers. That was then...this is now...
'Here we are now with the falling sky and the rain, we're awakening! Here we are now with the desperate youth and pain, we're awakening! Maybe it's called...' I roll over and hit my phone. 'No, not now, Jon. You and your band of Switchfoots do not need to lead me in an awakening this morning. 7:00 AM is not a good time for me. I'm tired, my throat is sore, and I most likely won't miss anything in class. Let's call it a day right now. No, Adam! Get up and go to class. Fine...I'll go to class...'
I stumble out of bed and wrestle with my clothes to get them on the right way...everything is a fight when your eyes are still closed. 'Great...even my eyes are telling me to call it quits...' After my clothes are situated, I grab the iPod and my backpack and head out the door...I'm not in the mood for hygiene this morning. My classmates will have to suffer...ohh well.
Walking to class I take a few deep breaths. The morning is absolutely spectacular. I think mornings are especially beautiful to make the wakeup more bearable. How can you not be excited about a clear blue sky, a cool fall breeze and the warmth of the rising sun on your face? Still a little groggy I decide on Relient K to wake me up a little bit. Unfortunately I'm still a little out of it so I put up my hood on my sweatshirt and stick my hands in my pockets and just zone out and walk down the street. College Avenue has been the bane of my existence lately...they decide to replace three squares of sidewalk right where I normally walk to get to class but it's fenced off and I have to redirect my route. 'I guess I'll just climb up that bench cut in the retaining wall and walk up the Old Main lawn to get to class,' I think. 'Why is all of this construction going on now? I guess it just HAD to wait until 40,000 people walk on this stretch of sidewalk 5 days a week...'
I jump up on the seat of the bench and stretch to get to the ground above it...my foot slips...'Uh Oh! Bracing for impact in 5...wait...impact complete...assessing damage...' Thankfully my nose broke my fall. The sound wasn't all that appetizing though. (Anyone who has eaten crab or shrimp know what I'm talking about...you know...that soft, squishy *crunch* noise...ouch) I stagger to my feet and look around... 'What just happened? Why am I staring at the ground right now? I must be looking for something...makes sense. I mean I just landed on my face.' So I'm looking around on the ground for...something...iPod, cell phone, broken teeth...I don't even know. At this point everything is a reaction. Pretty soon things start coming together: 'Well, I didn't lose my iPod. I can still hear Matt Thiessen singing, "To experience the bittersweet, to taste defeat, then brush your teeth..." (If that isn't irony then I don't know what is) 'Maybe I'm looking for my cell phone. I still feel it in my pocket. Wait...MY HANDS ARE STILL IN MY POCKETS! No wonder my face left a crater the ground!
At this point cobwebs are beginning to clear. I'm crying like crazy because that's what happens when you get hit in the face. I take my hands out of my pockets to make sure everything is alright. It turns out that there is blood dripping off of my chin. Everything from my eyes to my upper lip throbs. I check the ground again to make sure I didn't bust any chicklets...my mouth was pretty sore. They were all in there so that was ok I guess. I plug my nose and stagger toward the Willard Building...easily 200 yards away. 'Great. I have to walk to Willard with blood all over my face. My nose is probably broken so it looks like...wait...what should I do? Ohh yeah! I have a pack of tissues in my pocket! I sling my backpack off of my shoulders, still holding my nose. I also take my glasses off...good thing those didn't break. I finally get to the tissues and release my nose to find a constant stream of blood gushing from my nose to the ground...if it didn't hurt so bad I thought it would have looked pretty cool. The bleeding stops enough to continue to Willard and I head to the nearest bathroom. I check the mirror: "Holy crap! Is my face really that swollen?! My nose is bruised...I never knew a nose could bruise. Dang, I'm a wreck.' I take my glasses off to wash my face only to see that I have two black eyes. 'Good thing I wore my glasses today..." By this time I'm pretty awake and swollen and awake and I get to class on time! Great, now I can zone out and think about what just happened...'Hopefully I don't fall out of my desk now...Dude, I can't believe what just happened! I royally jacked up my beak tripping over a freaking park bench! Who does that? I'm pretty messed up...people are going to notice. I can't tell them what actually happened...it's ridiculous! I'm not the guy who gets in fights...that story won't work...maybe I should just own it...could be kinda funny...what the heck?! My neck hurts! Did I seriously just give myself whiplash from landing on my face? Dang, I could really use some Motrin...and a hug.
So I'm owning it. If you see me around and you think I sound congested it's probably because I am. All of that blood coagulated in my sinuses. It's pretty embarrassing but I think it makes for a pretty good story! Ohh yeah...my throat isn't sore anymore either. And if you're interested, check the semi circle bench along College Avenue caddy corner from Pugh Street...you'll be able to see my blood...
'Here we are now with the falling sky and the rain, we're awakening! Here we are now with the desperate youth and pain, we're awakening! Maybe it's called...' I roll over and hit my phone. 'No, not now, Jon. You and your band of Switchfoots do not need to lead me in an awakening this morning. 7:00 AM is not a good time for me. I'm tired, my throat is sore, and I most likely won't miss anything in class. Let's call it a day right now. No, Adam! Get up and go to class. Fine...I'll go to class...'
I stumble out of bed and wrestle with my clothes to get them on the right way...everything is a fight when your eyes are still closed. 'Great...even my eyes are telling me to call it quits...' After my clothes are situated, I grab the iPod and my backpack and head out the door...I'm not in the mood for hygiene this morning. My classmates will have to suffer...ohh well.
Walking to class I take a few deep breaths. The morning is absolutely spectacular. I think mornings are especially beautiful to make the wakeup more bearable. How can you not be excited about a clear blue sky, a cool fall breeze and the warmth of the rising sun on your face? Still a little groggy I decide on Relient K to wake me up a little bit. Unfortunately I'm still a little out of it so I put up my hood on my sweatshirt and stick my hands in my pockets and just zone out and walk down the street. College Avenue has been the bane of my existence lately...they decide to replace three squares of sidewalk right where I normally walk to get to class but it's fenced off and I have to redirect my route. 'I guess I'll just climb up that bench cut in the retaining wall and walk up the Old Main lawn to get to class,' I think. 'Why is all of this construction going on now? I guess it just HAD to wait until 40,000 people walk on this stretch of sidewalk 5 days a week...'
I jump up on the seat of the bench and stretch to get to the ground above it...my foot slips...'Uh Oh! Bracing for impact in 5...wait...impact complete...assessing damage...' Thankfully my nose broke my fall. The sound wasn't all that appetizing though. (Anyone who has eaten crab or shrimp know what I'm talking about...you know...that soft, squishy *crunch* noise...ouch) I stagger to my feet and look around... 'What just happened? Why am I staring at the ground right now? I must be looking for something...makes sense. I mean I just landed on my face.' So I'm looking around on the ground for...something...iPod, cell phone, broken teeth...I don't even know. At this point everything is a reaction. Pretty soon things start coming together: 'Well, I didn't lose my iPod. I can still hear Matt Thiessen singing, "To experience the bittersweet, to taste defeat, then brush your teeth..." (If that isn't irony then I don't know what is) 'Maybe I'm looking for my cell phone. I still feel it in my pocket. Wait...MY HANDS ARE STILL IN MY POCKETS! No wonder my face left a crater the ground!
At this point cobwebs are beginning to clear. I'm crying like crazy because that's what happens when you get hit in the face. I take my hands out of my pockets to make sure everything is alright. It turns out that there is blood dripping off of my chin. Everything from my eyes to my upper lip throbs. I check the ground again to make sure I didn't bust any chicklets...my mouth was pretty sore. They were all in there so that was ok I guess. I plug my nose and stagger toward the Willard Building...easily 200 yards away. 'Great. I have to walk to Willard with blood all over my face. My nose is probably broken so it looks like...wait...what should I do? Ohh yeah! I have a pack of tissues in my pocket! I sling my backpack off of my shoulders, still holding my nose. I also take my glasses off...good thing those didn't break. I finally get to the tissues and release my nose to find a constant stream of blood gushing from my nose to the ground...if it didn't hurt so bad I thought it would have looked pretty cool. The bleeding stops enough to continue to Willard and I head to the nearest bathroom. I check the mirror: "Holy crap! Is my face really that swollen?! My nose is bruised...I never knew a nose could bruise. Dang, I'm a wreck.' I take my glasses off to wash my face only to see that I have two black eyes. 'Good thing I wore my glasses today..." By this time I'm pretty awake and swollen and awake and I get to class on time! Great, now I can zone out and think about what just happened...'Hopefully I don't fall out of my desk now...Dude, I can't believe what just happened! I royally jacked up my beak tripping over a freaking park bench! Who does that? I'm pretty messed up...people are going to notice. I can't tell them what actually happened...it's ridiculous! I'm not the guy who gets in fights...that story won't work...maybe I should just own it...could be kinda funny...what the heck?! My neck hurts! Did I seriously just give myself whiplash from landing on my face? Dang, I could really use some Motrin...and a hug.
So I'm owning it. If you see me around and you think I sound congested it's probably because I am. All of that blood coagulated in my sinuses. It's pretty embarrassing but I think it makes for a pretty good story! Ohh yeah...my throat isn't sore anymore either. And if you're interested, check the semi circle bench along College Avenue caddy corner from Pugh Street...you'll be able to see my blood...
A Familiar Experience In A Brand New Place...
Hello everyone out there in internet land! Welcome to my blog. I credit my roommate and best friend Ryan Stauffer for persuading me into doing this, (Ryan, you have a gift my friend) as I was on the fence about it for a while because I didn't really see the point of me blogging. Who wants to read what I have to say? What would I write about? I don't really need another thing to occupy my time. This kind of thing is nothing new to me, however, as I've kept a series of journals over the past four years, but Ryan and I both think that there are enough interesting (and often funny) things that happen to me to share them with everyone else.
More importantly, I decided to blog because I love people. I love listening to people talk, witnessing what other people are good at, watching people walk down the street, or even reading about what they have to say. I'm the kinda guy that would love to get coffee with you and listen to you talk for an hour and not say a word and feel totally blessed by you. I'm the kinda guy who'd get coffee with you and neither of us talk for an hour and totally enjoy your company. In fact, some of the best conversations I've ever had with people have used few words, if any: "I love you." It's probably the least complex yet most profound exchange of words in the history of language. I feel like I owe this blog to the people that make me happy.
I'm pretty intentional in terms of how I speak and act: I say things I mean to say, and on the flip side I also intentionally don't say things, so this blog will be pretty real. I'm often all over the place in terms of my emotions and where my head is at. I'm not saying that I'm the King of Drama Queens or that my life is the top thrill of the emotional roller coaster amusement park...I'm just saying that I always have a lot on my mind. I think that this blog will reveal a little of that...I love to write and it's a good way for me to organize my thoughts and try to make sense of my world, although this blog will not look like my collection of journals. Most of my journaling is me at my worst (although there are lots of bright spots too!). I usually don't even like to read through them, so I'll spare you as well.
Happy Reading!
More importantly, I decided to blog because I love people. I love listening to people talk, witnessing what other people are good at, watching people walk down the street, or even reading about what they have to say. I'm the kinda guy that would love to get coffee with you and listen to you talk for an hour and not say a word and feel totally blessed by you. I'm the kinda guy who'd get coffee with you and neither of us talk for an hour and totally enjoy your company. In fact, some of the best conversations I've ever had with people have used few words, if any: "I love you." It's probably the least complex yet most profound exchange of words in the history of language. I feel like I owe this blog to the people that make me happy.
I'm pretty intentional in terms of how I speak and act: I say things I mean to say, and on the flip side I also intentionally don't say things, so this blog will be pretty real. I'm often all over the place in terms of my emotions and where my head is at. I'm not saying that I'm the King of Drama Queens or that my life is the top thrill of the emotional roller coaster amusement park...I'm just saying that I always have a lot on my mind. I think that this blog will reveal a little of that...I love to write and it's a good way for me to organize my thoughts and try to make sense of my world, although this blog will not look like my collection of journals. Most of my journaling is me at my worst (although there are lots of bright spots too!). I usually don't even like to read through them, so I'll spare you as well.
Happy Reading!
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