the wind and the clouds, they led goldilocks all the way home

this weekend i got to go to chico to visit my way groovy friend cas.  some observations:

• cool people roadtrip with the windows down....but are also conscious of the ever present danger of awkward one-sided arm tanning
• 20 minutes out of here, the sun shines
• i love the prairies of california....long, yellow grass with random fat green trees against a bright blue sky
• redding makes up for it's confusing atmosphere with awesome people who lead you to the I-5
• trader joe's is a magical land flowing with dried mangos and cool water bottles
• californians refuse to make eye-contact with people walking towards them
• chico has more bicyclists than i have ever seen....and has a great park
• watching hot rod with cas is quite possibly the best thing you could possibly do with an afternoon
  

i had a great time!  thanks cas!

a prayer request

so at church for the last two weeks, these two young guys have been coming.  my dad was saying that they came from a teen drug rehab house or something like that.  anyway, both of them are really fired up about the Lord and it's been so cool to see them just in love with God's Word and hear about the questions they ask my dad about their faith; especially when it seems like a lot of the people at our church have been Christians for a while.  one of them apparently used to sniff glue and so his mind is pretty far gone.  i'd just like ya'll to pray for him, that God would just restore his mind.   me and my mom both feel like God wants to do that work in his life.  anyway, and for both of them that they would be built up in Christ....and probably that we as a church would be enabled to reach out to these guys.  i don't know....i could just totally see guys like this five years from now with families...and going to teach at the mission and starting new ministries and stuff like that.  cool beans

a dream of mine

sell my car and get a VW bug....or scooter....the dream is somewhat undecided

on getting comfy

for the first time in a long time, i have my own room....actually, amanda's still in here....but there's only 13 days till the wedding......

anyway, so i am now living in the garage.....with hardwood floors....sharing a bathroom with only 2 sisters....and built in bookshelves.  it's the highlife, lemme tell you what. 

 i think it's truly hilarious.....the light in here  is basically one of those industrial looking lights....long, cylindrical bulb....two out of four are burned out....powered by an extension cord and suspended by bungee cords.  none of the walls are finished....the floor is half done.  we took the garage door apart, nailed it to the outside, and put sheetrock on my side of the wall.   oh but it is my room....i stained my unfinished bookshelves....so beautiful.  and i actually like the ceiling a lot.  i feel like i'm in the bowels of a ship for some reason.  

something more than a snickers

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

my friend cas once told me that when we are feeling discouraged or lonely or just plain disatisfied....and this is VERY paraphrased....that it is God drawing us back to Himself.  i've been realizing lately how truly lonely going to church has been lately.  so far, i've shrugged it off as me not having enough friends....or when i get married, it'll be better...which those are valid i'm sure.  but, i think it's God trying to use dissatisfaction to get His kiddos to their knees.  my friend suz and i were talking about the lack of family in our church....we wanted to know what we could do about it.  i've been thinking about it all day.  the only thing i can say is pray.  pray that God would bring us out of selfish habits and self-focused attitudes and give us a burden for the weak and hurting around us.  that He would fill us up and pour us out for the lost that come in every week.  that He would give us passion to pray everyday for the people in our lives.  He is the source....where can we go and what can we possibly do without Him?  He has the power we need....more importantly, He has the love we so desperately crave.  and He gives it all to us without question.  i think my biggest problem is apathy....i'm willing to just get through church....get home and do something for myself.  if i could challenge anyone reading....it would be that you gotta fight through the apathy....pray until you are passionate about the Lord and those around you.  pray until your church is a family, daily encouraging one another and united in love.  pray until the messed up relationships are healed again.  pray until every need is met.  pray until your friends are saved and then pray until they go to heaven.  pray without ceasing!!!!!  

a startling discovery

in the midst of a really fun time hanging out with my lil' bro.....wrestling, running around the house, taking pics with photo booth, dancing to the gummi bear song....to those who have not heard it....you are missing out....anyway, in the middle of all this....he puts his arm around me in perfect assurance states that i'm a good boy. unfortunately to this i had to point out that he had made a tragic error.  "you're not the same as me?"  "nope, sorry kid".  whaddya say to that?  i don't know....kids are great though aren't they?  i really can't imagine living in a house without them...life just seems so real and new to them all the time....and jeremiah retain his amazingness despite his lack of attention to detail....haha

how walmart ruined my life....and sept. 28th will truly rock my socks off

so.....these last couple days a question has been burning in my mind. why do i hate going to walgreens...long's and stores like that? i really hate it....maybe not hate it out loud....but definitely a sub-conscious distaste for them. first of all.....i don't even know what they sell...hotcakes? turtledoves?
anyway, every time i go.....i feel so lost. like the world is ending and all i want is someone to tell where to get toothpicks. i've never gone into any one of them and not had to ask where what i need is. it's disturbing. 
but i figured it out.......
i have been going to walmart my entire life!!!! there has never been, in the 6 or 7 odd places i've lived that there hasn't been a walmart. am i for walmart taking over the planet? no.......BUT....i realize now that i am humboldtian?....that i must adapt and overcome....and bring jen every time i go somewhere to lead me through the jungle of mid-size stores. 
anyway, on september 28th SWITCHFOOT will be playing in Sacramento....which is yes....over five hours away.....BUT....holy cow....i've never seen them in concert...and couple that with the horrific lack in concert going as of late......i am pretty psyched. already have the next day off...i'm running at night to get in shape for 4 hours of jumping....i need to work on my screaming though.....that's what really gets you. my hair is freshly rocked out though....so i should be good.