Father's Day

"My father—methinks I see my father—"

~Hamlet, Act I, scene 2

I moved into college this past Saturday, to the school of my dreams...It's everything I expected, and more. But in the same way, it doesn't seem real. Getting ready for classes this morning was easier than I anticipated...partly because I was so ready to get into a routine, partly because my roommate gets up earlier because she has an earlier class, but mostly because this morning, our coffee maker exploded. Yeah you read right, exploded...not in the traditional sense of the word, but what else to you call 4 cups of somewhat coffee/water and 2 tablespoons of wet coffee grounds all over our vanity?

So while Hannah was up, getting ready for class and all that, I was in bed contemplating whether or not to get up. Then all of the sudden, I hear "Oh no!" and I lean over the edge of my bed to see Hannah frantically trying to get all her stuff out of the puddle of coffee flavored water. I said "Oh snap!" and jumped out of bed to help her clean it up. Needless to say, it was hilarious!

I also had my first class this morning, German 101, it was, well, German...I think it went well, but it's gonna be hard.

When I finished my class, I call PJ Harrison and talk to him for a bit and we talked about...you guessed it...FOOTBALL!!! It was really good to talk to him, but at the end, I was at the verge of tears...anyway...good day at the University of Tennessee!!!

The Long Game

So farewell—to the little good you bear me.

Farewell? a long farewell to all my greatness!

This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hopes, to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely
His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,
And then he falls as I do.

- Henry VIII, Act III, Scene 2

Nothing about games...good grief Shakespeare, you're letting me down...

Me at the WWII Memorial in Amsterdam

So...my trip in a nutshell...doubt it's possible, but here it goes.

So on June 20th I flew from RDU airport to ONT airport in California to join up with the rest of the Global Surge 2 (GS2) team. The rest of the team came on June 21st to the California Baptist University (CBU) all of them were from that area and I was the only one who had to fly in, therefore I had to come a day early. We then spent 3 days training for our trip. With lectures and simulations and games, they taught us about different cultures and how to react when we're in them.

We actually chased the sunrise for a while on our 10 hour flight

So on June 25th, we flew out of LAX airport on a 10 hour flight to London Heathrow where we were supposed to have an hour and a half layover which turned into about a 3 hour layover because our connecting flight was delayed. So when we finally were on our connecting flight we flew for about 2 hours from London Heathrow to Dusseldorf, Germany. Then when we got there we checked into our Hostel and just sort of chilled for a few days.

The building across from the tram station in Dusseldorf

While in Dusseldorf, we went through more training, the field workers gave lectures that were almost like the ones we had at CBU except that they were from the field workers point of view. We also had a night that 4 Christians formed a panel, 2 from Holland and 2 from Germany we were able to ask them questions about being a Christian in a post-Christian society. They told us how hard it was but rewarding for those who they ministered to.

Windmill in Amsterdam

On June 28th, we took 3 trains from Dusseldorf to Amsterdam. One of them we had reserved seats and therefore kinda had our own space for the first leg. But for the other legs, the trains was so crowded that we had to stand for both trips. I've never ridden on a train before (lots of firsts on this trip, first time west of the Mississippi, first time out of the country, first time flying by myself and first time on a train) Then after we got there and checked into our hostel we pretty much had a free day. Then, for the rest of the week we had zones that we walked around and kinda scoped out what kind of people were there and to try to build relationships with them. We did that at different times during the day and we also had some training while we weren't walking our zones. After a week of that, we had a day that we changed Hostels to one across town.

The Muslim woman we had tea with

During that first week in Amsterdam while we were walking around, we saw a woman standing in her window so we went up and talked to her. When we asked her if she spoke English, she said said "nee" which is Dutch for no. We tried to make simple conversation using little Dutch phrases and hand motions. Then she invited us for coffee on the terrace. Through that coffee, we learned that she had 3 sons, 2 granddaughters, one of her son's lived with her, he was a taxi driver, and they were Turkish. I also got to tell this story along with some encouraging words to a Dutch church and it was translated from my English to Dutch. That in and of itself was a surreal experience and I was more nervous talking to them than I would be talking to any other group of people.

This blog is long enough, the rest is to be continued.

Dalek

"Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows."
~Trinculo Tempest, Act II, scene ii

So what? My quotes aren't exactly matching my titles...I wanna see you try to find 16th century quotes to match a 21st century TV show!

Well, it's been a REEEEALLY long time since I've posted anything and part of that reason is...hmm let's see, since my last post I've graduated, gone to college orientation, went to California, then Europe (Germany and Holland), then came back and had knee surgery, went to a friends wedding, and tried to organize my life before I go to college in 3.5 weeks. Really? It's that close already? Wow...it hasn't really hit me yet.

So, I've posted about graduation, a guy toward the beginning tripped and fell flat on his face. College orientation was as it should be, I am signed up for classes and I feel oriented. I'll keep California and Europe to a separate post because I was there for 3 weeks, it's going to be a lot! My meniscus was torn and so the Doctor went in lapriscopscly and cleaned it up my knee still hurts, but I have physical therapy and my stitches get taken out Monday.

Emily Poling is now Emily Rudolph and that is so exciting because she has sought after God and what he has in store for her and He has blessed her with Mike and 3 kids. 1 of the kids is already married which I think is somewhat humorous, the kid being married longer than the parents. I can't wait to see what God has in store for this wonderful family in the future.

College....wow, I am a college student. For those who have known me since I was 5...I made it! I'm sure there were times that you didn't think I would, good grief, there were times that I didn't think that I would...especially this past year. High school is said to be the best time of you life, well whoever said that lied. Yeah, I'm going to miss some of my friends, but we can get together again. I'm so glad that I'm out of that drama-infested school. Looking forward to not having the same classes every day, having more than 5 minutes between classes, having 15 hours of class a week as opposed to 35, and most of all, I'm looking forward to being back in Tennessee. I will miss NC, but I'll be back for holidays and summer and D-Now. But I love the mountains, the football, the orange, and the tradition.

No great sum of wisdom can I share,

Just a hope beyond compare

A hope that you will run

Run long and hard to glorify the One

The One who endured a harsh a painful cross

So that we can count all our gain as loss

Press on toward the finish line

And know his love so divine

World War Three

"All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages."

As You Like It Act 2, scene 7

I've always loved this quote...I see it as a challenge to live our daily lives out like everyone is watching and learning from us. I never liked the idea of everyone watching everything I do...especially being a small town associate pastor's kid...not fun...like living in a fish bowl, and I can't breath underwater (just to let you know).

As I approach my last day of high school...ever...I seem to think that I'm going to miss it...even though I only got to be there for two years, it seems like Wake Forest-Rolesville High School has become a very real part of me that I don't want to lose. They're gutting our school next year and it seems like they're gutting part of me too. Those hall are full of memories, not only for the class of 2009, but all the way back to the class of 1959.

Over the past two years I've gone to public school for the first time in my life, met AWESOME friends that I hope to keep forever, met some jerks, was the center of a few incredibly stupid rumors, gone to actually school play that I was friends with the main characters, not just the chorus members, seen people come and go, and some come back, thought one thing about someone and then found out that I was completely wrong (both good and bad) and been disappointed and lifted up. ( I totally know that was a run on sentence, but who says this has to be grammatically correct?)

I only wish that high school had more of the good times, and not all the drama junk.

When I see all of the friendships that I've made and rekindled in the past two years, I can't help but think that I'm never going to see some of these people again. As I look toward the next stage of my life and take the leap of moving to a different state for college, I see all the people that are staying here. When I wear my Tennessee Orange, I remember those that are wearing Carolina Blue, State Red, App Black and Gold, High Point Black and Purple, Duke Blue (yuck hahaha), Pembroke Yellow (or is it gold?), and Wilmington Teal. How will we look back on this time in our lives? Will we learn from it or ran away, not daring to look back for fear of what we'll see? I hope that it is the former, that we will boldly step out into this world wanting to change and learn from our past. Like in the Lion King...

Adult Simba: I know what I have to do. But going back will mean facing my past. I've been running from it for so long.
[Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his stick]
Adult Simba: Ow! Jeez, what was that for?
Rafiki: It doesn't matter. It's in the past.
[laughs]
Adult Simba: Yeah, but it still hurts.
Rafiki: Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it.
[swings his stick at Simba again who ducks out of the way]
Rafiki: Ha. You See? So what are you going to do?
Adult Simba: First, I'm gonna take your stick.
[Simba snatches Rafiki's stick and throws it and Rafiki runs to grab it]
Rafiki: No, not the stick! Hey, where you going?
Adult Simba: I'm going back!
Rafiki: Good! Go on! Get out of here!
[Rafiki begins laughing and screeching loudly]

As so many life lessons are...Walt Disney has taught us well :) !!!

I wish I had some piece of wisdom to share, but alas, I am not wise...I wish I could impart some knowledge, but still, I know nothing...I wish I could give you joy, but it is you're job to find that...I wish my words could form wings to lift you up...will you allow me to?

Aliens of London

"No; it is not possible you should love the enemy of France, Kate: but, in loving me, you should love the friend of France; for I love France so well that I will not part with a village of it; I will have it all mine: and, Kate, when France is mine and I am yours, then yours is France and you are mine."

- King Henry to Princess Katharine of France (5.2)

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a quote from Shakespeare about aliens??? So then I searched London...no luck. Town...nothing. Finally, village...AHA!!! Victory!!! The above quote...

So much has been going on!!! The reason I haven't posted in a while is because of AP exams coming up...BLAH!!! I will be so glad when they're over!!! Last night was Friday and I felt like I needed to be over at the Sextons for movie night, but alas...no movie night...maybe I'll bring my own movie this Friday...hmmm

I'm going over to hang out with some lifeguard friends tonight, in a few minutes in fact...and we're going to have a breakfast party...YAY!!! I am totally about to check out of school...I have senioritis SO BAD!!! I'm not as motivated to do my homework...but i know I have to...a month and a week until graduation...HA!!! look out world...or at least Knoxville...here it come!!! Armed with a high school deploma!!!

Not very long, I know, and quite boring if I do say so myself, but I'll post longer after May 12th (last day of AP Exams)

The Unquiet Dead

"A walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more."

~William Shakespeare

I know that quote isn't exactly like the title, but whatever.

This weekend was interesting to say the least. It started off by going over to the Sexton's house for a movie night and we watched the Lion King which was cool. Especially because this coming weekend we're watching Narnia!!! Then Lori and I went around flocking people's houses. For those of you who don't know, flocking is when you take some yard flamingoes and put it in someone's yard and they have to pay you to get it removed. I am raising money for a missions trip that i'm going on this summer. I've been doing pretty good so far...but I still have a long way to go.

For lunch, I went to Target and the guy who usually get's us our food wasn't there...sadness...so I asked where he was and she said he was on break. Then there got to be a really long line behind us because the girl who was running the food court area was really slow and so we waited and then...wonder of wonders...Jim came back to help and the line was gone in no time!!! YAY!!!

Also...one of my friends texted me last night at like midnight saying something about some essay that she had to write and so we ended up texting back and forth for a while and it ended in laughter and quoting Fezzik in Princess Bride!!! (One of my Favorite Movies!!!)

~*Serious Note*~

I also found out this morning that the Girl that was killed Sunday and lived in my old neighborhood is the girl that I used to play with when I was little. I knew that I played with a Gabby, and that the Girl's name was Gabby, but I didn't want to believe that it was the same girl. Alicia and I shared the gospel with Gabby when we were little and she prayed to recieve Christ in front of my house one day, I can only hope that she meant it. Please pray for her family and friends through this hard time!!!

The End of the World

"From now until the end of the world, we and it shall be remembered. We few, we Band of Brothers. For he who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother."

- William Shakespeare ("King Henry V")

So yesterday we had a lock down drill at school and I was on my way back to my class and got sent to the main office when I was like 5 steps from my class. It scared me to death!!! But I had a good laugh about it afterwords... :)

Shakespeare is pretty much amazing and so it Doctor Who. I've decided to combine the two and name my blogs after Doctor Who episodes and start everything with a Shakespeare quote that is related to the title. How cool it that??? Anyhoo...

~*Serious Note*~
Today at McDonald's, a girl with Downs Syndrome was in line with her mom in front of me. I think she must have been maybe 4 or 5, she was so cute! She waved at me and so I smiled and waved back, and then I asked her how she was and she said good and then gave me a hug. I couldn't stop smiling! She was so precious! I hope that we all find that joy and happiness so that we can give perfect strangers hug (not the dangerous stranger, of which there are sadly so many in our society, but the ones that need a hug).
~*End of Serious Note*~

To understand me you must understand one very important thing...I have at least 10 things going on in my head at any given time and none of them have any particular relationship to another. Like right now, I'm thinking about Homegroup volleyball tonight, flocking people's yards, my missions trip, college, Earth Science, Calculus, prom, a gansta video that my friend made of me for her AP Bio class and tons of facts about Doctor Who and how GREAT it is...like I said, comepletely random.

I love reading, I'm reading Princess Bride right now for AP English and I love it!!! I love C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and lots of other books. I made a new years resolution to read 2 books every month, but unless you include books of the Bible I haven't really kept to that. But, if you count that I have finished at least two books a month, I guess that would work...I read a lot of books at one time and never really understood why until my mom read an excerpt from a book about Ruth Graham...something like comparing books to pickles, if you read (or eat) just one book (or jar) at one time than you loose your taste for it, she read many books for a variety of moods...I like that idea.

I can't think of anything else to say...hmm...oh welll Peace out!!!