Marvelous Monday

Well Monday all started on Sunday... you know the little B & B.  Baptism and a barbecue.   Mikey and I, all clad in our swim wear were walking down to the lake to go swimming and Mrs. Thom said don't take the boat out for too long, we want to let the girls and others use it.

This comment completely caught us off guard because we have never been on the boat, by ourselves without a Thom present.  So we looked shocked and responded that we were just going to go to the double decker.  So as Mikey and I swam and jumped and played gleefully in the lake we discussed this incident of Mrs. Thom's comment, and so we got the bright idea of asking if we could use the boat Monday, you know... pay for some gas and go out on the lake and crush some ice (the term that wake-boarders use in referencing gong wake-boarding.)

So as Mr. and Mrs. Thom were in the same room i said "what if some responsible young gentleman wanted to use the boat tomorrow and put a little gas in it, would they be able to?"  And long story short of this, they said yes.  So the Monday adventure begins.

Not there there is really too much more to say.

But Mikey, Zach and I met at the Thom's house around 11:00 and rocked out some mad wake-boarding for an entire day of fun.  Later Luke joined us for some amazing times.  All the guys except me wake-skated and wake-boarded.  It is a sad day, i still have yet to actually get up, but i love just being out on the lake, and the second round of trying for me was a great progress i think.  I got up for one brief second and then was pulled forward.  Still a little sad about not being able to wake board, but i am thrilled to just be out on the lake and see those guys crush some ice.  Plus a momentous occasion of using the boat by ourselves happened.

So... what were you doing on Monday?

A little B and B

No, not a little bed and breakfast, but a little Baptism and a Barbecue.  well not really a barbecue, i mean we grilled out and had some chicken alfredo, but the word barbecue not only fits but sounds better. Plus it is a little something i first saw and experienced in Canada.

Well Connor Thom... Scott Thom's younger brother decided to get baptized, and since Connor and his parents now go to North Metro, i got to experience a little of that, and it was unreal.  I loved every second of it.  It was an entire service dedicated to Baptism's, there were 39 Baptisms that day split over two services.

One of the staff members came out on stage and he was basically the MC, haha, of the morning.  It was good and not crazy, he really added to it by starting off and telling about Baptism and why it was done according to back in the day.  People would come to the water, a river or lake, and the community apart of that persons life would gather around the individual and they would be baptized to represent them following their rabbi.  I never knew that until this Sunday, i mean i knew why we baptized people but never knew it wasn't something created by Jesus or really for him.  But i only heard and haven't checked up on it, but it makes complete sense. (click on the word heard and read Mac's blog on September 2, 2008 called He tells me I'm a believer...)

But as the Baptisms got rolling they showed a video that briefly explained how this individual got to this point and why that was going on, people from the congregation who had an impact or dealing or influence with this person being baptized would walk to the front and stand outside the baptismal tub.  Also it didn't matter if you were a guy, or a girl, parent or preacher, you could baptize your own son.  I know that isn't the best description but usually pastors only baptize and it isn't as if a random person is baptizing them, the person baptizing them has had a significant impact in their life... it just doesn't matter about gender or ministry spot.

But the whole service was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes and as it ended the lead pastor said an amazing phrase, "That this service is the best gospel presentation, seeing people following after Christ."  It was something close to that. :)

Well after we came from the church we all went to the Thom's house which is conveniently on lake Altoona and we had the barbecue where we ate tons of good food, had fabulous conversations, played some fun games like DORK Ball, and were able to do a little double decker jumping and boat riding.  It was a grand and fun occasion.

So proud of you Connor Thom.

Friday Fun

Well hello everyone!!! I am back to write... yay, and if you read the blog right before this and even the one a couple before that one you will see that there is many things that have happened and many things to come such as pictures... some of them that will blow your MIND!   I mean one of these things looks like it is strait out of the Chronicles of Narnia, i know... you are getting excited aren't you.  Yes, yes... admit it.

Well here we go, i love the fact that God has called me to ministry but not just in one form or fashion, but in multiple ways from speaking, to leading worship, to traveling 3000 miles away to honestly anything.  I will go where he sends me. Pretty dangerous statement but i mean it with everything in me.  So I love that school has started back up, not only because i get the joy of doing work that i love so much but because FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes - a school-wide Bible study that anyone can attend) has started back up.  This whole month is filled with opportunities to speak and lead worship to glorify God.

This past Friday i went to Lost Mountain Middle School with Andrew Walden, and Mark Henry, the lead teaching pastor at North Metro, spoke.  it is always a fun and rockin time.  Very encouraging.  

Last time i was there Mark Henry said an encouraging word to andrew about me and my hand percussion playing, to the gist of we need him to play sometime for one of our Sunday services.  I was incredibly honored and humbled and so this time around that thought was rekindled by myself and it started to kill my servant spirit.  This attitude of showing off was put in my life.  I prayed against it and simple yet beautiful beats came out.  I say this experience just to mention that my desire is to be more like Christ, humble in everything i do, yet living passionately and fervently to pursue his kingdom with everything i am.  So as i started my morning with a little pride issue, God counteracted that and blessed me. 

Also, along with that, something that i have talked to Jon Messarra about is not caring about who i know or necessarily the supposive  bigness of what i do.  Meaning not worrying about the talent or stars i know, but being a real, down to earth person constantly building relationships.

And so now after i had that eventful Friday morning i honestly forget what happened in the middle of the day but by the end of it, it meant that i was traveling to one of my favorite places to escape to... my friends cabin right off of the Chattahhoche River right below Helen.  It is such an amazing place to go to, to raft down, swim in, discover beauty and hidden waterfalls and rope swings... I love it, it is a surprise every time.

But we loaded up my canoe on my car, and caravanned to the cabin with Justin and his mom and dad in their car and me and my brother Mike in mine.  So we eventually got there and everyone else finally arrived by 2:00 in the morning.  Woo was greeting the last comers kinda a scary story... you will have to ask for the story, but hey, it means we get to talk later so good deal huh?  But as everyone was there and after meeting some of Justin's college friends who were way way nice we hung out for a little but then went to bed.  But all of the "family" not Justin's parents, but all the older friends ended up sleeping in the same room and what a fun fun time.  Full of laughs and good stories.  I loved getting back with the family.

So as we woke up the next day we ended up playing on the river, getting a quick snack and then spent five hours kayaking, tubing, canoeing, swinging, getting bumped and bruised down the river.  It was fun, it was... surreal.   It was just a glorious time with old and new friends.  But as we loaded back up at the take out we went home, had the most amazing barbecue, burgers that were to die for and corn on the cobb, among a few other items.   So as we finished up dinner we had some amazing stories and shared some fun stories that Justin was involved with.  Over all an amazing and incredible weekend.  So as me and mike left late Saturday night, we tied the canoe back on and shot down back to our home. 

On the way back though we made an unplanned stop at the golden arches for a few reasons, one of them being we wanted some chocolate shakes, and so that i could have something to help me stay awake.  hahah... hmmm sneaky sneaky.  Well as Saturday comes to a close, so does this segment of my weekend.  Just a little more to go, tune in later today for a little something something.  Boo Yah!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow will be the day that you get an update of all the cool things going on... today is finished and i am just sooooo tired.  Sorry, there is a lot of things that have happened from:

leading worship at an FCA,

playing in a river,

witnessing the most beautiful baptism service to...

spending an entire Monday on the lake... trying to wake-board but failing... but making some stride! :)  (and yes i meant what i spelt)

Little Bitty Update

Well i have this little bit of information for you avid blog readers... and that is i am going to my friends cabin this weekend, well a bunch of us are really and we are going to have a going away party for him because he is studying abroad in France for architecture for Georgia Tech.

So all that to say besides one post that i may... key word being may, and not the month, put on the blog tonight, you can expect me to be out like a trout and not touch this stupid computer for a little.  I mean i like it but i can't wait to be away for a little with friends. Oh the beauty of relationships.  :)

Out There

If it's to be

That there's just no one for me

I'll try not to cry much

So no one will see

But if it's to be

That there is anyone for me

Our hearts will shine

So everyone will see

I've got some time,

So maybe if you're free

I could use a friend

Just to talk to me

If she's out there somewhere-somewhere

I would give everything to know.

Just to hold and to finally have her,

Take me to sunrise from indigo

Spent most of my life without

Anyone near

Never cared what happened

I never saw clear

But I'm getting older now

And I'm, thinking of my end

And to leave without love

Or without a friend

Well it's getting late

And maybe if I tried

I could find one

Before I die

If she's out there somewhere-somewhere

I would give everything to know.

Just to hold and to finally have her,

Take me to sunrise from indigo

It's not over,

It Im alive

But alone denied

But I'm still standing

It's not over, 

It Im alive

But alone denied

But I'm still standing

If it's to be

That there's just no one for me

I'll try not to cry much

So no one will see

I've got some time

So maybe if you're free

I could use a friend

Just to talk to me

If she's out there somewhere-somewhere

I would give everything to know.

Just to hold and to finally have her,

Take me to sunrise from indigo

If she's out there somewhere-somewhere

I would give everything to know.

Just to hold and to finally have her,

Take me to sunrise from indigo

This song is called... you got it, Out There, by Sister Hazel.  Hmmm this seems a little different then what i was reading yesterday... correct, because it is.  I mean it could be different then what you were reading this morning as well, which ever.

But this song is such a huge representation of where I am in life.  Oh Paul, you will find a wife, yadda yadda yadda.  Yah i am going a little deeper then that.  Right now i am in a place of odd contentment.  I am enjoying this place because i know it is where God has me in this moment of life... but it is weird.  It is not how i think i should feel at this point. (Just to let you know that i just edited during the edit, you all may get the full blog later but now... it isn't the time.)

To add on to this, i love the line in the beginning where it says "that there is anyone for me, our hearts will shine, so everyone will see."  That line is beautiful.  God combining my heart, and my plans with someone else's so that we shine for him in unison.  This song is so good.  Right now i am loving His company and am excited to see where he leads me.  Well my thoughts... they are staying in my mind, i just cant think of what else to put and say... just know that i find this song beautiful and it is partly depicting where i am right now.  

Dawn of a new Blog

Well as i sit here, eyes strained because i no longer have my glasses on my head and with retainer in mouth, i am excited to say that i think there may be a new wind coming.  As you know i gave platelets this morning but not before spending some time with my favorite person ever, you know the big G-O-D!   Well i took an amazing nap which i was woken up by a phone call from my big little sister... you know what i mean. It's not like I am calling her fat, all though she does have a baby on the way (YAY!)  I say that because she is older then me but smaller in stature and such.

Well eventually Luke called and we ended having lunch in a whole new place, The California Pizza Kitchen.  What a heavenly place.  We had a half and half, the Carne Asada and a Buffalo Pizza. It was great all the way from the pizza, to the server which shares the name of probably the coolest little girl cat in town... Shannon (go check out her blog)  Eww how i love Psych.  Any who and the desert which was this banana chocolate moose cake thing.  Oh soo soo good.  Man i wish i had a camera.

Well as we were eating i had mentioned that i had a blog to Luke, not really that i had one per say but that i had written something on it, and he had no idea i had one.  So i told him why i had it and he said that we should start one of our little adventures to restaurants and movies and other fun activities.  Almost like a Monday's Menu (hint hint, kinda where i am stealing this idea from but not entirely because Luke thought of it.)  But we are trying to think of a cool blog name so let us know of some names.  We have an idea or two rolling around but we are not sure. 

Well after that we went to his house and watched A Good Year with the old Crowester in it.  Pretty good, i really enjoyed it actually.  And then i watched the premiere of Prison Break, SOOOO GOOD.  I love Link the Sink.

Then we went to the Tap of Suburban and played Trivia and then i won four doll hairs for "playing my cards right."

Ahh i love how i started out long paced in writing about the events and then quickened it up.  I honestly only planned to caption each event with a few words but you know how that goes.

One last thing, God is teaching me about patience and being content in where he has me.  It is weird though, i like it but... i dont know there is just something strange.  Well peace out and A-Town Down. :)

Tasty Platelets

mmmm mmmm... This morning i woke up at six so i could go give me some platelets. I am pretty sure in a previous blog i posted my reason for going, but quick over-view, to save lives because at the time i couldn't give to save another.

Deep wasn't it?

But so this morning i gave platelets at 7:15 a.m.  For those of you who don't know what those little things are, well they are the shtuff that dreams are made of, because without them flowing with your red blood cells, when you got cut or shanked, and i don't mean the pants pulled down but i use it in the way prison people use it... i feel it is more meaningful.  haha, oh Zoolander.  But for serious, these are the particles that flow within that red stuff that makes your blood clot.  So platelets keep you from bleeding more then you really need to, and today i gave to counts of platelets... yay.

While giving these potentially life saving things i watched No Country For Old Men, i mean i couldn't really here all that they were saying, some parts of it were good, but over all i think the ending was not so great, kinda just happened.  Maybe i will see it another time and like it more, anyone want to join me?  Oh and yes, you get this little bonus of watching T.V. or a movie while giving platelets because the process is quite long.  They stick a needle in your arm which i hate hate hate... then as this big machine sucks out your blood it strains, or separates out your platelets from your blood cells.  Pretty cool, it took an hour and a half of my time this morning, i think a little longer, but who knows.  Sarah the American Red Cross lady who was my... technician... this morning does. Any who so as it separates the platelets from the blood cells it flows all my blood back into my body, minus some platelets.  :)  Oh and the bag that the platelets goes into just looks like it is full of urine.  I know a little graphic, but i thought i would just share this whole experience with you... and so, here are even more pictures!

Wait wait wait, what does this mean, that is right, i have a camera, i took a few pictures of the whole after affect of my little arm at the house. I mean nothing big but i thought it was worth some pictures, plus i think one is very artsy.  And me having this camera and uploading pictures means one more thing... can you guess what it is, find out next one or two or three blogs. :)

(Yay artsy one!)

Oh John

Hancock that is...

(Yay for a picture finally, even if it isn't mine)

So instead of getting wings with Scott and the others i went out to the doll hair theater with Justin and it was a great time.  We saw... you guessed it, Hancock and it was pretty good i say.  I know some of you may be thinking i didn't enjoy it or, ewww ewwww i really enjoyed it.  But as for me, i thought it was pretty good and funny as well. Plus Jason Bateman is fantastic in the movie, and his son, what a cutie.

But forserious the movie was funny and it was great especially for half off Tuesdays at the dollar theater. Boo yah baby 75 centalones.  I know that is more then a dollar but they raised prices awhile back.  Well that is all i have for this blog.  I just wanted to put something up for you kiddies.  Plus i think it is good just to have fun and hang out with friends before they leave for eight months.  So good day my good people. 

Great Memory Day

I am a little sad that i missed out on Chick-Fil-A's offer of wearing a college football team shirt and getting three free chicken strips, but it is all gravy.

I did on the other hand spend an entire day out on the lake which was pretty amazing... and just like in true Paul form there are no pictures to commemorate the occasion.  (But good news out there to all you crazy bloggers that are keeping tabs on me, i will be posting some pictures from this Summer, and they will be amazing)  So today started off with a little bacon and some pancakes.  Oh how i love bacon, it is soooo good, especially when you add a little syrup to it.  Any who it started off very nicely and then we went tubing for a few hours which was unreal.  There is a 4 person tube called Big Mable... and let me tell you what, Mable is one fine lady packed with a bunch of fun.  She is very stable and you can move all up and down and because of her large size, she makes it easy for you to stay on during the many turns that the driver may want to put you through.

Most of the time it was just so painful on the arms holding on so long and as it kinda rubbed your knees, elbows and little toesies raw, but it was well worth the pain it might have caused, especially when you can do a back flip off this thing.  But during some of these mad dashes across the lake i would try and Gladiate Scott Thom off the tub and he would stay on as i flew off into the lake... darn him.  But today was fantastic, just left me with a great lunch, fun day, sloppy finish and a little weird motion deal even as i write all this to you now.  

Well folks, peace out and A-Town Down.