Change, Prayer, and Thank You

Time has been dragging its feet for a while now, and then all of a sudden it has seemed to shift into warp speed. This is to me a welcome change as I was getting very anxious to move on to Mexico. I know that the change won't be real to me until I'm in Mexico, but I'm okay with that. The only problem with this is that right now, everything feels very weird and in limbo. Oh well.

To catch everyone up to speed on my preparations, I am mostly ready to leave for Mexico. I have some minor details to take care of and only 1 major. I am still growing my support team and I have almost reached my goal! I need about $1,100 per month and am at about $950. Praise God! He is faithful and He is meeting my needs. Thank you to everyone who has committed to go with me to Mexico in this way. Moreover, thank you to everyone who has committed to pray for me. I most certainly need prayer and encouragement as I go. In fact, I have decided to list just a couple of prayer requests so that I may start the habit of asking you, my supporters, for help.

I need a truck to be given (or bought) for the ministry. There are 3 reasons why I need this truck: [1] I have a lot of stuff to take with me as I move to Mexico, [2] I will need a way to get around from place to place in Oaxaca as the region is very rural, and [3] there is a possibility that I could be denied a 6 month visa if I fly rather than drive to Mexico. The nature of the truck I need is rather specific, so if you are curious as to those specifications, please email me.

That a new community be prepared for me to integrate into at Roca Blanca. I am a very social person and I know that I need a community to support me, keep me accountable, and encourage me as I transition from stateside to south of the border. I know that God would not have called me to Oaxaca if He didn't have this ready for me, so pray that this transition goes smoothly.

Well, that's it for now. Please know that all of you are so dear to me and I will miss you terribly when I'm gone. I have gone so deep with so many in NWA, and it has been a blessing.

On a final and random note, First Security Bank was "signed" again this morning. This is getting ridiculous....

Really?

I like college football a lot. It is one of my favorite things to watch in the world, but I have never liked it so much because of the refs before. This is just amazing to watch.

Life Wisdom

"Never take relationship advice from a single guy that wears mostly t-shirts with the sleeves cut off."

-Rosco P. Coltrane

A Good Party

So Justin and I decided to interview ourselves at my goodbye party. For all of you that came, thank you so much! It really meant a lot to me that there were so many loved ones there! Anyway, there's nothing spectacular about this next clip except Brett and Justin fighting....haha! Enjoy.

Party?

For those of you who have not yet noticed the countdown timer on the upper right portion of my blog, have not talked to me in the last six months, or are just ignoring me; I have news for you. I am moving to Mexico! In order to celebrate/mourn (but more celebrating for sure), there will be a fiesta to mark this occasion. You can get the details from the evite, but know that if you didn't get the formal invitation you are still obligated to come! Seriously though, I want there to be anyone and everyone there that I know. By virtue of reading this post you are invited! Come ready to be hugged by me and ready to party into the night. Oh, and if you're worried that this party will in any way conflict with the Hamrick wedding, don't be. There will be plenty of time to go home, change, and get to my party. See you then!

I Thought I Had the Day Off

Today is technically a federal holiday and so I thought I was going to have the day off. Well, little did I know that some incredibly bitter person staged operation mayhem against FSB early this morning! I'm not exaggerating when I say that there were about a hundred professionally printed signs hung from overpasses, tied to light posts, and pasted on other random things that were slandering the bank! So Shelli and I took a roadtrip to undo the horrific sign placement. Thankfully it only took an hourish out of my day. Here are some pics of the recovery operation: sad faces.

Ferocity

I suppose the reason I feel compelled to write about ferocity is because not only do I feel it is a vital element missing from American society as a whole, but in my life as well. In the interest of disclosure, I am just dealing with sin in my life and wondering how I got to the point where mediocrity was acceptable to me. Maybe that's how I've always been but I never realized it. I don't think so though. I seem to be able to recall a time when I wouldn't accept anything less than my best, and settling was abhorrent. Anyway, the whole point for me is that I want to capture (or re-capture) the ferocity involved in plucking my eye out, tossing away my right hand, and killing my pride. Humiliation and ferocity. Those are two things I would never pair together on my own. Interesting how well they work together.

On a lighter note, I CANNOT wait to see Mute Math tonight in Tulsa. 2 reasons here: {1} The Cain's Ballroom is my favorite indoor venue in the universe and {2} Mute Math is spectacular live. This will mark my 4th time to see the guys rip it up onstage and the 2nd time at Cain's. Then it's off to spend the night with the padres and wake up to breakfast and lunch with supporters. Life is good. Oh, and I have Monday off. Yeah banks! So watch out three day weekend, here I come!

Me and My Wonky Eye

I have been getting headaches and what-not at work lately after reading for more than 15 minutes so I went to the optometrist this weekend. Sure enough, the strain I was feeling was due to my football-shaped left eye. I'm new to this whole corrective vision thing, but so far I don't like it. It gives me headaches, it's expensive, and when I went to LensCrafters to get some glasses they told me they had to order my lenses. So now I wait.

I know, I know: "Stuart, why didn't you just get a cheap pair of reading glasses from Walgreens?" Well, since one of my eyes is definitely worse than the other, I had to get a pair made. BLAH. This whole farsighted thing has got to go. I'll post some pics when I get the glasses in.

On a sidenote, I got to see my homie Miller this weekend after 3 months and it was magical! Now, I didn't get to see him as much as I wanted, but I can't be selfish I guess. Thanks James for brightening my weekend!