Not going to lie, I really want to hang out with my family right now too.
And go camping/backpacking/hiking, or something outdoor related.

It is getting cold in the Chicagoland area. And by cold, i mean that the past few weeks have been as cold as a Texas winter, and we still have SO far to go. (its been on average in the low 30's everyday)

I finally bought some gloves. I was told that if I don't have any my fingers may fall off. Wouldn't want that happening. I think I'm buying a scarf after work today.

I get excited, in a sense, buying things for winter, since I never got to have them before. But, at the same time, I'm getting a bit anxious. When I first mentioned wanting to come to Chicago to my mom, who is from the area I live in now, she told me, "Oh, you'll love the snow...for the first two days, then you'll hate it the rest of the year".

We'll see. I really want to have a snowball fight. Maybe go sledding. Maybe build a snowman. So, I think I'll get each of these done in the first 2 days while I still enjoy it.

Ice Skating.

Last night I joined a few friends to go ice skating for one of their birthdays. When I got my skates, the guy asked, "Hockey, or figure skating?" I said to the guy, "come on, hockey of course, it makes me sound cooler". And it did.

Now, in texas we dont do much ice skating, if any, but having once or twice skated at Fiesta Texas when they had their rink, I figured I may be able to hold my own. Much to my surpsise, I wasn't all too terrible. In fact, I wasn't the worst person there at all. The only time I fell was when I was trying to skate backwards to show off to my friend jeremiah. I owe my ability to hold my own on the ice to a few movies I used to love to watch when I was younger:

1.The Cutting Edge: this movie is about an olympic hockey player that crosses paths with, and, if I remember right, eventually falls for a figure skater. Through a series of events he winds up picking up figure skating, and is not all that bad at it. Its one of those movies that makes you say, "move over scott hamilton, I'm on my way to the big times!"
2. Mighty Ducks 1, 2, 3: This movie, along with Home Alone, we my movies to watch when I stayed home sick. Or, when I "stayed home sick". My mom and I used to watch these all the time, though, she would always fall asleep during them. Anyway, I guess after watching these movies so much, I somehow figured out how to skate like them. One of the guys on the team in 2 and 3 was incredible fast, but didn't know how to stop. Through him trying to learn, I think I leanred, because I could hockey-stop like a machine (sort of).

This made me remember something from my childhood that I rarely, if ever, have shared with people. My sister and I, after watching the Cutting Edge, decided it'd be cool if, with our roller blades, we made up our own "figure ksating routine," and so we did in our garage. We were kind of cool. If was a quick routine, but it was a good one. And, for when I had my friends over, I had a hockey stick that my dad made me. He got the blade part at a sporting goods store, and made the handle himself. Nothing special, just a piece of wood, but I tell you, I loved that stick. With it, I used to shoot hard shots through a goal made of coffee cans. Dang, childhood memories. I like 'em.

Ice skating. Not too bad. I may have to do it again.

Phos Hilaron

The Phos Hilaron, known in Engish as 'Hail Gladdening Light,' is the earliest recorded Christian Hymn, having been written in the 3rd or 4th century AD. This hymn is also known as the 'Candle-Light-Hymn,' because at that time in Jerusalem a candle was kept perpetually burning in the empty tomb of Christ, its glow a symbol of the living light of Jesus. As Christians gathered to worship the hymn was sung and, in a tradition known as the lighting of the lamps, the candle was brought forth from the tomb, its bright, solitary flame calling the church to celebrate ther risen Lord.

The Hymn:

Hail, gladdening Light, of His pure glory poured
Who is the immortal Father, heavenly, blessed,
Holiest of Holies- Jesus Christ our Lord!

Now we are come to the sun's hour of rest;
The lights of evening round us shine;
We hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Divine!

Worthiest art thou at all times to be sung
With undefiled tongue,
Son of our God, giver of ilfe, alone:
Therefore in all the world thy glories, Lord, thy own.
Amen.

The movie Into The WIld, that has been out for a few weeks is quality stuff. I just wanted to share a quote from it right now, but will post a longer moral-of-the-story review later.

"Happiness is only real when shared with others."

Take that to the bank.

a couple little updates for you all...

last week one of my students and i went to a skatepark after house group to hang out some. (the one i wrote about in a recent post). He brought his skateboard, i brought my bike, and we just hung out a bit. Now, I have ridden my bike all too much since my knee surgery, but i told him if he wanted to go hang out, i'd be down. well, there was a little kid there, also on a bmx. and after just riding around a bit, i remembered that every time i see someone else on a bike that I kind of want to talk to them, you know, since we have bikes in common and all. so I went up to the kid, said hello, asked him how long hes been riding and such. we talked, and he told me he thought i was good. it made my week. no joke.

now, more important things...

I found out last week that I was placed on the team that will be taking students to the Domincan Republic during spring break this coming march. I am super excited about this opportunity, and I think it will be an amazing opportunity to grow and experience God not only for the students we are taking, but for myself as well. I dont know really any of the details yet other than cost and that we will be there for 8 days, but I will post more as soon as I know.

Also, Student Impact's vision verse for this year is James 1:27, about true religion being about serving widows and orphans in their distress. With that we are going to have many different opportunities throughout the year for students and leaders to live our this verse by serving widows and orphans.

One of the ways we are doing this: Student Impact is teaming up with a school in Samfya, Zambia. The high school that we are directly working with has about 1000 students enrolled, none of which have textbooks. Now, without textbooks the students do not have opportunities to study and to learn outside of the notes that they take in class. This is a major hinderance to their future, because without having a good education they are unable to find decent jobs. Well, we want to take action and change that.

So, rather than going ONLY on a serving trip there (which is also happening over spring break), we are taking action to get textbooks into each of these students hands. We have learned that for only $25 / student, we are able to put enough textbooks in their hands tol cover their entire 3 years in high school. (for those of you that have been in college, or have had to replace a lost textbook in grade school, you know that $25 doesnt even cover the cost of a half of a book in America). So, with this information, Student Impact is seeking to raise $25,000 dollars by the end of the year to purchase textbooks for each of the students, and enable them to learn, grow, and have the opportunity at a successful future.

We cast this vision at our service this past weekend, and by the time we cast if, the staff alone had already pooled together a little over $4000 dollars, which is enough to cover about 165 of the students out of the 1000.

Fall is in full effect here. leave changing, and falling all over streets and yards. I've never seen a fall like this, and I must say I like it.

Thats all I've got for right now. Hope all is well with my friends and family reading this.