I just had one of the most glorious camping weekends ever and now I am about to pass out from an overdose of sun and hiking and awesomeness and I desperately need a hot shower and a delicious dinner and a nap but I fear if I lie down I will not wake up until the morning and I still need to clean out my pack and so I suppose I will glory in some hot water and then put on a movie to keep me awake while I unpack and make dinner and oh I am so tired but it is the kind of tired where your bones are so stiff and your head is in a daze of weariness but it is all worth it and this is the worst run-on sentence of all time. I should probably not post this and reveal my exhaustion, but why not? Alex and Will and I gloried in the beauty of the LORD at Enchanted Rock and though we’re now back in Houston, those memories are with me still. Seeing the stars blaze bright against the black velvet of the night sky while lying atop the peak…well, I can’t describe it. Sorry, you’ll just have to experience it yourself! God is good, y’all!!

Just because three entries in one day is never a bad thing! Just burning my most recent CD of some of my current fav songs – thought I’d share!! Oh and by the way, I still need a name for the mix. Ideas? I have none.

1. Epicus Furor – Rhapsody
2. Emerald Sword – Rhapsody
3. End of All Hope – Nightwish
4. More Time – Needtobreathe
5. Firefly Theme – Sonny Rhodes
6. Super Honeymoon – Owl City
7. The Chain – Ingrid Michaelson
8. The Scientist – Coldplay
9. Sunburn – Muse
10. Bat Out of Hell – Meatloaf
11. Forward Motion – Relient K
12. Shoulder to the Wheel – Lost Prophets
13. Live your Life – T.I.
14. Factory Girls – Flogging Molly
15. Closing Time – Greenday
16. The Sheep and the Goats – Keith Green
17. Open Your Eyes – Snow Patrol
18. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing – Jars of Clay

And there you go! I wanted a Taylor Swift song(Love Story), but it wouldn’t fit. So she didn’t make the cut. Ah well. Beside that, not a bad mix, if I do say so myself. And now, it is dinner time! The chicken is done, now just to throw in some romaine, parmesan and croutons. Awesomeness.

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and
He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And there
was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He
was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an
alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping,
she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the
hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the
perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said
to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort
of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”
And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And
he replied, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the
other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them
both. So which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said,
“I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have
judged correctly.” Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you
see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet,
but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You
gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss
My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet
with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many,
have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little,
loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”
Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves,
“Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

-Luke 8:36-50

I cannot say anything to add to the beauty of these words. But oh how these words have touched my heart! I ask myself, how much have I been forgiven? And the answer is clear. I have been forgiven…everything. Oh how great is my love for my Saviour!! If only I were in His presence and could kiss His feet. If only I could kneel and hug his feet to myself! Oh I would cry for love! I have sinned much. I have sinned completely. And I have been forgiven much. I have been forgiven completely. Oh the beauty! Oh I could weep!

It’s a beautifully rainy evening here in Houston! The rain has stopped and the thunder has dimmed and now all I can hear is the soothing sound of rain dripping off the trees and it’s absolutely the perfect end to a beautiful day!! And of course, since it’s a Sunday, thought it was a good time for a small update as well! And yes, this entry really will be small. I think. Hold me to it!!

Today was a lovely time at church, talking and worshiping and laughing and loving with everyone at our dear church – I’ve only been here a short while but already I feel like I’ve known everyone a lifetime!! It will be indeed bittersweet when I move off to Scotland(BUT I’m not moving as soon as I had thought. I just found out that I’ll be staying in Houston until September and then going to be in Aberdeen from September to March! Pretty much the worst time of year to be in Scotland. Ah well. It’ll still be epic.)…and the rest of this afternoon was spent relaxing back at my apartment catching up with Florida friends and enjoying the music of the storm. I took a brief nap and then my stomach started reminding me it was dinner time, so here I am. I think tonight would be a good night for a proper chicken caesar salad…mmmm…my mouth is already watering in anticipation. But don’t worry, I’ll finish this entry. Soon.

Yesterday was spent mostly taking my car to the shop – the AC hasn’t been working in a few months. This wasn’t that bad back when it was winter and spring. Now that it’s summer…well, let’s just say driving isn’t that fun. Even with the windows down. I *think* it’s fixed now, but we’ll have to see how it holds up. I drove straight from the car shop(with working AC!) to HEB to pick up picnic supplies, because last night was Claire’s birthday picnic!! Her birthday’s not ’til next week, but we celebrated last night anyway. We went to the park and had such sweet times relaxing over food and drink(I had a yummy sub and also had carrots and chips and deliciously spicy hummus, mmmm…). After dinner at the picnic table, we took a walk around the park – it was such a gorgeous park, too! I wish there was a park of that caliber closer to where I live. Ah well. We walked and talked and eventually ended up at the swing-set, where our dangerous looks and obvious maturity scared away the high school punks that were there. Yeah, what can I say? After fun times swinging and chilling, we went back to Melissa’s house(she just got it, so it didn’t really have a lot of furniture yet and is sort of in the redecorating process…but it was beautiful!) for dessert! There was chocolate mousse and lemon torte and carrot-pineapple cupcakes and I had FAR too much sugar. But it was amazing. And so we(we being Melissa, Claire, me, Adam, Marci, Will, Sara, her sisters…) talked the night away on such random topics as the Redskins being better than the Cowboys(well, Sara disagrees) and Dr. Who(which I suppose I need to watch at some point). Eventually we got kicked out, because church was indeed the next morning. And then I drove the long drive home…some forty-five minutes later I got home. Then read for a while. Then fell asleep.

And as for Friday, while I feel I’m already running far over my planned stopping point, I must mention a bit more! Friday night was a sweet time chilling with the guys(well, me, Alex, Joseph and Will). We hit up Chipotle’s(minus Will, who spent all day deep-sea fishing!) and then afterwards went to Alex’s place and watched District 9. Very intriguing movie. Sort of depressing, but it ended on a better note than I was expecting. And that’s all I shall say about that. Earlier on Friday I was at work…at Bingle for the last time!! Because tomorrow I’m starting at a new facility(BOP Aftermarket, to train for Aberdeen), so on Friday I had to say all my farewells! It was sad indeed…I’ve only been at Bingle for a year(well, and my three-month internship in ’08) but I’ve worked with these people 9 hours a day, five days a week! In those conditions, you get to know a person pretty well, let me tell you. And the Quality team(my department, yeah!) were so amazing to me, giving me farewell breakfast donuts and farewell Pizza Hut lunch(can you tell we like to eat at Bingle??) and pretty much making me feel like I’m the best guy ever. Clearly they don’t know me well enough…but seriously, I feel so thankful to God for giving me this year of working with and loving these people!! Ah, the Lord is good indeed!! I’m gonna miss my coworkers. Is that something everyone can say? I think not. But I will miss them indeed.

And now this entry has gone on far too long. And I have a bit more to say, but that is for another entry. And I’m hungry. Hmm. To eat or to write? That is the question.