Random, but good stuff!

I know it's been a long time since I posted, but I haven't been able to sit in front of a computer very long to just do nothing. The semester is already off to a fun, but fast start. Here are some topics I want to cover in this post... Worship, Taking time to smell the roses and my most recent injury.

First of all, worship. Over the past two years, I have really gotten into worship. Worship at church, chapel, in my room, in the car, wherever. The majority of it all has been from the beginning of this past summer till present. I've never felt such strongs feelings about worship ever before. I see as something much different than I used to. There is a song by the Newsboys that really gets me going every time. It's called "He Reigns." Here is an excerpt from the lyrics:

It's the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
It's the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Aisan believers
Filled with God's holy fire
It's every tribe, every tongue, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir
...
When all God's children sing out
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
All God's people singing...

I love the lyrics and I love the song. I hope you get to hear it sometime.

I also want to share one my greatest moments worshipping with you. I didn't want to say anything for seeming like I'm boasting, but I feel that it may help someone draw closer to God as well.

Anyway, it was a Saturday night service at Church on The Move sometime this summer. It was just Jenni and I and we were in the big church, around 8,000 - 10,000 people. We sang, had the sermon and the pastor, Willie George, asked the musicians if we could play a song again one last time before we left. I honestly don't remember what song it is but I would if I heard it. Anyway, the band started to play... I started to feel something in my stomach. A stirring inside of me was like, "You have to stand up, you have to stand up and stretch your arms to God." Everyone was sitting down, I think we were just supposed to sit there and enjoy it. I was sitting there and just waiting for the exact right moment, I knew the song was building and as the chords and notes built to the climax, I was just waiting for the deluge to come. As soon as the climax hit, I jumped out of my chair, and threw my hands into the air as far as I could stretch. I was on my tip toes just reaching for God. In my head, I saw one person in the biggest church I've ever been in, standing when everyone else was sitting. That person was me. It felt so exilerating! I didn't do it just to be the only person standing, but I did it for me and for God. After the song played about twice, they asked everyone to stand as we closed. I can't even begin to explain the feeling though. I felt so vulnerable, but sometimes, you have to feel like that. Put your trust back in God. Who cares if people are watching. You just have to let it all go and see what happens.

Ok, moving on... This part is the "taking time to smell the roses and my most injury." They are tied into each other.

On Thursday, I went biking with the guys. That means Cassidy, Nick, and Sean. It's a really nice day weather wise and there is no one on the trails. They all start to go a little faster, so I speed up. I now don't think anyone else went faster though. So I was going kinda fast, I missed the line I thought I was on, hit a rock or something and fell off. It was a pretty graceful fall though so it was ok. That time, I just got some thorns in the arm. A pretty normal injury for me.

So I keep going, truckin' on, now trying to regain the pride I left dripping from a thorn bush and wham! Down I go again! This time, it's a full blown endo. Left elbow, bruised and cut. It's a nice raspberry now. So I fell twice... who doesn't fall now and then... I'm starting to think that this mountain (Turkey Mountain, more of a hill but Turkey Hill must have been copyrighted...) does not want me on it today. I give a quick prayer to my guardian angels just to make sure they are on their toes and I clip back in... ready to make a comeback!

So we bike another mile or so, through some tough rock gardens and we make it to the top of "Lip Buster." No, I did not name that hill that. That's its official name. So I'm like, hey, I'll rush down and when I get to the bottom, I'll take pictures of you guys! Great idea! I take off, probably faster than I have before, and things feel weird from the start. I'm in the wrong line, but I can't seem to get out of it. Next thing I know, my leg is all cut up and the area behind my knee is skinned like road rash! So I get up, finish the descent and blow my whistle, signalling for the other guys. They finish and we meet back and the lot.

My leg is hurting now, I get a better look at myself and I notice that I almost probably met Jesus. But all is well, it's not my time. So I get back to the room, limping in agony from the raw skin touching clothes every time my leg bends or tendon tightens. The shower was brutal. I haven't felt pain like that in a long time! Really, I can't remember the last time I felt pain like that. So I get cleaned up and hop in bed, trying not to move. I'll go to the nurse in the morning. I kept waking up in the middle of the night because it was hurting and so was every other part of my body.

I got up on Friday, went to the nurse, but some Bacitracin (I think it's just triple antibiotic) and gauze on, wrapped it in ace bandage and I was hobbling off to chapel. It hurt so bad on Friday I had to walk so slow! I stretched it out (with much pain involved) so I could ride today at class.

Today was a good ride. No new injuries, well, major ones anyway. But I did kind of jam my left thumb. Well see how that goes.

Anyway, walking around slow all day Friday really made me take in the scenery. I know that there isn't much at ORU in the way of trees and stuff but there is enough. I realized that God made all of this. He made people. I got to watch people doing their thing. Some are in a hurry, some slow, some just clueless.

I just recommend you guys to take some time and literally slow down so you can get a different view of life. Things will look different and it's very interesting. Hopefully it doesn't take a fall like that to make you do it though!

Take care! Ride hard!