The next chapter in life has begun for me. And by "chapter," I think I really mean "suffering-of-a-hell-hole-life."
That sounds a bit sorrowful, but I've left one of the almost perfect summers to go back to school and into so much uncertainty. I really believe that if it weren't for the friends I have here, I would probably most assuredly leave. Yes, probably so. Oh well.
This summer was a great one. I learned so much. Maybe perhaps even too much. I enjoyed it, through and through, but I'm glad it's over. I needed a bit of a break.
I think the biggest thing I will take with me this summer is that I've learned that everybody is a person. Everybody is a human being with needs, stories, lives, and desires. Everyone is a person. I hope I don't take that for granted again.
Alright, I'm leaving my summer home. Maybe another one will come along, I dee kay, but for now I'm going back to http://www.abetterquestion.blogspot.com. Check it with me.
Thank you for coming with me this summer on my journey. Thank you for being such a loyal and great companion. You can take whatever you want from these blogs, but please remember to tell me when it changes your life for the better. I want to know what kind of things God does with you because of something He first started in me. Not as a pride thing, but as a God thing.
Thank you.
I'll see you back home.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Saturday, August 11, 2007
It's been a while
Okay, so it's been 12 days since my last post. Or about that many.
No retreat. We pushed it back a week to this weekend, and then we were only going to have 3 show up and two were going to have to leave half way through, so it got canceled. Can't say I'm glad, but can't say I'm not glad.
Suddenly, I have been filled with the desire to go back to Romania. Some part of me is suddenly longing to return there and I haven't the foggiest gumption of why.
If you'll excuse me, I'll put up more tomorrow night. Right now, I have to go make chocolate pudding in the porcelain mixing bowl of life.
No retreat. We pushed it back a week to this weekend, and then we were only going to have 3 show up and two were going to have to leave half way through, so it got canceled. Can't say I'm glad, but can't say I'm not glad.
Suddenly, I have been filled with the desire to go back to Romania. Some part of me is suddenly longing to return there and I haven't the foggiest gumption of why.
If you'll excuse me, I'll put up more tomorrow night. Right now, I have to go make chocolate pudding in the porcelain mixing bowl of life.
Monday, July 30, 2007
One Week
That used to be my favorite Bare Naked Ladies song. Well, come to think of it, since I really don't care for too much of their stuff aside from the music on that album -- Stunt -- it probably is one of my favorite BNL songs.
But as it applies to my life, I have one week, actually less than one week, to prepare for a youth retreat. I've been holding this idea in my head for a while now, however I didn't get it in gear until about a week ago. Sadly, yes, I was irresponsible and now I have given myself less than one week to prepare for a youth retreat weekend and I don't have good confirmation yet on the whos, whens, wheres, and hows. Yes, I am putting this together last minute, and not proud of it.
I'll probably put up more about the retreat after it's over, but for now I guess I can provide some background of where we've been and where we're headed.
At the beginning of the summer we went real heavy into studying Paul's view of the church as expressed in 1st Corinthians 12. We established that we are the Body of Christ, individually members of it, with Gifts of the Spirit that are to be used in building up the Body. That was my Mr. Potato Head illustration. I thought it was awesome, and I think los jovenes really responded to it well.
After we studied the Body, we moved into Ephesians chapter 4 and learned what the task of the church is. "to do [God's] work and build up the church...that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ...we will no longer be like children...becoming more and more in every way like Christ...so that the whole Body is healthy and growing and full of love." Something to that effect. This was really the springboard for my direction for the rest of summer. This passage was really loud to me for their sake and it was what we used to give us direction for everything we've covered up until now. My only regret is that I didn't discover this sooner and begin moving this way earlier.
On a personal note, this passage also changed my perception of the church. Radically. These verses gave me a perspective of vision and intentionality that I have seen too many churches missing during my short 19 years. It has inspired me to see the church as a Body that is always growing and always learning. It has taught me to see the church as a cell group from the larger Body, sent out into the world to bring others closer to "becoming more and more in every way like Christ." As I tried to digest this I began to understand that I have been given the keys to the Kingdom and I am here not to complete my story, but to complete my mission. And my mission is simple -- "to do [God's] work and build up the church...that [they] will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ...[they] will no longer be like children...becoming more and more in every way like Christ...so that the whole Body is healthy and growing and full of love."
After Ephesians I ran into a brick wall or inspiration and fumbled around trying to figure out what to do for two more weeks before I went to Romania. We covered relationships in two aspects -- intentional relationships of seeking out those who are hurting and speaking to them the Truth of Christ by showing them the Love of Christ; and secondly by learning how to live deeply with one another and treat our friends as if they were ourselves and loving one another always. Both messages carry great sentiment, however their teacher was very clumsy in his presentation and so I don't know how well it was recieved on their end.
After Romania we took a week off and moved into the past two weeks where we embodied everything we learned by looking at 1st Thessalonians 2. We talked about Paul's motivation for going to Thessalonica and what he did while there, and also about what kind of roles he filled in for the Christians of Thessalonica. We turned it around and applied it to every day life when I gave a bit of a testimony of what we did in Romania. I used the examples and words of Paul in his letter to demonstrate how practical and easy it is to love others and to go out on God's command.
This week, we will be dealing with the Kingom of God. I haven't made out my notes yet, but my inspiration comes from Kevin's sermon on the Lord's Prayer: "Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven." We are to be bringing the people of Earth closer to the Kingdom of God. We can't actually bring the Kingdom of God to Earth, I don't believe, but we can bring others closer to it and to a deeper understanding and appreciation of it. That's where we'll be this Wednesday. I hope and aim to teach that we are sent out from the Kingdom on a mission to serve the Kingdom.
The retreat this weekend will be light, as far as teaching goes. I hope to talk about the early Christians in Acts 2:42-47. It'll be more like me delivering a sermon that trying to lead a bible study/discussio time, but I feel lead to do this so I'm hoping it will be well. The retreat will probably last from about 6/7ish Friday evening until mid-afternoon Saturday. Beyond this, I have no clue.
My friends, I hope this to be an excellent time of learning and fellowship.
But as it applies to my life, I have one week, actually less than one week, to prepare for a youth retreat. I've been holding this idea in my head for a while now, however I didn't get it in gear until about a week ago. Sadly, yes, I was irresponsible and now I have given myself less than one week to prepare for a youth retreat weekend and I don't have good confirmation yet on the whos, whens, wheres, and hows. Yes, I am putting this together last minute, and not proud of it.
I'll probably put up more about the retreat after it's over, but for now I guess I can provide some background of where we've been and where we're headed.
At the beginning of the summer we went real heavy into studying Paul's view of the church as expressed in 1st Corinthians 12. We established that we are the Body of Christ, individually members of it, with Gifts of the Spirit that are to be used in building up the Body. That was my Mr. Potato Head illustration. I thought it was awesome, and I think los jovenes really responded to it well.
After we studied the Body, we moved into Ephesians chapter 4 and learned what the task of the church is. "to do [God's] work and build up the church...that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ...we will no longer be like children...becoming more and more in every way like Christ...so that the whole Body is healthy and growing and full of love." Something to that effect. This was really the springboard for my direction for the rest of summer. This passage was really loud to me for their sake and it was what we used to give us direction for everything we've covered up until now. My only regret is that I didn't discover this sooner and begin moving this way earlier.
On a personal note, this passage also changed my perception of the church. Radically. These verses gave me a perspective of vision and intentionality that I have seen too many churches missing during my short 19 years. It has inspired me to see the church as a Body that is always growing and always learning. It has taught me to see the church as a cell group from the larger Body, sent out into the world to bring others closer to "becoming more and more in every way like Christ." As I tried to digest this I began to understand that I have been given the keys to the Kingdom and I am here not to complete my story, but to complete my mission. And my mission is simple -- "to do [God's] work and build up the church...that [they] will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ...[they] will no longer be like children...becoming more and more in every way like Christ...so that the whole Body is healthy and growing and full of love."
After Ephesians I ran into a brick wall or inspiration and fumbled around trying to figure out what to do for two more weeks before I went to Romania. We covered relationships in two aspects -- intentional relationships of seeking out those who are hurting and speaking to them the Truth of Christ by showing them the Love of Christ; and secondly by learning how to live deeply with one another and treat our friends as if they were ourselves and loving one another always. Both messages carry great sentiment, however their teacher was very clumsy in his presentation and so I don't know how well it was recieved on their end.
After Romania we took a week off and moved into the past two weeks where we embodied everything we learned by looking at 1st Thessalonians 2. We talked about Paul's motivation for going to Thessalonica and what he did while there, and also about what kind of roles he filled in for the Christians of Thessalonica. We turned it around and applied it to every day life when I gave a bit of a testimony of what we did in Romania. I used the examples and words of Paul in his letter to demonstrate how practical and easy it is to love others and to go out on God's command.
This week, we will be dealing with the Kingom of God. I haven't made out my notes yet, but my inspiration comes from Kevin's sermon on the Lord's Prayer: "Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven." We are to be bringing the people of Earth closer to the Kingdom of God. We can't actually bring the Kingdom of God to Earth, I don't believe, but we can bring others closer to it and to a deeper understanding and appreciation of it. That's where we'll be this Wednesday. I hope and aim to teach that we are sent out from the Kingdom on a mission to serve the Kingdom.
The retreat this weekend will be light, as far as teaching goes. I hope to talk about the early Christians in Acts 2:42-47. It'll be more like me delivering a sermon that trying to lead a bible study/discussio time, but I feel lead to do this so I'm hoping it will be well. The retreat will probably last from about 6/7ish Friday evening until mid-afternoon Saturday. Beyond this, I have no clue.
My friends, I hope this to be an excellent time of learning and fellowship.
Monday, July 23, 2007
$43.05
Last week was a week of dramatic learning curves.
I had a major break through when it came to preparing for Wednesday Night bible study, then a sudden falling out with my concentration and focus. I was deeply inspired and impassioned to use what God had shown to me, and then I was drained of all creativity and fire.
I finally received payment for work I did long before Romania, only to give it away to afford myself a laptop for school. No word, however, on when I'll be paid from the first fence I did, almost two months ago.
Lunch with Kevin was good, and encouraging. He taught me a lot about ministry that was sitting in front of my very face the whole time I just couldn't see it. We decided that I would procede with planning a retreat for the youth, however no word yet from Anahi, my spanish counterpart this summer, on when and/or where it's going down.
I've also been learning a lot about my faith -- specifically mine -- and where to go from here. I've decided I would like to get a job somewhere as an intern for a church, but I don't know where that could be. I'm open to God's guidance, as I've been learning all summer, but I don't have a clue where that is right now.
I also have no money. That came to me just now as I glanced up at the title line. That's how much money's sitting in my checking account right now. I have two checks in my room -- one for $95 or something and the other for $600. But as I said earlier, I just bought a laptop for school so that big one is gone, and the $95 just about covers what I'll be giving back to Lifepoint and maybe a pair of flip-flops. I need a job. I need money, really, but I'd like a job, or at least some sort of employment.
Okay, I'm out. Sorry if you were expecting something awe-inspiring, but this is more like an update. And I've got some Harry Potter to be finishing.
I had a major break through when it came to preparing for Wednesday Night bible study, then a sudden falling out with my concentration and focus. I was deeply inspired and impassioned to use what God had shown to me, and then I was drained of all creativity and fire.
I finally received payment for work I did long before Romania, only to give it away to afford myself a laptop for school. No word, however, on when I'll be paid from the first fence I did, almost two months ago.
Lunch with Kevin was good, and encouraging. He taught me a lot about ministry that was sitting in front of my very face the whole time I just couldn't see it. We decided that I would procede with planning a retreat for the youth, however no word yet from Anahi, my spanish counterpart this summer, on when and/or where it's going down.
I've also been learning a lot about my faith -- specifically mine -- and where to go from here. I've decided I would like to get a job somewhere as an intern for a church, but I don't know where that could be. I'm open to God's guidance, as I've been learning all summer, but I don't have a clue where that is right now.
I also have no money. That came to me just now as I glanced up at the title line. That's how much money's sitting in my checking account right now. I have two checks in my room -- one for $95 or something and the other for $600. But as I said earlier, I just bought a laptop for school so that big one is gone, and the $95 just about covers what I'll be giving back to Lifepoint and maybe a pair of flip-flops. I need a job. I need money, really, but I'd like a job, or at least some sort of employment.
Okay, I'm out. Sorry if you were expecting something awe-inspiring, but this is more like an update. And I've got some Harry Potter to be finishing.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
A bigger bite...
So, here's a brief rundown of the trip.
SATURDAY, JUNE 30TH
Meet at Lifepoint building at Noon for a commissioning service
Leave to go to DFW
Flight to leave at 4, but didn't take off until after 6
Touchdown in Houston at IAH around 7:30
Leave Houston for CDG, Paris, France at 9:55 CST
Fly for 8 hours
SUNDAY, JULY 1ST
Land in Paris at CDG somewhere around Noon local time, I think
Take off a few hours later for OTP in Bucharest, Romania
Land at OTP in Bucharest in the evening, I think maybe somewhere in the 6 o'clock hour
Wait and Wait and Wait to find all our luggage
Leave the airport around 9ish, local time, and go to Soterius Tataru's house, pastor of AlfaOmega
Sit and talk and eat at the Tataru residence for HOURS; meet the Ungureanu family
MONDAY, JULY 2ND
Go to bed at 2 in the morning
11 AM, wake up and repack my stuff, eat breakfast
1 PM, leave to go to Camp Eli in Ojasca
3 PM (approx), wake up, travel the remaining 20 minutes to Camp Eli; get to the camp grounds; move in to my room
Around 8PM eat supper and prepare for worship at 9
Worship at 9, broken into our teams for the week, choose our team colors
TUESDAY, JULY3RD - SATURDAY, JULY 7TH
Midnight soccer up at the arena -- this was especially fun for me because I got to play and show them American style soccer
Go to bed around 2 or 3
10 AM, wake up, eat breakfast
11 AM, small groups
2 PM, lunch
3 PM (Tuesday only), 4:30 PM (Wednesday through Saturday) was recreation time and then free time until supper, at 7
7 PM, supper
9 PM, Worship
11PM/Midnight, Rec finals at the arena
SUNDAY, JULY 8TH
10 AM, breakfast
Noon, Worship, I'm pretty sure that was the time
2 PM, lunch
4 PM, load up the bus and go home
6ish PM-9PM, wander the streets of Bucharest trying to get everyone home
Somewhere after that I lost track of a distinct schedule, but we eventually went to this eating place in downtown Bucharest very similar to a Freebirds of Chipotle, except not as good as Freebirds
Sometime after that we all ended up at our respective host homes and crashed at our various times. For me, it was about 2 AM, Monday morning.
MONDAY, JULY 9TH
9:30 AM, wake up and eat breakfast
11 AM, go back to sleep
11:45, woken by Daria and Iulia, apparently it's time to go, so I get dressed and ready to go
About Noon:30 or something we catch a subway from one part of Bucharest to another and begin our trek all over Bucharest for that day. We visited some park that had replicas of different houses from different parts and eras of the Romanian country's history. Then we went to the palace and took a tour of that and then we ate lunch at a KFC, and then toured a mall.
After that we went to a cemetary of the heroes who lead the revolution against the communist regime 18 years ago, this Christmas. That was an experience I don't want to forget.
After that, we took a bus back to the other side of town, and went to the other mall in Bucharest and ate some dinner. I had McDonald's. In Romania. It was good.
Left the food court, went outside, and took lots of pictures with Cristi and Simona and exchanged emails with them. That was a fun time.
Back to Soterius' house to pack my stuff.
TUESDAY, JULY 10TH
Pack my junk, don't go to bed, stay up until 4 in the morning when the taxi arrives, pick up Courtney and her mother, and take a the taxi ride from hell on wheels to the airport.
6 AM, fly to CDG, Paris.
9 AM or 10 AM or something way too early, go through international customs and board our flight to Houston
Spend the next 10 and a half hours flying over Iceland, Greenland, Canada, and down the Mississippi River and then over Texas down to Houston
In Houston, I was detained by Homeland Secuirty because evidently I'm a terrorist. Not really, they were just looking for a guy with the same last name as mine, Payne, and they wanted to see if it was me or not.
Fly home to Dallas around 5 PM, get picked up by my dad, and go home.
Obviously, I lost quite a bit of my steam in the middle of writing this, but if you hung on to here, thanks. I'll put up something(s) with a little more content and meat later, but this is what I can do now. I will say that it was an extraordinary trip, and that I learned more than I ever thought possible. I will be eternally grateful to God for allowing me this experience.
1 Thessalonians 2:8
SATURDAY, JUNE 30TH
Meet at Lifepoint building at Noon for a commissioning service
Leave to go to DFW
Flight to leave at 4, but didn't take off until after 6
Touchdown in Houston at IAH around 7:30
Leave Houston for CDG, Paris, France at 9:55 CST
Fly for 8 hours
SUNDAY, JULY 1ST
Land in Paris at CDG somewhere around Noon local time, I think
Take off a few hours later for OTP in Bucharest, Romania
Land at OTP in Bucharest in the evening, I think maybe somewhere in the 6 o'clock hour
Wait and Wait and Wait to find all our luggage
Leave the airport around 9ish, local time, and go to Soterius Tataru's house, pastor of AlfaOmega
Sit and talk and eat at the Tataru residence for HOURS; meet the Ungureanu family
MONDAY, JULY 2ND
Go to bed at 2 in the morning
11 AM, wake up and repack my stuff, eat breakfast
1 PM, leave to go to Camp Eli in Ojasca
3 PM (approx), wake up, travel the remaining 20 minutes to Camp Eli; get to the camp grounds; move in to my room
Around 8PM eat supper and prepare for worship at 9
Worship at 9, broken into our teams for the week, choose our team colors
TUESDAY, JULY3RD - SATURDAY, JULY 7TH
Midnight soccer up at the arena -- this was especially fun for me because I got to play and show them American style soccer
Go to bed around 2 or 3
10 AM, wake up, eat breakfast
11 AM, small groups
2 PM, lunch
3 PM (Tuesday only), 4:30 PM (Wednesday through Saturday) was recreation time and then free time until supper, at 7
7 PM, supper
9 PM, Worship
11PM/Midnight, Rec finals at the arena
SUNDAY, JULY 8TH
10 AM, breakfast
Noon, Worship, I'm pretty sure that was the time
2 PM, lunch
4 PM, load up the bus and go home
6ish PM-9PM, wander the streets of Bucharest trying to get everyone home
Somewhere after that I lost track of a distinct schedule, but we eventually went to this eating place in downtown Bucharest very similar to a Freebirds of Chipotle, except not as good as Freebirds
Sometime after that we all ended up at our respective host homes and crashed at our various times. For me, it was about 2 AM, Monday morning.
MONDAY, JULY 9TH
9:30 AM, wake up and eat breakfast
11 AM, go back to sleep
11:45, woken by Daria and Iulia, apparently it's time to go, so I get dressed and ready to go
About Noon:30 or something we catch a subway from one part of Bucharest to another and begin our trek all over Bucharest for that day. We visited some park that had replicas of different houses from different parts and eras of the Romanian country's history. Then we went to the palace and took a tour of that and then we ate lunch at a KFC, and then toured a mall.
After that we went to a cemetary of the heroes who lead the revolution against the communist regime 18 years ago, this Christmas. That was an experience I don't want to forget.
After that, we took a bus back to the other side of town, and went to the other mall in Bucharest and ate some dinner. I had McDonald's. In Romania. It was good.
Left the food court, went outside, and took lots of pictures with Cristi and Simona and exchanged emails with them. That was a fun time.
Back to Soterius' house to pack my stuff.
TUESDAY, JULY 10TH
Pack my junk, don't go to bed, stay up until 4 in the morning when the taxi arrives, pick up Courtney and her mother, and take a the taxi ride from hell on wheels to the airport.
6 AM, fly to CDG, Paris.
9 AM or 10 AM or something way too early, go through international customs and board our flight to Houston
Spend the next 10 and a half hours flying over Iceland, Greenland, Canada, and down the Mississippi River and then over Texas down to Houston
In Houston, I was detained by Homeland Secuirty because evidently I'm a terrorist. Not really, they were just looking for a guy with the same last name as mine, Payne, and they wanted to see if it was me or not.
Fly home to Dallas around 5 PM, get picked up by my dad, and go home.
Obviously, I lost quite a bit of my steam in the middle of writing this, but if you hung on to here, thanks. I'll put up something(s) with a little more content and meat later, but this is what I can do now. I will say that it was an extraordinary trip, and that I learned more than I ever thought possible. I will be eternally grateful to God for allowing me this experience.
1 Thessalonians 2:8
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Romania, she's speaking to me
I think one of the most profound, or at least one of my most favorite, things I learned/discovered/realized/understood while away is that we're all in this together. We're all in this together.
America. Romania. Paris. Call me a communist, call me a heretic, call me a whatever, but we're all in this together. If we could learn to listen to and learn from each other, I think the world would be a much a better place.
America. Romania. Paris. Call me a communist, call me a heretic, call me a whatever, but we're all in this together. If we could learn to listen to and learn from each other, I think the world would be a much a better place.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Good Morning
I am going to Romania in a few short hours.
I hope to see all of you when I get back.
Wednesday Night was one part awesome, many parts fun, and too many parts frustrating. We talked about friends. That was goodness.
Kevin and I also talked about church yesterday. I'm beginning to become more RCC than I ever thought possible. I think it may have to do with the fact that I'm growing up missional in a world that's still fighting to hang on to what it's known and done for so many years.
I've got to go. I hope to have a good long conversation with somebody on the plane, or else Hayden Panetierre or somebody else freaking hott better be on the plane too because I'm not sure how I"m going to survive 13 hours on a plane.
Love you guys
I hope to see all of you when I get back.
Wednesday Night was one part awesome, many parts fun, and too many parts frustrating. We talked about friends. That was goodness.
Kevin and I also talked about church yesterday. I'm beginning to become more RCC than I ever thought possible. I think it may have to do with the fact that I'm growing up missional in a world that's still fighting to hang on to what it's known and done for so many years.
I've got to go. I hope to have a good long conversation with somebody on the plane, or else Hayden Panetierre or somebody else freaking hott better be on the plane too because I'm not sure how I"m going to survive 13 hours on a plane.
Love you guys
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