owwwww
Well, we went canoeing today. Fjord, Kelly, Ian, Sonic, Geoff and I left for Caddo Lake this morning, and after only minor backtracking, found our way to a canoe rental place. Look at that link for pictures of the dock we used and such. And check out those pictures of those alligators. They're like big fishes with alligator heads. And 7 feet long! Scaaaaaary. I am so glad I actually didn't visit their website first.
It was fun, though I must say Caddo Lake is just one of the most disgusting lakes ever. I also got badly sunburned and my knees are a bright cherry color. It hurts to move them in the least.
But, overall it was good times. I bought a disposable camera and hope to upload some pictures as soon as I can get them developed.
FilmFest happened Friday night... and though Duct Tape Man got no awards this time, Bolt & Shroud's "The Real Story of the Yellowjacket" got best film in its category! The overall winner was a short commercial spoofing the "some things money can't buy" style of Mastercard commercials. It made fun of the Tyler hall shirts (the ones that make fun of 41). The film was less than 30 seconds long, yet the crowd laughed harder at it than at anything else that night. It just proves that brilliance, and certainly not length, is all it takes at a FilmFest.
I'm already trying to think again of something to do next year. I *will* find an idea (someday!)
Just finished watching the new Alamo. Geoff and I talked about it on the way down to dinner.
"Yeah, I think I'll watch the Alamo tonight. For Texas/West. Interested?"
"Which one?"
"The new one."
"Oh, is that the one with..."
"Dennis Quaid. Yeah."
"Oooh, Dennis Quaid. Instant minus 10 points to the movie."
Dennis Quaid aside, the movie was still only passive. I want to save my comments for my paper, but the movie just went on too long and over-dramatized at the wrong places. I will confess I was moved by the final stand of Crockett and Bowie, but since neither is historically documented, those deaths were the understanding of the movie writers. I did think the brutality of the fighting was accurately done.
But enough analysis. I should copy that paragraph into my blog, except the Dennis Quaid thing is a silly hunch of Geoff and I. :D
So now...
::turns off prattling about events of the last few days and turns on serious reflection::
Wow, this year is almost over. It seemed so far away when it started, but take it one day at a time and it just vanishes. Is it wrong to feel like life is slipping away when you're not yet twenty?
Holly Clark gave a tearful and heart-felt reflection on her time at LETU at the recent IMPACT celebration. Her thesis was, "God is after your heart." She said that as a student leader, so often she got caught up in *her* work and *her* responsibilities, and completely overlooked *God's* work that He was doing in her... and through her.
I suppose the IMPACT celebration brought my past year's experience as a chaplain into focus. So often I felt inadequte for the job. I'm a nutty college kid, how am I supposed to be a chaplain and be an example when I'm no different or better than anyone else on my floor.
It was thoughts like these that often discouraged me. I still am discouraged not only by the lack of interest in floor devos on 41, but also that I have been unable to take the responsibility as seriously as I should. When a dozen guys stop their evening activities to come hear what you have to say, shouldn't your words involve more than a half-hour scramble of preparation before it starts?
The general apathy of a college floor should be no excuse for my personal apathy, and perhaps it is my unpreparedness that contributes to their lack of interest in reading God's word and worshipping as a floor of brothers.
It's easy to think those kinds of thoughts during a moving speech at an IMPACT celebration. It's easy to think them on a quiet Saturday night after a gorgeous day out canoeing.
Is it so easy to think those thoughts on Sunday night, when I have something due the next day?
Is it even easier to think those thoughts on Wednesday night?
Is it easy to think those thoughts when half the preparation involves mundane little things like making signs and finding clear tape and trying to learn songs on the guitar for the singing?
Those little things are just as much being a chaplain as sharing your heart with someone. I have a very successful feeling when I know I've genuinely helped someone in need. I hope I feel equally successful when I glorify God in the mundane things, when I make time for the mundane chores.
If I happen into your prayers, please pray that I learn and apply this lesson.
So is life slipping away? Well, as they say, the truth can hurt. But, I can now say, just as I could when this year began, that "it is well with my soul."
God is very good.
It was fun, though I must say Caddo Lake is just one of the most disgusting lakes ever. I also got badly sunburned and my knees are a bright cherry color. It hurts to move them in the least.
But, overall it was good times. I bought a disposable camera and hope to upload some pictures as soon as I can get them developed.
FilmFest happened Friday night... and though Duct Tape Man got no awards this time, Bolt & Shroud's "The Real Story of the Yellowjacket" got best film in its category! The overall winner was a short commercial spoofing the "some things money can't buy" style of Mastercard commercials. It made fun of the Tyler hall shirts (the ones that make fun of 41). The film was less than 30 seconds long, yet the crowd laughed harder at it than at anything else that night. It just proves that brilliance, and certainly not length, is all it takes at a FilmFest.
I'm already trying to think again of something to do next year. I *will* find an idea (someday!)
Just finished watching the new Alamo. Geoff and I talked about it on the way down to dinner.
"Yeah, I think I'll watch the Alamo tonight. For Texas/West. Interested?"
"Which one?"
"The new one."
"Oh, is that the one with..."
"Dennis Quaid. Yeah."
"Oooh, Dennis Quaid. Instant minus 10 points to the movie."
Dennis Quaid aside, the movie was still only passive. I want to save my comments for my paper, but the movie just went on too long and over-dramatized at the wrong places. I will confess I was moved by the final stand of Crockett and Bowie, but since neither is historically documented, those deaths were the understanding of the movie writers. I did think the brutality of the fighting was accurately done.
But enough analysis. I should copy that paragraph into my blog, except the Dennis Quaid thing is a silly hunch of Geoff and I. :D
So now...
::turns off prattling about events of the last few days and turns on serious reflection::
Wow, this year is almost over. It seemed so far away when it started, but take it one day at a time and it just vanishes. Is it wrong to feel like life is slipping away when you're not yet twenty?
Holly Clark gave a tearful and heart-felt reflection on her time at LETU at the recent IMPACT celebration. Her thesis was, "God is after your heart." She said that as a student leader, so often she got caught up in *her* work and *her* responsibilities, and completely overlooked *God's* work that He was doing in her... and through her.
I suppose the IMPACT celebration brought my past year's experience as a chaplain into focus. So often I felt inadequte for the job. I'm a nutty college kid, how am I supposed to be a chaplain and be an example when I'm no different or better than anyone else on my floor.
It was thoughts like these that often discouraged me. I still am discouraged not only by the lack of interest in floor devos on 41, but also that I have been unable to take the responsibility as seriously as I should. When a dozen guys stop their evening activities to come hear what you have to say, shouldn't your words involve more than a half-hour scramble of preparation before it starts?
The general apathy of a college floor should be no excuse for my personal apathy, and perhaps it is my unpreparedness that contributes to their lack of interest in reading God's word and worshipping as a floor of brothers.
It's easy to think those kinds of thoughts during a moving speech at an IMPACT celebration. It's easy to think them on a quiet Saturday night after a gorgeous day out canoeing.
Is it so easy to think those thoughts on Sunday night, when I have something due the next day?
Is it even easier to think those thoughts on Wednesday night?
Is it easy to think those thoughts when half the preparation involves mundane little things like making signs and finding clear tape and trying to learn songs on the guitar for the singing?
Those little things are just as much being a chaplain as sharing your heart with someone. I have a very successful feeling when I know I've genuinely helped someone in need. I hope I feel equally successful when I glorify God in the mundane things, when I make time for the mundane chores.
If I happen into your prayers, please pray that I learn and apply this lesson.
So is life slipping away? Well, as they say, the truth can hurt. But, I can now say, just as I could when this year began, that "it is well with my soul."
God is very good.
