Trust VS. Discouragement

Last Friday, I went to work at Canton, which was way more fun this time, 'cause there was work to be done (lifting furniture). It was also Halloween, and I had no costume besides three dots (I was gonna go as a 3-hole-punched London, like Jim in The Office). But there was a costume contest on The Mountain, so Zach Nickel insisted that I dress up. Never being one to turn down such opportunities, I stuck a feather duster in the back of my pants, drew whiskers on my face, and competed as a cat. Unfortunately, I lost to a hairy cross-dresser.

The next day, I went to the lady across from us and got an airbrush tattoo of "D Andrew" (for David Andrew Nemeth) on my chest.

It was a good birthday present for him, and his party that night was great. We watched Iron Man outside, and Trish, Bri, and I snuggled closely on the couch, for it was chilly outside, but this problem was solved when Mrs. Nemeth brought out hot chocolate for everyone. Incredible. That night, after the party, I came across the problem which I blogged about in my previous post. I was an hour and a half past the deadline for Early Decision to BU. I panicked and freaked out, too.
I went out to eat with Trish, Jordan, Hiro, and Pasha the next day, and Trish was in a more reserved mood, and, with me still being upset from the previous night's occurrences, so was I. This helped us to get along until I left for the Kenya meeting (which was just more fundraiser stuff). I went home after this to prep for small groups (God always tells me a whole bunch during that hour before small groups, so when I get there, I feel like changing what our planned discussion would be, but I have a partner, so that don't work). At small groups, we played human Foosball, which involves rolled-up newspapers. I'll take pictures of these things as soon as I get my camera back (Priscilla left it with a friend FOR WEEKS NOW). After all of this, I finally got to tell God how angry I was, and I let the sun go down on my anger towards Him (never, EVER smart to do) for letting me miss that deadline.

Monday, I was angry all day, and God's favor left me. This showed itself with teachers. Mr. Harber gave me an unofficial detention, so I had to stay in during lunch. This punishment was given because while everyone else was making jokes in class (and joking around was the general mood), I made some little joke, and for some reason, Mr. Harber thinks of me as "the feather that breaks the camel's back". I told Newman about my discouragement and anger at God, and he said that he was frustrated too, what with being medically disqualified from going to the air force academy due to braces. However, I knew all day that the only way to fix this with God was to go and sit with Him, talk to Him a lil', then just listen. I demanded that He show me where He was going with all the discouragement. I fell asleep a lil' during this time, and I don't know whether I was asleep or not when God basically told me (kinda angrily), "How dare you make these demands! You cannot comprehend what I am doing, so just trust in me." It was a good quiet time.

Tuesday, I was totally aiming to go to EMP, but then I definitely didn't. Our prayer meeting was good. Jordan also had discouragement, plus some weariness, so we all prayed over that junk. Also, we're having a retreat in January, 'cause One Voice was so effective that it inspired the administration and the prayer team. So yeah, be looking out for that.

THE ELECTION! I, like everyone on myspace, have to state my political opinion, right? Obama is alright. Not only is he alright, but he's also the man that God put in charge, so he's actually the best possible choice for president at the moment, right? Plus, he represents the small but important minority of half-African Americans whose fathers were born in Kenya. We need more representation! Anyway, I'm glad that my Dreams will come true and that Change will happen everywhere and that I won't have to worry about college, car, or house payments because Obama is gonna fix it all. FIX IT. Oh, and we are all Obamans, citizens of Obamadon, the land of Obamanation. And black people are also Obamans. My political opinions matter!

Wednesday, I had some more discouragement. I only cry three or four times a year, for serious situations (or if I'm with my brothers, 'cause they're gifted in that area). I cried that day. Mr. Harber had assigned homework, and, after working some on the board, he suddenly decided to take it up as a quiz grade. I went to his desk and asked him if he could go over one more problem, 'cause I didn't understand it. He said to the class and I, "Everyone sit down," quite seriously, seemingly expecting immediate results. However, the assignment was still in my notebook, and I had yet to tear it out. So I began to ask him if I could tear it out and turn it in before going to my desk, but I could not complete the sentence before he said, "London, come with me. You're getting a real detention." He told Mrs. Rapacz to write down "Disrespect" for the reason. I cried for two reasons (as a man, I have to justify if I can). Number one: just one detention means that I will have to take my Finals at the end of the year, with no chance to cop out of them. Number two: I was not being disrespectful in the least, and felt that it was an unjust punishment. I could not talk to him afterwards, 'cause the voice of wisdom told me that I would end up being disrespectful to him, and I didn't wanna do that. On the way home, I kept myself from getting mad at God. I didn't wanna do that again.

Thursday, I felt a lil' better, 'cause Mr. Harber was on a sailing vacation in the Virgin Islands for a week, and we had subs. Honestly, I wish Mr. Barlow was our normal Physics teacher. I understood what he talked about. This is a new thing. Mrs. Townsend is always hilarious, and she is gonna be giving us Algebra II refreshers. I talked to my One after school about reading the Bible, 'cause (as I told her), it's God's Words for you. It's almost like cheating to hear from God, 'cause all you have to do is read. Following this, I went to Prototype, which was at Caleb's new apartment (a few apartments over from where Preston used to stay). We talked about our Romans stuff, and he told me about the difference between quiet time, Word time, and prayer time. They aren't all the same thing, apparently. Then I drove over to CFNI and hung out with those college kids, found out that some of them hated me talking about Obama, found out that Trish's TVO had accidentally been turned off so we had no Office, then went home.

Today (being Friday), I went to the computer lab and stole my yearbook pictures so I could have them on my computer, then went to the McBrides' house for a prayer team get-together. Apparently, Michelle is annoyed by me at every second. We don't get to hang out much, so maybe I tend to act extremely casual around her. Anyway, it was a good ol' time, and I went home from there and kicked back and relaxed a lil' bit. I've gotta work on my senior thesis tomorrow, 'cause Mr. Beaumont wants a working outline of it and evidence of research by next week, and I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to show for it.

Small Groups

Once again, it took me a week to blog. Sunday, we had our last media meeting, where we previewed the promos for Small Groups. Here's the one that features me.

It convinced Priscilla to join the media small group. Anyway, that went well. The Williams' grandfather was barely hanging onto life all week, so Michelle wasn't as apt to become cheery when I talked to her. I'm saying that 'cause it took me so long to figure out why.

Monday was a day of discouragement, what with having done too much homework in one class, and forgetting to do a report in another. But Mondays they tend to be, 'cause the devil don't like it when someone works on humbling themselves and God sees fit to stick 'em with a small group, and all of a sudden, the devil sees a threat, and he starts hissing and growlin' up a storm, but a Christ-follower knows that if a snake hisses, God has given him a heel do crush his head with. I've asked around, and I'm pretty sure that God pulled a few strings for me in order for me to help lead a small group. All I remember about that day is that the night that followed was a late one.

Tuesday was similar. But I've noticed a change in my Bible reading. I use one line in my notebook every day, just jotting down what I read, and whatever sticks out to me. But ever since I finished the Old Testament, I've found that the New Testament is full of the goods. You don't have to dig around for some spiritual sustenance. Plus, I've got a small group to pastor, so God has been giving me revelations and teachings to work on for our small group. The only problem is, it takes up a large paragraph of my notebook and 30-45 minutes of my valuable time. Tough? Yeah. But so worth it.

Wednesday, I was late to school due to a stupid printer malfunction. I talked to Renee and some others about their expectations for their small groups. Renee's main concern was converting the old "Black Hole" crowd from being "not bad", to fruitful. It's a bigger step than I had thought. Anyway, that night, I talked to Shayna about our group, then it was time to show our stuff. My Dollar Tree light-up batons were a huge success, and so was my flute action. Also, our picture advertisement was the best. That night, I went home and collapsed while attempting to attempt to do homework, much to the disappointment of Mr. Harber.

Thursday, I came to the realization that Mr. Harber is on a slow downward spiral towards not allowing ANY movement or noise in the classroom. I'm dreading the day when I accidentally drop a pencil. That day, I sat in class, ignoring Mr. Harber for the most part (I like reading out of the book more than listening to him), when, suddenly, Mr. Harber said something that I thought was funny. So I let out a lil' giggle. Nothing much, nothing disrespectful. "London, there's only so much I can-- go to the office and sit at the table until you can calm down a little bit." That's the first time I've been sent out of a classroom. I'm thinking that it might not be the last. All's I know is, if I get a detention in there, I'm gonna go straight to Mrs. Horan and fight it, 'cause it'll probably be for my stomach growling or me thinking too loudly.

Friday, I went to the Texas State Fair with Jordan, Hiro, Pasha's family (Jessica, Joanna, Joseph, and his parents), Alyssa, and the rest of the Woods. It was loads of fun. I lost my voice cheering on the pig races (pig number 3 won 2/3 'cause of our cheering) and then I lost more of it by singing the Russian national anthem, very much impressing Pasha's parents. His parents were rockin'-awesome, talking about fasting on the way home, and how it's putting death into your flesh by not eating, so you're putting your love for God above your love for your flesh. Good stuff. That night, after the fair, I drove all the way to Canton.

I did little jobs for my mom at Canton, bought food for Emmy and kept her company, then went on my way home. But, having left my Bible at Jordan's house, I decided to make a pit stop over there. Unfortunately, I got lost, and then Jordan remembered, just as I was pulling up, that my Bible was in his mom's car, which was with her at work, and she wouldn't be back until midnight. So I decided to spend the night, which was plenty of fun. I learned a lil' more about Japanese culture.

Upgrade today was less great, 'cause some guy from our church talked, but he wasn't a very great public speaker, and I got incredibly bored really fast, but it's a leaders meeting, and you aren't allowed to try to distract your neighbor for fun. I went home after church, called my Small Group guys, and then headed back to the church for a Kenya meeting. A certain Sarah was there, but so was a certain Daniel Lewis. I am feeling more and more that God wants me to go, but I don't really wanna go. After this, I had small groups (spent like twenty minutes getting lost on the way there), which was fantastic. On the downside, there were only three guys. On the plus side, there were like 12 or 13 girls. So we have a big group. And, from what I heard, we had one of the more successful first meetings. Those guys are loads of fun. Anyway, it's almost 2:00 AM, which, of course, is when I find time to make a blog. Blogs away!

The Good Life

I saw a car commercial with a song on it that I really wanted for myself, so I immediately iTunes'd it. "The Good Life" by Tim Myers.

Friday, I went to school, which I was getting good vibes from. The devotional that day was about honesty, and, as it happens, Mr. Beaumont thought it a quaint time to ask people at random whether or not they had read the summer reading in its entirety. Unfortunately, everyone he asked said "no". He didn't ask me. After school, Emmy Nickel and I went down to Canton, where I worked a booth for a lil' bit, then napped till like eleven, then fell asleep again till around noon the next day.
My mom allowed that, since Saturday just so happens to be the only day where I can sleep in. Until five, I just did whatever needed doing, which was moving furniture, for the most part. After Canton, I went to the Lakepoint service where I saw Kollege Katie (college is misspelled on purpose), then went over to the Morises house where we enjoyed watching "When A Stranger Calls", which didn't terrify Michelle until we reround the very end, 'cause we wanted to check something, and she screamed like as to a bloody murder.
Sunday (that's today, mind you), I woke up bright and a few minutes late for church, where I interacted with an amazing thing. An Asian. A Japanese Asian, at that. This wasn't one of those crappy fake Asians you see around, either. His name is Hirokey (Hiro for short, like in Heroes), and he is so incredibly Asian! In the middle of Sunday School, he pulled out something with a screen on it to show Jordan. How stereotypically Asian is that? I was so excited and intimidated, because I know a little bit of how far above average Americans these Asians are. Anyway, the next service was Upgrade with all the leaders and Mickey Inzer (Dr. Inzer's wife), who does counseling at our church, taught for the meeting. From the minute she started asking a few questions, one of my hands was already involuntarily clapping. She talked about deliverance, and how to get to the roots, and the open doors, and a page of my notes was filled up (and I don't even take notes). It was so friggin' good. I went out to WaffleHouse with Cameron, Angella Jensen, and JRush, then switched groups to go to Fridays, from which I proceeded to Angella Musser's house with Trish Key, Nathan Wood, a bunch of others, and, later on John Penry. We watched a movie then went on a really good walk (hours long). We found an unburied tree on our way, and replanted it directly in front of the sign for a middle school nearby. After this, I went home (since Alex and Rackley both seemed unenthusiastic about the idea of me hanging out with them) and talked to my friend from Hollywood, whom I haven't actually seen in maybe seven years. We talked mostly about his spiritual life. He thinks that he's the worst Christian in the world. On another note, he also lives in San Antonio. Personally, I think that that's a sign that we need to take a road trip, and he'll be a stop along the way.