I'm about to have me some fun

It is far too cold for the last day of April. There's no I should have a runny nose a week before school gets out. Yet, here I am. Slightly runny nose. Trying as hard as I can to motivate myself to study for finals. At this point I'm relying on incentives, "Damien, you can write a blog entry if you will study for 3 more hours afterwards." Hopefully it'll work

This time of the year is also notorious for massive amounts of reflection, evaluation, and nostalgia. Friday night I went to the CCF end of the year banquet. Basically a 6-hour marathon of seniors and interns sharing how much they love all things CCF. So amidst the speeches, I had plenty of time to review my own year. I'd say it's been a good year overall. Things I'd like to change next year or over the summer: be more positive (from encouraging to brainstorming to anything), be more assertive (in relationships, in leadership), be more challenging (ask the hard questions, hold people accountable). These are the main three things that have continually resurfaced in my head over the past week. I think they're all attainable to a certain degree.

Summer is going to be an interesting time. For those of you who don't know I'll be working as an engineering intern in SC. Podunk, SC that is. I don't know who I'll spend my time with. I don't know where I'll go to church. I don't really even know what I'll be doing at work. I'm going to miss All Souls Fellowship. Shane is just starting a series on the ten commandments. He's coming at it from the standpoint that the ten commandments are a way of defining the extent of the Christian life. He gave a good analogy of kids at a playground who feel much more safe and free when the playground area is enclosed by a fence. Not a limit upon their fun but a means to let them to enjoy the playground without fear. I'm curious to see where he'll go from here.

Finals don't look too bad. One each day but Wednesday. Just got to keep chuggin'. Almost there. Finish line in sight. And so on that note I bid you all farewell. Well, after a few pictures.

Went to the annual Covenant Braves game last night. Total dumb luck that some of my favorite people decided to attend. Here are just a few of them.

Today was the last day of the semester at All Souls with the whole crowd.

stuck in reverse...

Phew! So it's been a good and crazy last, oh, 2 and a half weeks. I was so determined to blog 3 or more times each months, but considering my stats for the month of March are at a grand total of 2 I might want to reconsider. Fortunately, my lack of blogging has had the side effect of a renewed effort in calling and emailing people. Not nearly as many people as I would like but baby steps are always good.

Highlights of the last little stretch: Big Boi and Cake concert with sister, random phone calls and letters from friends, Spring retreat with CCF. Things have generally been going well. One of the really nice touches is that since coming back from Spring break I've been quite unmotivated, but school has been undemanding. I love when those two things coincide for usually the opposite is true.

Accountability group has kind of taken a shot in the foot. Three guys are in the group. Both of the other guys have different ideas of what accountability means, and I'm somewhere in the middle trying to make peace. It's not a battle or anything. Just neither of them is super interested in meeting now considering that they don't think they're getting anything out of it. Well, poo on that. The group may just end up dieing for the semester. We'll see. Maybe I can work some magic. Good Christian magic.

CCF is good as well. They had this huge deal called Mission Maasai trying to raise money for the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania who are suffering from a big drought. CCF threw a big, free benefit dinner and concert this past Monday night. They've also had assorted other means of raising money. I just was not into the whole thing. I mean, I'm all for raising money for needy people. It just seems that CCF always goes about things in such a backwards way. They can get so focused on all things new and bright and revolutionary that they lose sight of good things already established. Nevertheless, it's good to see the ministry focused on the world outside of the U.S. that does not have anything to do with Globalscope.

Alright, I see soapboxes popping up around me so I'll stop. I'll leave you with a picture. Bah, it's not working. Goodnight!