Pura Vida

The Grove Team Rocked My Face Off

2008-08-04T13:17:00.002-05:00

Well, as the title would suggest, the team of 9 amazing people that came from the Grove week before last was amazing. They were very flexible, effective in ministry, and I think they were all affected for the better because of their experiences here. My sub-par internet connection hasn't afforded me the opportunity yet to look at the pictures of others, but I'm sure they're equally as amazing.

My favorite memory of the trip was probably Reagen doing the "strong man" in our skit. He was very convincing. There was also the not-so-reserved boy story from Malinda. I can't wait to see you all again soon.

The Shack....I really don't know where to begin. I finished it last week and I am less than impressed. In short, The Shack is a doctrinal dissertation on the Trinity of God and the Problem of Pain wrapped in the unassuming clothing of a fiction novel. Although fiction, all of the reviews and praise written about The Shack have nothing to do with the fictitious part of the the book (the story), but rather how the reviewer's view of God has been affected in one way or another. I won't go into what I don't agree with, but let's just say that I wouldn't read it again.

Lastly, I will be coming home on August the 20th for good. I have spent a long time figuring out when my time in Mexico would be coming to a close, but after talking with the elders at the Grove and the directors at Roca Blanca, this is the date that I chose. There is obviously a long story behind this drastic change in my plans so email me if you would like to know. That's all I have for now. Now I'm off to enjoy the beach while I still can.

Safe and Sound

2008-07-17T13:44:00.002-05:00

En route to Roca, I read The Magician's Nephew and the first half of The Shack. So far, I prefer the former but I'm not done with the latter yet. Don't worry, I'll let you know how it all ends up.

Being back in Mexico is so very good in a lot of ways. I somehow forget how much I love the people and culture here. Really, aside from the food, I like the culture here equally as much as the American variety. Another bonus is that currently this area is in the middle of the rainy season so it's nice and cool most days while everything is super green. I'll post pics once I've taken them.

Ok, I have to jet for now but please continue to pray for the team from the Grove that will be getting here on Saturday. We will have a very awesome opportunity to do some fun things but above all, I want that we and the people we come in contact with experience Jesus.

Back In Action

2008-07-11T15:40:00.004-05:00

In addition to being back to the blogging sphere after a prolonged sabbatical, I am heading back to Mexico this coming Tuesday the 15th. Humidity and tacos....here I come. My travel plans, along with how long I plan to remain in Mexico, have gone through more revisions than a doctoral dissertation so soon I will divulge some of those details. For now, know that I will be flying back and would appreciate your prayers as I travel and lead a team from the Grove. Should be a blast!

While back in the US for this 2 month stretch, I was in two weddings and attended three others. I feel like an index would be the only proper way to catalogue these shenanigans, but I don't want to take the hours necessary to remember every blog-worthy thing that happened. So as a consolation, I will put up my favorite picture from my time. Here goes:

"Shock" and "Awe"

Home

2008-05-18T19:49:00.004-05:00

Well, I just crossed the border back into the US and made it to my parent's house last night. I'll be here (in the US) for about 7 weeks staying mostly in Tulsa. There will be a stint in Fayetteville as well. Hopefully I will see you ASAP!

Picturefest

2008-05-01T14:12:00.005-05:00

I know I should've done this a while back, but I hope you enjoy these:

Samuel. My fav Mexican under 2 years old.

Matt. Med school grad. "Rocker" impression.

Beautiful kids at an outreach in Rio Grande.

Bathroom construction project in Pueblo Viejo.

Locals from Pueblo Viejo. (despite the distance, the couple in the back are married)

Friends of the church in Pueblo Viejo.

Me selling records at another youth event.

My best friend in Mexico. I have affectionately named him Rico Suave.

Rico and I at a wedding.

Divided Believers

2008-04-16T13:15:00.022-05:00

Denominations are something that most Christians grew up with. That is, they either grew up in a specific denomination or they knew that this difference called "Presbyterian" or "Methodist" existed. I personally find that with people my age and younger, denominational awareness is declining but that is an entirely different discussion. What I will discuss here is what role (if any) denominations should play in our lives as Christians.

It is inevitable that at some point we should come into contact with other Christians that have differing opinions of what doctrine is (I use the word doctrine to mean that which should be an inarguable point of conviction). So when we encounter such a situation, how should we react? More accurately, how do we react in reality? Should doctrinal disputes get in the way of worshipping together? Do these splits prohibit us from working together? Do we look down on our brother/sister in Christ because of a difference in interpretation? Do we give way to post-modern relativism? I pose these questions as rhetorical knowing that, depending on the topic at hand, the answers will come easily sometimes and with more difficulty other times.

These are some of my thoughts right now.

On another note, we recently celebrated the marriage of two wonderful people: Laura and David. It was my first wedding in Mexico and despite the couple being American, I was told the wedding was very Mexican. There were about 600 people in attendance! I got to learn how to slaughter a cow for the feast (I will spare those pics for now), hosted the rehearsal dinner, and just enjoyed the busyness of it all.

[David and Laura eating cake]

Apart from that I have already begun to get ready to travel back to the US. In about a month I will be traveling back to spend almost 2 months in the states doing fundraising, attending weddings, and generally making merry. See you soon.

[Becky (flower girl) and I at the reception]

How Else Can I Say It?

2008-03-25T11:28:00.003-06:00

Life is just funny.

A mosquito bit me in the lip last night so when I woke up this morning, my upper lip was approximately 182.9% larger. Imagine a collagen injection on the scale of Joan Rivers......but only on one half of my mouth.

I recently tickled a cute little kid. I tickled him a lot. Then out of nowhere he started farting. His increased laughter at his own farting led to a farting spree that lasted the better part of 2 minutes. It was absolutely uncontrollable. I felt kind of bad, but it was hilarious.

Lafe and 2-liter bottles of Dr. Pepper.

I was walking down the street in a nearby town when all of a sudden a little girl started asking me to come into their store and check out their hammocks. I politely decline when WHAM!! I hit my head on a beam sticking out the side of said store. After a moment of recovery the girl gave me the look of, "that's what you get for not shopping here." I felt like I had just stepped into a booby trap where the mastermind was not a savvy hunter, but rather a little girl.

There have been others along the way, but those are the ones that came to mind. Maybe the next time I see you, you can brighten my day with a similar set of stories.

Youth Conference

2008-03-19T21:52:00.003-06:00

Lately I've been feeling drained and it's not because I've been so crazy busy (although I have been), or because it's so hot (although it is impressively hot), but because there's a youth conference going on this week. About 3,000 kids are camping out in and around the base and it's really fun. More specifically though, the speakers are wearing me out. I sort of feel bad for saying that, but then again I don't.....mostly because it's true. It seems like every one of the talks lasts over an hour and there's no theology involved really. I mean, there's some, but it could be said in a 5 minute synopsis. Instead, there is an amazing amount of emotional appeal and I'm starting to feel really zapped by it all. Almost all of the teachings are for the purpose of whipping the kids into a fever-pitched frenzy and then calling it good. I don't know, maybe I'm just cynical. I like hanging out with the kids and talking at any rate.

By the way, here is a picture of Juan. This is the same Juan who was hit by the truck. The good report on him is that he continues to improve. He can now talk some, walk a few steps at a time, and he's gaining some weight back. I will continue to update on him as he progresses.

Developing Plans

2008-03-04T10:53:00.002-06:00

Well it has been quite some time since I've posted here and for that I apologize. Aside from the normal busyness, I've had a stomach parasite that has pretty much sidelined me. Anyway I have some good pics to share the next time I get to Puerto but for now I wanted to share how the business development plans are going.

Truthfully, I'm very excited because I feel like so much is coming together. I've planned with the Bible school administrators when and how I will implement the business course into the trade school next year. To that end, I've already outlined the whole course and summarized the material to be covered. I only lack the individual lesson plans. The course will have three parts in total and cover the whole school year.

As far as individual businesses go, I am in the middle of helping to launch an extended guest services campaign that will provide guests to the mission base with the options of fishing on our beach front, snorkeling, touring the rock/island in front of the base, and this will all be in addition to a restaurant on the top floor of the guest house. By God's providence we have come into contact with a chef who actually worked in the states for a number of years. He has graciously agreed to help us in our fledgling effort to start this restaurant.

Lastly I am entering into a time of pursuing an outsourcing contract with a company from Missouri. I can't go into the specifics at the moment, but please pray that God grants us favor in winning the contract here. I can't describe the kind of blessing this would be for the people here.

That's it in a nutshell regarding the business development front. I hope that this news encourages you as much as it does me.

This weekend I'm going to visit a village about 4 hours away from the base called Amuzgos. It should be pretty fun. I will be staying with a pastor and just getting to know the people and the area. I've already learned how to say "My name is," and "I'm from" in their native tongue. I'll post about the trip when I get back. God bless.

My Mexican Abode

2008-02-13T13:13:00.009-06:00

Ok, so I finally made it to Puerto and here are some long awaited pics (not a lot but it's a start).

My glorious concrete cube of a room. Yes, that's pink you see.

Here's me in front of the house where I live. It's affectionately called "La Quinta." If I don't look too excited it's because I just woke up. Hasta pronto!

I'm Fine

2008-02-12T21:12:00.003-06:00

For those of you who haven't heard, there was an earthquake that hit about 100 miles away from the mission base this morning at about 7 in the morning. It was a 6.4 magnitude, but everything and everyone was fine. Actually, I wasn't even in the area. I was on my way back to the base from the border with my friend Charles. Quick explanation: you have to renew your visa at the border every 6 or 12 months depending on the type of visa you have. Anyway, I accompanied him and we just got back about 4 this evening but I'm exhausted. It's about a 25 hour drive to the border from here depending on traffic and how much hassle the army gives you.

Thanks again to everyone for the concerned emails. It made me feel important! I love everyone of you.

Oddities

2008-02-06T18:40:00.001-06:00

I thought I would share some of the things I find odd about Mexico:

They eat iguana eggs here. I actually tried one yesterday and it was pretty tasty. Reminded me of a deviled egg. (they also eat armadillo)

People stare at me. I thought I was just making it up in my head until today. I happened to be wearing some sunglasses (with which you can't see my eyes) at a worksite today, and I noticed that everyone stared at me when I pretended to be looking off into the distance.

Air Conditioning is a luxury. Better said, finding air conditioning is similar to finding all of Bill Gates' money in one place and having with you a truck big enough to haul it all off. Oh, and it's not cool here either.

Protein is severely undervalued. Tortillas and veggies are the norm. I really hate beans....I hated them before.....I hate them still.

Speed bumps are unnecessary on a pothole filled dirt road.....unless you're in Mexico. And the speed bumps, well my friend, they are designed to make you replace your suspension as often as your oil.

Mexicans are scared of fish. I don't know why, but every time we're swimming in the ocean and they see fish, they freak and run ashore.

That's about it for now. There's a pastor's group here this week from the surrounding areas and they all have good ideas for start-up companies. Exciting stuff. Truly, it puts a bit of pressure on me to get some stuff done a lot quicker than I anticipated. God is good and affirming. If only I could get a steak.

All About Juan

2008-01-31T10:31:00.000-06:00

I was really not looking forward to this roadtrip. Just as I'm feeling settled at the base I have to leave for about 36 hours, drive 14 of them across tope infested highways, and deprive myself of sleep. Not fun. Then I met Juan and I forgot about my pity party.

Juan is a 19 year old kid who is very normal by all standards. He lives in a small village not too far from myself, he works hard, and by the grace of God came to know Christ within the last year. One Sunday night just over a month ago, Juan was walking to church along a highway when a truck came up from behind him and the truck's rearview mirror hit Juan's head sending him careening into the dusty ditch. Luckily his brother-in-law, Ramon, was with him and scooped up Juan's limp frame and ran to find their nearest friend with a vehicle. Thankfully they found a friend who took them to the local doctor. When they got there, the doctor took 1 minute to look at Juan and matter-of-factly told the family to get ready for Juan to die. The doctor said Juan may live for 2 hours......3 at the most.

Not willing to give up, the family got in the car and drove to a bigger city with an actual hospital. Upon arriving at the next city, they were turned away and told the same thing: "I'm sorry. There's nothing that can be done for this boy. He may as well already be dead." As devastating as this prognosis was, the family was still not giving up. With Juan's skull exposed, eye out of socket, and more blood in the car than should be in one human body, the family pressed on through the 6 hour drive to Acapulco. When they got to the hospital in Acapulco and the doctors heard the story, they were amazed that he was still alive so they decided to do what they could to help the boy. Fast forward to Tuesday night when I met Juan.

Juan had a checkup and x-ray scheduled with the doctors in Acapulco, but the family had no way of getting to Acapulco so the pastor of their church asked me if I could take Juan. I agreed only knowing that a "sick" person had a doctor's appointment. I had no idea what an impact was awaiting me.

Two of Juan's brother-in-laws carried him into my car as I leaned the seat back for him. He still doesn't have sufficient strength to even hold his head up. As we get him loaded into the car next to me, I'm starting to get a sense of his desperation. I load their luggage into my car. Diapers? What are those doing here? Oh, Juan has no control over his bowels as a result of the accident. On the way to Acapulco on Tuesday night, Juan's brother-in-laws feed him some applesauce so that he has some nourishment. In only minutes he vomits it all up. His body has trouble digesting properly now. He is but a frame at this point after losing 30 pounds since the accident. He can motion "yes" or "no" when I ask him if he's hot or cold. That's about all he can muster.

So with the smell of every foul bodily fluid hanging heavy in the humid Mexican night air, we travel to Acapulco with the mission to get Juan help.

After two appointments and 16 hours at the hospital, our day is complete. The doctors are amazed that Juan is conscious and responsive. He can even lift his hands a bit and move his legs when he's propped up. Miraculous. So now we embark on our trip home. After another 7 hours in the car and wishing for some space to stretch, we get home. Juan and his family are dropped off at their home and we part with grateful hugs. Not so much grateful that we're home, but that God has bonded us and given us a taste of His love for those in so much need. "I truly have family here," I think to myself.

Thank you Juan.

Thank you Jesus.

A Brief History of Mexico

2008-01-29T13:25:00.000-06:00

*In chronological order*

Mexico was founded by Juan Valdez. Some people have mistaken him as being more well-known for his accolades in the coffee industry, however this is just not true. About the time that the island of Mexico ran into then Texas in 78,000 B.C., Montezuma overthrew Sr. Valdez and was elected president for several millenia. It's not really clear during Sr. Zuma's reign when things happened, but what we do know for sure is that the Vikings landed in Mexico and invented soccer. Sometime after the people grew to like the game though, they ousted the glory-hoarding Vikings in favor of Mel Gibson and his band of evil war lords from the kingdom of Taco Bell. Sometime after this, a man named George W. renamed the land "Meshecko." (they have since returned to the original pronunciation)

More recently, Mexico has begun to use the 12 month calendar giving it a much larger window of time in which to produce cacti and baja chalupas. At this point you may be asking yourself, "How did I not know any of this?" Well my dear reader the answer is simple: ever since Sr. Gore invented the interweb it is difficult to keep up with everything. That's all.

I hope you like dry satire as much as I do.....

In all seriousness though, things are going well. I will go into town soon (where they have high speed internet) and post pics. Until then, keep praying that God gives me wisdom to develop the coursework and lending program. Tonight I am taking a sick man to Acapulco for a Dr.'s appt so prayer for a safe trip would be appreciated. Keep him in your prayers too as he was hit by a truck while walking along the freeway several months back. Updates to follow.

Props: Thank you for the info on portions of the history go to Hirsch.

In Mexico

2008-01-22T19:43:00.000-06:00

My body has totally forgotten what it feels like to be cold and I am immersed in buckets of humidity: I'm home.

In short, the trip across the border was great. Matt and I only got lost for a total of 3 hours, we never were stopped by military (at the border or otherwise), Matt learned how to drive standard, and we re-learned that topes are the most irritating things on God's earth. (a "tope" is a speed bump that has been enlarged to match the approximate size of Mt. Everest. They are placed in every town along the last 5 hours of the drive)

One of the unfortunate things about where I'm living in Mexico is that the internet is super slow so until I build up the patience necessary to do battle with the blazing speed of this connection, I won't upload pictures. Be looking forward to them though! More to come soon and thanks for the prayer!

Roadtrip?

2008-01-12T14:00:00.000-06:00

As of today, it has been written in stone: I will be leaving Tulsa for Mexico a week from today! After all the waiting, everything has come in that I need for the vehicle, I have a travel companion for the 36 hour roadtrip (thank you so much Sr. Schilb), and gosh dangit I'm ready to use my new roadmap!

So this means that I will be crossing the border somewhere around dawn on next Sunday morning and arriving at Roca Blanca late Monday night if everything works out. I really cannot wait to just get down there and get settled. Here are some ways in which you can be praying:

Safety for Matt and I. I am not anticipating that there will be any problems driving across the country of Mexico. That said, two gringos attract attention and sometimes that attention can be unwanted (especially if it's the attention of crazy Mexican policia). In addition, banditos can be bad news. Plus I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I got Jill's new hubby into trouble.

(Actual Banditos probably look scarier than this)

I pack/remember everything I need. There are several things I am bringing down to the base for people living there and it's pretty important that I not forget anything. The mail system in Mexico leaves a bit to be desired in terms of reliability so mailing/shipping stuff really isn't an option.

That's about it for now. The adventure is finally on! Thanks for all of your support to this point. I can't wait to show pics from what will undoubtedly prove to be a great roadtrip.

Politics

2008-01-07T15:21:00.000-06:00

During this time of the 4-year cycle, the US turns its attention to all things political: the divisive, the innocuous, the boring, and the interesting to see if we can come up with a perceived "fix all" for the upcoming 48 months. I will admit that I grow weary of this for reasons I don't completely understand. Probably, it is as simple as knowing that no one will ever really be happy with the way the country is being run and so I don't understand all of the fuss. Then I'm caught by my own desire for change in the areas that I deem important. Blah. It will be different to be able to watch the whole circus unfold from Mexico this year. I wonder what it will be like to be able to hide from the slew of ads. I also ask myself, how much time in advance do I really need to start thinking about who I want to vote for? Days, weeks, months? I'm not sure. I will most likely wait to decide anything until we're down to two candidates (sorry independents, you realistically don't have a chance of winning).

Now that I've covered that controversial topic, I will transition to Oaxaca plans. I did get the title back from AR for the 4Runner late last week and applied to get a clean one in my name through OK. They told me it takes a week and a half or so. This means that I will most likely be leaving early to mid week next week. So exciting! Please be in prayer that God will be preparing the way for my journey to be safe as it is an excruciating 36 hour drive. More updates to come regarding that.

Quick Update

2008-01-02T01:20:00.000-06:00

I truthfully don't have a lot new to share with you at the moment. I am still waiting on the title to come back from the AR Dept. of Finance so moving to Mexico is on hold until that happens. Other than the waiting, I have gotten to do a lot of hanging out with the fam and friends. Christmas, New Year's, and bowl games have brought me together with old friends and it has been great. Last night, I sat in a hot tub until 4 in the morning talking to a guy who I've known for 10 years now about anything and everything regarding our spiritual journeys. Sweet time. I would say that I am living my best life now (Gu).

I will keep everyone updated as the timing of my trip to Mexico becomes clearer. The only other important thing I can add to this post is that Feist's new CD is amazing. You should get it, or bear the consequences of not experiencing some great music. That's all.

It's 80 Degrees Outside

2007-12-27T16:12:00.000-06:00

At Roca Blanca that is, it's 80 degrees outside.....84 to be exact. But instead of wishing I was there, I will live in the present and this Holiday season. So to commemorate this Christmas season, I wanted to bless everyone with the picture that we used this year for the Sullivan family Christmas card. It's wonderful. But please, try to not be too jealous.

Too Much Ice, a New Ride, and More US of A

2007-12-18T18:42:00.000-06:00

I apologize at the outset for my lack of updating recently. Last week was kind of a lost week with the ice storm that hit Tulsa because I couldn't find an internet connection aside from pirating one from my car in random parking lots. So here I am (still in the US) because of the amazing blessing of a car for the ministry in Mexico. But before I continue, here are some pics from the famed Ice Storm:

Now the story on my new vehicle. I was given an older 4Runner by a very wonderful guy from Fayetteville and it has been an amazing blessing! Here's how it happened. I saw this vehicle sitting on the side of the road in Fayetteville about a month ago and decided to call the number advertised on the window. My plan was to explain who I was, what I was going to be doing, and that I wanted to know if they would just give the car to me. I spoke with a nice lady at first who told me that she thought I was doing a really neat thing, but that she and her boyfriend were a young couple and not in the position to be able to give away the car. That really was the reaction I most expected, and so I simply thanked her for her time and thought to myself, "That was a bit of a crazy idea anyway Stuart." So fast forward 2 weeks after that to my blog post where I was talking about reconsidering whether or not God had it in the cards for me to have a vehicle to bring down to Mexico. Literally 3 hours after I posted that particular blog entry, I received a phone call from a guy telling me that he was the man who owned the 4Runner I had called about only a couple of weeks earlier. He told me that after initially thinking I was crazy, his heart had changed and the audacity of the request had left him feeling compelled to do just what I had requested: give the car to me. How amazing is that?!

So after some talking with people who know a lot about bringing vehicles to Mexico I found out that I need to have a clean title before I cross the border. Herein lies the small price to pay for getting the car: I have to wait another 4-6 weeks for the title work to come back. So because of this mind-blowing blessing, I will be stateside through Christmas and into the new year. I am still forming my plan for the interim, but I hope to find some temp work and offset as many moving costs as I can.

In closing, I want to ask that you continue to pray for my patience. I was already emotionally/mentally disconnected from the US and now I am here for a bit longer. I know I will be fine, but I would appreciate your continued prayer as this journey is already quite different from what I had planned.

I will leave you with a pic of the wonderful car.

Sitting, Waiting

2007-12-09T20:12:00.000-06:00

So I'm in my parent's house in Tulsa and freezing rain has been covering the area for almost a day now. Actually, the blanket of ice is supposed to do nothing but thicken for the next 10 hours or so. I hope everything remains in working order but when it's 28 degrees and the rain is coming down it's unlikely. WOW! The electricity just surged through the house and a transformer nearby exploded, but the power came back on. Anyway, enough about the weather.

Despite the dreary conditions outside I am relatively sublime heading into what I hope becomes my last week in the states for a while. If you noticed, the countdown timer that has been so prominently displayed on the upper right corner of my blog has disappeared. 2 reasons for that: [1] I messed up the code fiddling with it and [2] I'm not sure exactly when I'm leaving now. I have had Monday the 17th as my leave date for some time now, but I may have to adjust that slightly. I will explain. I may have found a vehicle!! I won't give the whole story right now because I don't have it in my possession yet, but God seems to have moved someone's heart to give me a vehicle to take to Mexico. If it happens in the way I anticipate, I could possibly need to spend up to 2 weeks getting all of the title transfer, tagging, and other things done before leaving. God is really blessing me with this and I am pretty humbled at how He worked this situation out. Details will come forth as this unfolds further.

Well I am going to bid this post adieu before a power surge claims my computer. To those of you in the area, drink a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the winter weather. If you're not in the area, enjoy your week anyway! Thank you for praying.

In Tulsa

2007-12-04T12:49:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm in Tulsa after a week of tearful goodbyes, quick packing, and pure craziness. The next 2 weeks will be really great as I will have to opportunity to be still and prepare myself for the big move to Mexico. Quickly, I have an edit to a previous prayer request:

I need that God grants me wisdom and discernment. Obviously this statement can cover so many things, but what I'm referring to specifically right now is the whole truck question. I have felt for some time that I truly need a truck to take me to Mexico (see previous post for reasons). It isn't happening at all to this point and so I'm beginning to ask God if in His wisdom He has a plan for me that doesn't involve a truck. It's not a lack of faith in His provision, rather responding to how He's leading me.

Oh, and just for all of you that can appreciate some good people watching, there is currently a gentleman in front of me that is waiting for the bathroom to open up in this coffee shop where I'm sitting and He is so put off that someone else could have the audacity to be occupying the bathroom. I think he thinks the bathroom is his. I may cut in front of him....

Change, Prayer, and Thank You

2007-11-27T10:50:00.000-06:00

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?

2007-11-25T10:58:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-20T08:34:00.000-06:00

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

-Rosco P. Coltrane

A Good Party

2007-11-18T11:09:00.000-06:00

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?

2007-11-14T09:32:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-12T16:45:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-09T10:17:00.000-06:00

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

2007-11-05T08:51:00.000-06:00

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!

#36

2007-10-31T10:26:00.000-06:00

It occurs to me that with sending out the letters that I did this week, I may have some new visitors to my blog. If you are one of those, welcome! You'll find helpful links to the right for the mission base I will be working with in Mexico, links to friend's blogs, along with some different sites I find interesting.

My plans to move are still going forward as planned. I will be leaving work at the end of November and then leaving for Mexico on December the 17th. Between now and then I still have more support to raise, more planning to take care of, and visiting friends and family to do. Really, the time will fly and I will be in Mexico before I know it and that's okay with me! If you ever have any questions regarding the mission, my budget, or anything else please do not hesitate to email me and ask. A link to email me is available in my profile which is found on the upper right of this page.

You will find as time goes on that this blog is a mixture of funny and serious. I expect the content will change as I move to Mexico. Once down there, I will be sharing more about what is going on there and prayer requests. But for now, enjoy the glimpse into my life here in the states.

Again, thank you for taking the time to come by and visit my blog. I hope it keeps you well informed and that above all, you feel like part of my life as you read. Until #37....

Tense Interview

2007-10-28T12:31:00.000-06:00

I guess the timeless question of fire ball or shotgun will have to be answered another day...

Twice Dead Trees

2007-10-26T14:16:00.000-05:00

I recently read a piece of scripture with some imagery that really struck me. [for those of you that have already read this/thought about this, bear with me] For me, it helped me to crystallize what I thought about being a person whose worth is found in relationship with God and the obedience that comes from that love. Jude is the writer here and he uses the descriptive picture of a waterless cloud to describe people that have blasphemed "all that they do not understand." These people have "walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion." Basically these people are the waterless clouds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, and uprooted. These things (people) are behaving counter to what they were created to be and it breaks my heart. I pray that I never become a twice dead tree.

The Ebb and Flow of Today

2007-10-23T14:53:00.000-05:00

Today was a reasonably good day: I had some good mixed in with some bad.

The Good: One of the customers that comes in to the bank often brought her granddaughter with her. Why is that good? Well, I just so happen to look similar to the little girl's father so every time she sees me, she starts giggling. I can't put my finger on it, but it is a really good feeling when a baby likes you. A baby's laugh is like a mega-dose of love or something.

The Bad: An old co-worker came into the bank with his fiancee today. It's really cute to watch them because they bounce back and forth between english and spanish when they talk. (He's Mexican and she's Bolivian). Anyway, why is it bad that she came by? Well, we were talking for a bit and she asks me, "So how old are you anyway?" I reply, "25." And what does she say? "Oh..." I promptly asked her what "Oh" meant and she said, "Nothing, I just thought you were 35."

...........

Amid my current level of frustration, I have just decided to list 3 of my favorite activities for relaxing:

Listening to Damien Rice while playing spider solitaire.
Making up a song on guitar that I don't write down and never remember.
Driving through the hills of the Ozarks while listening to Alexi Murdoch, Amos Lee, or Iron & Wine.

How do you relax?

Unbridled Joy

2007-10-19T09:39:00.001-05:00

Until this morning, I never knew the pleasure of knowing what it felt like to have a cowbell waved in my face....

"Ganaste! Ganaste! Por fin ganaste!" yelled the sweet little mexican ladies who work at Chick-fil-a. As I pulled around to pay for and receive my chicken biscuits this morning, my payment was refused, but I drove away with the prize of a free Chick-fil-a meal! In case you don't know, every 100th customer receives a free meal. Yeah, I won. I have been going to this restaurant regularly for about a year and this is the first time I've won. I love Chick-fil-a. It's been such a good morning. Free food while listening to In Rainbows on a Friday. Awesome.

Note, the spanish above means: "You won! You won! Finally you won!"

Naps

2007-10-16T09:47:00.000-05:00

I forgot just how enjoyable a good nap is until I took one today. Normally I'm not a nap person, but I didn't get a ton of sleep over the last couple of nights so I was primed and ready today. At lunch, I ate quickly and then went to my car, laid the seat back, and slept rather comfortably for 30 minutes! So if you see me today, watch out. I may actually be fully energized.

I'll end this post with a joke related to naps:

I think the worst possible time to have a heart attack would be during a game of 'Charades'. Or maybe worse would be a game of 'Fake Heart Attack'.....followed by 'Naps'."

Lafe's Party Recap

2007-10-13T17:45:00.000-05:00

This is for those of you who couldn't be at Powerhouse for Lafe's bday. Wait until he realizes what's in the gift bag.....his Wii.

Lafe opens his Wii and puts on a priceless expression.

Happy Birthday Lafe!

2007-10-11T08:40:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's true. My hetero-lifemate is turning 30 today! He is such an amazing roommate, friend, and brother in Christ. So, if you know Lafe, or even if you don't, post on his blog, email him, or call him to let him know how special he is!

I wish I had a good picture on hand but I don't. Maybe after the shindig this weekend I will share the picture memories of a decade gone by.

Lafe vs. Stu

2007-10-04T08:11:00.000-05:00

So Lafe and I have this thing. Yes, I realize that we have many "things" but I'm talking about one thing in particular. Every time we go to shop for groceries at the Neighborhood Market, we try to push the other into the automatic doors as we enter the store. We don't try to push each other into the doors before they retract, rather as we're passing through the door frame, we will hip check each other or just flat out throw the other one into the stationary side of the door! I'm not sure how this all started or when, but it's a Lafe vs. Stu shopping tradition.

So this last Sunday morning, the games reached an all-time record of absurdity. Lafe and I were having a serious discussion and wrapping up some deep thoughts when all of a sudden I realized, "Hey, we're just sauntering through the door frame and Lafe doesn't even realize it....." So I seize my opportunity and throw him a well-timed forearm that landed him in a crumpled heap on the door frame! AMAZING! It was one of the best throws to date in my opinion. Anyway, Lafe smirked and gave me a word that I won't repeat on this blog. So at this point I am overly pleased with myself and have begun to laugh hysterically: this is where it got bad....

Amidst my glee, I forgot to grab a shopping basket so I had to venture back through the door frame. I realized that Lafe would seize his opportunity at retribution, but I was okay with that because I would be prepped and ready for his onslaught. However Lafe, dazed from his recent blow I'm sure, miscalculated his moment to throw me and came at me too soon. So now instead of flying into the door frame, Lafe's zeal for the game has launched me into the security scanner that guards one side of the entrance to the Market. Two things must be clarified here: 1) Said scanner is flimsy and flops about with little to no effort and 2) There was a cheap plastic stand holding aluminum spray bottles of sunscreen on the other side of the security scanner. My slamming into the scanner made it into a large plastic paddle that swung violently to the other side and batted roughly 100 bottles of sunscreen clinking to the floor. AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Lafe's eyes got HUGE and he ran off into the store without looking back. So there I was, all by myself picking up bottles of sunscreen while other shoppers and employees of the store watched me. What started so well ended in bitter defeat. Don't fret though dear reader, I will get him back.

Then we went across the street to Harp's because the Market didn't have hash browns.

Jen's Birthday

2007-09-30T08:13:00.000-05:00

For those of you that couldn't be there, I thought I would share with you a snippet of the evening's festivities. Basically when the Benson meat smorgishboard comes out, so do the crazies. Off to the left you'll notice Jen's splendid cake straight from Haagen-Dazs. Super Yum! Below you have Gen vs. Shelli to see who can out-sky the other in a jumping high five contest. Truthfully, this took many tries to get right because of interference from not so innocent bystanders.

And over here you have Mere "crazy red eyes" O'Neal. Yeah, she's really that crazy.

And finally a little video clip for your viewing pleasure. This might have been the funniest way ever to sing happy birthday, so I highly recommend some rendition of this the next time you have a friend who has a birthday.

Como es el comportamiento?

2007-09-27T11:22:00.000-05:00

This question means, "How is (their) behavior?"

This week I have volunteered as an interpreter for the Springdale Public School system [thanks Sra. Jaime], and it has been one heck of an adventure. The first night I was at an elementary school which was super fun because little kids are so innocent and playful. One little child asked his mom in spanish, "Mommy, why is that man so big?" I was just going to let it slide until I found myself in their classroom as their interpreter five minutes later. Needless to say, the little guy was a bit bashful after that.

The reason for the title of my post is because that was the one question that every parent, without exception, asked of the teacher before leaving. I would help them go over the grades and their child's classroom performance with moderate interest, but upon breaching the subject of behavior, every parent came to edge of their seat in perfect attention to what was being said. I really found it to be pretty refreshing that all these parents were genuinely concerned with the social fabric of their child. Unfortunately there are probably just as many parents who could care less about their kids' behavior.....and that's why they weren't at the conferences I suppose.

In unrelated news, starting Monday at work, I have to go back to business professional attire (tie & jacket) along with all the other guys. Such crap. But it's ok: I hear the same dress code doesn't exist in Mexico.

Demetri Martin

2007-09-22T21:42:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't heard of this guy, he is amazingly talented and hilariously funny. Here's a part of one of his sets. I know there's not any video, but it's still gut-splitting. Just search for him on YouTube if you want the full course. Enjoy.

Facebook?

2007-09-22T20:48:00.000-05:00

Of the last five people that I've met, they are all different people with different backgrounds, ages, and genders. However the first question is always the same, "So I can just find you on Facebook right?" *sigh*

I have held out so long mostly because I don't want to commit too much time to the world-wide interweb, but it seems that in order to stay connected, or meet anyone, I have to bow down to the monster that is Facebook. Unfortunately my fears seem to be coming true as I have spent multiple hours on this crazy thing in my first day. Grrrr.... So, now you can find me all over the internet via the book of faces and if I should run into you, watch out: you just might get "poked."

Divine Romance

2007-09-17T13:28:00.000-05:00

There is a Christian music artist that I have only recently become aware of named Phil Wickham and he has a song entitled: "Divine Romance." Apart from being a truly genius song musically, the lyrics speak to something that is a struggle for most all Christians the world over I imagine (if not, then I must say that it is surely my greatest struggle). This struggle is the need to be satisfied by the intimate relationship that Christ promises we can have with him. Too often my actions show that I don't believe that He is capable of fulfilling me and this usually leads to bad decisions that hurt myself or worse: I hurt others around me. He wants us to seek Him in love! Without further elaboration (because that would take several pages) I will leave you, my dear reader, with the lyrics for this song:

The fullness of Your grace is here with me
The richness of Your beauty's all I see
The brightness of Your glory has arrived
In Your presence God, I'm completely satisfied

For You, I sing I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands to show my love
To show my love......

A deep, deep flood an ocean flows from
You A deep, deep love is filling up the room
Your innocent blood has washed my guilty life
In Your presence God I'm completely satisfied

For You, I sing I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands to show my love
To show my love......

I Have a College Degree

2007-09-12T10:06:00.000-05:00

I say this more for my own reassurance rather than an announcement or anything. I will explain.

I have various duties here at my job that validate my education: financial analysis, drawing up loan proposals, translating, etc. I also have some duties that give me the "opportunity" to get away from my desk for a short while and help maintain the facility. In one day this week I: took old newspapers to the Humane Society, swept away dead bugs and debris from in front of the bank, picked up trash all around the property, sprayed Round-Up on all rogue weeds in the parking lot and in the beds, hammered an advertisement sign into our lawn next to the road, cleaned up a ceiling tile that fell to the floor in a pile of mush after a leak in the roof destroyed it, and lastly I was put in charge of disposing of a possum that one of my co-workers ran over in the parking lot (yes, blood was everywhere). Did I really go to college for this?

Party Crashers

2007-09-04T11:54:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately Shelli has already stolen some of my thunder from this story on her blog, but she did an index so I'm sure I can shed some more light on the details of this adventure.

The night started out at Common Grounds with a birthday party for yours truly. We were on the back patio upstairs and it was awesome! (thanks Shelli for remembering that the upstairs patio is my fav) Most of my closest friends - who are still in Fayetteville - were there and we passed a few hours just chatting and enjoying the beautiful weather and tasty beer.

So upon the adjournment of that fiesta, the Jones and I were heading to our vehicles when we noticed a couple of curiously posed ladies in front of a table of wine at the bottom the Legacy building. Hmmm..... Luckily I have a friend who lives in the building so I knew the door code (which is mind-blowingly simple for a multi-million dollar, multi-purpose building off of Dickson St.). So we enter:

"Wine, or anything to drink?" ask the elegantly clad hostesses. Before we could muster an answer, they informed us, "The party is on the fifth floor."

"Is it now....." I muse to myself while rubbing my chin in my mind's eye.

After making a phone call to a friend of mine who is a well connected realtor, we confirmed that the shindig is in fact being hosted by the real estate mogul who developed this very swank building. Game on! So the Jones and I, feeling emboldened by a sense of destiny and a couple of beers, head to the fifth floor to see just what all this hooplah is about. After spending the better part of 5 minutes coaxing one half of the Jones down the hallway, we burst onto the scene. You know what we found??? SUPER LAME PARTY. Super cheap beer, weirdo caterers who passed Tang off as a proprietary punch recipe, and Mustache McGee (story available in person).

We drank in the great night skyline of Dickson along with some free bevies and then left. Kind of a letdown but I doubt that I would've found anything better to do at home. Thanks to the Jones for such a fun night!

Fall.....almost

2007-08-31T10:57:00.000-05:00

So without a doubt, my favorite sporting event to watch is a college football game. This time of year is always so wonderfully full of promise and trash talking and I love it. While some would argue that my reaction of being emotionally handicapped following an OU loss is unhealthy, I say that it's perfectly alright. I mean, the reality is that most men are competitive like me and at some point we become too old to compete on our own: enter sports. Whether it's on the college or professional level, fans identify with their teams as if they were in the locker room before the game, strapping up to go and do battle with the rest of the players. In Norman, for example, there is neither a time of year nor an hour of the night in which you can yell "BOOMER!" and not have someone scream back with conviction the required guttural response of "SOONER!" Bliss.

Onto other business. I have started playing in the Springdale Soccer League. It is really fun for a variety of reasons. I get to play soccer, the teams are competitive, and the team I play for is sponsored by a restaurant so I get some amazing free Mexican food. The only drawback is that we play every Sunday morning at 8. Normally I like getting up early but I like having at least one day to sleep in during the weekend. Oh well, it is more than worth it. I will let you know if we win the league championship (apparently this team has for 2 years running).

Lastly, I have been running sound a lot at the Grove lately and it is soooo much fun. I'm getting better at it as I practice more so that makes it even more fun. I think I find it so enjoyable because running live sound is artistry. You are trying to make the musicians blend together in the way the showcases their vision and talents in the most accurate and clear way. When you get the mix just right, it is truly a great feeling. I just wish that I could pick out the problem frequencies as quickly as my friend Tucker. Someday...

Everyone enjoy your Labor Day and Monday off from work!

My New Camera

2007-08-25T20:37:00.000-05:00

So it's been a long time coming, but I have finally stepped into the 2000's and gotten a digital camera/camcorder. I am unbelievably stoked about the possibilities that are presented to me now. I should give my parents the proper kudos for the b-day present: THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!! Really the main reason I wanted this is so that I can keep everyone abreast (yeah, I said it) of what's happening with me wherever I am in the world. Plus now I have a camera that is basically nicer than Harkey's. I mean seriously, you can fit my camera into his camera backpack a hundred times over. Top it!

Ok, so I know it has been over a week since I've last posted so I will give you a couple of gems from only the first day of tinkering with my new toy. Just imagine what the future will bring.....

Hirsch looking unnecessarily upset at Bueno

A Day in the Life...

The List of Eight

2007-08-17T10:04:00.000-05:00

I will acquiesce and play this silly little game of tag that has been running through the blog world lately, but I will not tag 8 friends as I hope to stop the madness. Consider my take on this more along the lines of freeze tag. And here we go:

Fact 1: It took me 5 and 1/2 years as well as 4 universities across 2 countries to finish my undergrad in finance. (and I only changed majors once)

Fact 2: Last night I grilled 1200 hotdogs, yes, 1200 for a back to school bash at a local middle school as a publicity campaign for the bank. Way too much heat, meat, and peeps.

Fact 3: I have never broken a bone in my existence as a human. (mine or anyone else's)

Fact 4: I did not sleep through the night until I was 2 years old. God bless my parents.

Fact 5: I have visited another country (typically Mexico) every year since 2000. Yea me!

Fact 6: Humidity is my friend. My favorite time of the year is the balmy summer eve where you find yourself a bit sticky even while only wearing a swim suit and flip flops. Delightful.

Fact 7: I once tried to impress a girl by telling her that she could call me "stick." I hated the rest of my middle school career.

Fact 8: When I was 2 years old, I locked my own granny out of her house and proceeded to pour a glass full kool-aid and place it on the floor in the middle of the kitchen without drinking a drop. I then let granny back in. To this day, I have no idea what that was all about.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my personal info. If you read this, you are not tagged and/or are un-tagged if someone else has so viciously done so.

Update

2007-08-15T16:57:00.000-05:00

I apologize for not posting until today. I have had a not so fun week with work and other things going on in my personal life. On a lighter note, I am stupidly excited about college football being just a couple of weeks away. It is such an emotional time of year for me and I can't get enough of it.

There is another topic I want to address, but I'm slightly hesitant to breach this subject as it can be a "can o worms." Nonetheless, here we go: Do you believe that speaking in tongues is something available to all Christians if we just ask (like forgiveness from God), or that it is something that God chooses to give to only certain people (maybe like how we all have our own individual gifts). Please, I would love to get some feedback on this. I know it can be difficult to answer something like this with the brevity that are comments on blogs, but if you can, please give me your thoughts. Thanks.

New Ft. Sullivan

2007-08-10T15:44:00.000-05:00

I am going to Tulsa this weekend to help my parents move homes. They are moving from "south" Tulsa to "mid-town." I really like the area they are moving to and am excited to be so much closer to cool stuff when I visit Tulsa however I am not excited to move them this weekend. Not only is it supposed to be 103 degrees in Tulsa on Saturday, but this thing called the PGA tour is in town essentially doubling the traffic throughout the city. These two things will make moving a pain, but it will be worth is when it's all said and done to have a new base of operations whilst in T-town.

That is really all I have for the moment. Just felt like catching peeps up to date since so many of my friends are already abroad. Off to Tulsa!

Two of My Favorite Things

2007-08-07T15:10:00.000-05:00

Two of the things I enjoy most in life are: kids and old friends.

(PK2 & I - He tried to convince me he wasn't ticklish so I had to prove him wrong)

(Tucker & I - Also ticklish fyi)

I don't have a digital camera yet, so when I see pictures that are dear to me I like to share them. Maybe I'm feeling so nostalgic lately because of my impending move across the border. I know, I know....I still have about 4 months until I go but in my mind it's racing up on me: or more accurately, I'm trying to will it here as fast as I can. Either way I still love pictures that make me feel deeply. So thank you to all of my friends that are tough enough to stick around even after really getting to know me. And a special thank you to the kids that aren't too scared of me to play with me.

Family at Work

2007-08-03T10:24:00.000-05:00

I really enjoy my job for the most part. Occasionally I clash with my boss on some ethical questions, but aside from that, I really do enjoy where I work and who I work with. In truth, I have come to love certain people at work as if they were family. It's actually quite easy with how they treat me and vice versa. I have a grandma, mom, questionable uncle, and many siblings. This older lady in particular I'm quite fond of. Her name is Rosa Lea and she is the most unabashedly outspoken person I've ever met and her cooking is outstanding! She will often just stop by to ask how I'm doing and we'll chat away for 15 minutes at a time. Actually, we're almost related. My uncle through marriage is her brother-in-law's nephew. I know, just take some time to think about it. So she knows my grandma, aunt, uncle, and a host of other family members. What can I say? It's fun.

One downside to having so many siblings around work is that sometimes they all gang up on one of the siblings: yesterday that sibling was me. I like to shoot people with rubber bands when I get bored (it's all out of love of course), but apparently it warranted a strategic assault on my corner of the lobby yesterday. The short story is that I had 5 ladies mercilessly pelting me with rubber bands all at once. I'm pretty sure I was bleeding out of my ears when it was all said and done. I will just say that now I can empathize with someone who's been stoned....

In other news I get to run sound at the Grove again this week. I'm especially pumped because now I'm armed with the knowledge of how to stop the freaking mirror ball from coming ablaze and causing the Grove to want to put on their sweetest bell bottoms in order to disco dance the night away. Stupid Dickson St. theater! *shaking my fist*

Knowledge for the General Public

2007-07-31T11:02:00.000-05:00

Diesel eats through styrofoam....relatively quickly. I'm not going to say how I know this today, but I do: trust me on this.

The Night Lafe Got Decapitated.....Almost

2007-07-27T15:10:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I laugh. Sometimes I laugh hard. Sometimes I laugh that guttural sort of explosion that lets you know I've just witnessed something that belongs on YouTube. This was one of those YouTube moments.

The other night Lafe, Jen, and I were watching TV at the apartment. Everything was seemingly ordinary that evening: Lafe cooked some burgers and fries for dinner, we watched some DVR programming, but little did we know that fury was about to rain down from the skies. As we were watching TV (The Last Comic Standing I believe), out of nowhere a tremendous THUD crescendos through the apartment!!! I whip my head around to see a wide-eyed Jen and an incredulous Lafe sitting there staring at our glass globe that had thrown itself off of our ceiling fan and onto the floor!!! Only a few inches in one direction and Lafe would've had a broken skull.... As soon as Jen and I realized that no real harm was done, we absolutely split our sides laughing; not so much at what almost was, but at Lafe's reaction. With indignation and a bit of scorn, Lafe scolded us for getting so much enjoyment from his almost tragedy. I guess in the end the gentle rocking back-and-forth of our ceiling fan loosened the glass piece to where it couldn't hold on anymore.

You know, it's stories like this one that confirm my suspicion that people would pay money to live with Lafe and I for a day. It's madness, hilarity, and chaos all mixed into a pair of hetero-lifemates. Besides, I know that everyone should get some enjoyment from our antics.

Vehicle Frustrations and Lists

2007-07-24T11:29:00.000-05:00

This morning I walked out to my Jeep to meet my boy Dasun for some delicious breakfast at Chick-Fil-A, but was thoroughly surprised and irritated to find that I had a pond of anti-freeze under my freakin' vehicle. I knew I needed to make it to a gas station so I could buy some more anti-freeze and water so off I went. After I got up the hill on Crossover, I got into the rhythm of getting up to speed and shutting off the Jeep to coast. This process went on all the way to the White Oak Station where I pulled in with a temperature gauge that was screaming at me via the "check gauges" light. DUH YOU STUPID FREAKING CONSOLE LIGHT DISPLAY!!! BEEPING WILL NOT HELP ME FIX THIS!!! Anyway, the poor Jeep is at the shop now and I am praying that my warranty will cover this one.

On a different note, I have noticed that a few of my friends have been into the lists as of late so I thought I would partake. I am going to try to be as grandiose as possible with these lists with the hope of sparking some truly glorious discourse.

Best TV Shows of All-Time:
1. Full House (I love uncle Jessie's hair)
2. The Wonder Years (Kevin is an all-time classic)
3. Dragon Ball Z (my geekdom is revealed - go Goku!)

Best Video Games of All-Time:
1. Halo (of course)
2. Mario Kart (I loved the original for SNES like nothing else, but its follow-ups have been great too)
3. Mike Tyson's Punch Out (I never beat Mike)

Best Board Games of All-Time:
1. Pictionary (I am unbeatable here)
2. Scrabble (this one I am terrible at, but the memories are everlasting)
3. Pit (if you've never played, get ready to elbow and scream your way to victory)

Best Beers of All-Time:
1. Chimay (blue label is the ultimate goodness)
2. Old Foghorn (Anchor brewery in San Francisco. Get ready to pay $14 for a 6 pack)
3. Apparently anything from Dogfish Head Brewery (If you ever find the 120 minute IPA, spare no expense in getting me one)

Now please, let the other opinions of the blogosphere be heard! Even though mine are clearly the correct opinions....

Weddings

2007-07-16T14:42:00.000-05:00

I went to another wedding this weekend in Tulsa prompting me to really reflect on what marriage is, what a wedding should look like, how we do stuff right regarding them, and how we screw it up sometimes.

At the wedding I went to this weekend, I sat there listening to the pastor preach (quite literally - in the way that makes you realize that he's not thinking about what he's saying) and had an epiphany: there is so much importance placed on the "motions" of the wedding that the marriage is left to fend for itself in a poorly prepared relationship that has no real foundation. Ok, so I have to qualify myself and say that this wedding was not that bad, but what I am referring to here is a larger scale epidemic that our society (our christian society) has embraced all too often.

"I didn't sign up for this kind of a marriage."

"I didn't ask God before entering this marriage therefore I need to get out."

"I feel trapped."

"I don't love him/her anymore."

"I never did love him/her.....I was tricking myself."

If you are truly someone that loves Jesus and wants to follow Him with all your heart, then let me make something unmistakably clear: THESE ARE LIES FROM SATAN! Even though you can really feel one of these things, they are rooted in lies. Ex) you can feel "trapped" but in reality that emotion stems from believing the lie that God is not big enough to help you in your marriage. Satan clouds our minds with bullcrap like this and we think it's our own reasoning. We get so twisted around, everything seems so complex and confusing, so we try to excuse ourselves out of something we can't fix. Seeing this breaks my heart. In my experience there is nothing more painful in life than to go through a divorce and I prayerfully hope that I never go through anything more difficult. That said, I know of several people who are currently living in a distressed marriage and I can hardly bear to watch. It's terribly sad because it is readily apparent that satan has wedged himself between the spouses via his lies. Like it says in Ephesians: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." This is so true. If you think your husband/wife is the reason for the problem in your marriage, you are fooled. Satan's war against marriage is the real reason you don't seem to feel your love for your spouse, why you aren't attracted to them, or why you can't talk to them without yelling.

I speak all this stuff as a screw-up extraordinare who has lived as such and is still learning to not be. I can see the truth clearly though regarding this and I passionately want that everyone knows this truth. I know God is deeply pained when we rip apart these unions that He has formed. A reflection of His relationship to us is not supposed to be broken!

I am going to stop here because I could write for hours I'm sure, but if you are reading this please pray for a second and re-commit your marriage to God's glory. Pray that you find your identity in Christ rather than your spouse. Encourage your married friends to godliness and holiness. Lastly, know that you are not immune to the devil's lies and you too need to diligently pursue Christ in order to stave off the arrows of satan that are attacking your union. Please, let this break your heart.

What a Weekend

2007-07-09T09:24:00.000-05:00

So the Hirschys are now one, Meredith explained to me what opinions are like, I shared a room with the Compstons and Ben (one each night), re-told jokes from a hilarious stand-up comic, met a lot of really cool people, danced with all 5 Fries people, bore witness to an all-black band rock out to "Play that funky music white boy," heard about the life and times of Win Fung, hit my head on an advertisement in IHOP, had a theological discussion regarding the curses of original sin, met a lady who was legitimately hopped up on coke (I think), and exchanged a blender at Williams Sonoma. Wow....more to come.

Wedding Happenings

2007-07-05T13:12:00.000-05:00

This will be a prequel of sorts to what will be an amazing wedding this weekend. On Saturday, two of the raddest people I know will be tying the knot in Little Rock and I just want to say that it has been quite a ride just getting to this point. Here's a brief review of what my life has been like leading up this joyous occasion:

Rooms painted: 3

Backs shaved: 1

Beers had: not enough

Nights my sleep schedule has been thrown off: 6

Fridays I left work early: 2

Number of times Lafe complained about Brian robbing him of his "Stu" time: 1

So as you can see, it hasn't been all bad. In fact, quite the opposite. I have really enjoyed getting the chance to see Bri-Bri in action for this event and I am thoroughly convinced that he is ready to be a stellar husband. It's only fair though since Gennie is a rockstar herself. And wow are they going to have some artistic kids! Now all that is left is the wedding itself (along with some wedding shenanigans). Look out Little Rock here we come!

So Tired of This Weather

2007-06-27T17:01:00.000-05:00

Right now, I am so utterly tired of the stinking rain. Occasionally I enjoy some rain but we have had so much of it over this spring and summer that I want to scream when I see clouds building. Of course I must also admit that part of my detest for the precipitation comes from the fact that I only have a bikini top on my jeep and so I get very wet when I have to go anywhere. I feel so professional when I get to work and the whole back of my pants and shirt are soaked. Now one could argue that this pain is self-inflicted but I would argue that summer is not supposed to be this wet!!! June, July, and August are supposed to be filled with sweltering heat, sunshine, top-down, wind-in-your-face goodness that only comes with summer. Ok, I think my ranting is over but in case it's not clear: I am not alright with this crap weather!

On an unrelated note, Ms. Junior Arkansas came into the bank today and signed an autograph for me. I almost peed my pants with glee when she handed me a signed copy of her picture made out to me. She even spelled my name right! I am going to frame the picture and my memory of this fine day forever. (every fact in this paragraph has been mis-represented except for Ms. Junior AK coming to the bank - yes, she abbreviated Arkansas "AK") If you want the real happenings of this story, you will just have to ask me.

Out.

Ultimate Frisbee

2007-06-22T10:59:00.000-05:00

This last Tuesday, I experienced one of the most amazing team sports (thank you Evan and Emily). Ultimate frisbee is officially my new favorite sport to play for so many reasons. First of all, I got one of the most amazing workouts I've had since high school basketball practice, but also I had a lot of fun just getting to know the "ultimate" crowd. They are clearly people that need Jesus, but are really sincere and fun to hang out with. I plan on going every Tuesday after work and running my butt off. Now yes, I have played ultimate frisbee before, just not in a competitive environment like this. The biggest and best difference was that everyone was really trying hard to win. It wasn't cut-throat or anything, you just don't feel awkward when you really try hard. Now I just need to work on my throws....

Hillsong and such

2007-06-15T16:38:00.000-05:00

So I've decided that I really enjoy the Hillsong songs we've started singing at the Grove. Sometimes I find I come across a melody/lyric/worship combination that absolutely sends chills through my body. Refreshing to say the least.

So I cannot wait to get to Mexico! I've been in a lot of email contact with Roca as of late and it just exacerbates my desire to get there. If I'm being honest with myself, I know I need to plan well because it is such a huge move but I don't want to be patient!!! (Lafe will be rolling his eyes now) I just hope I go down there fully prepared and ready to do what God has set out before me. I know I will miss certain things, but not enough to deter me from leaving. It is such a peaceful feeling when you just know you are in God's will. I'm rambling.

Yesterday I got the opportunity to go to a meeting at the Jones Center in Springdale, but not just any meeting. There were a bunch of hispanic pastors meeting to form an alliance among themselves for the purpose of being unified in ministering to the NWA area. So not only was this cool in and of itself, but I ran into a guy I know who has a lot of contacts in the field of micro-lending and micro-economic capitalization in developing countries. How good God is! So I got to sit around and ramble on in spanish with a bunch of pastors about what God is doing throughout the world for 2 hours. Again, very refreshing.

Well I feel I've written a little about a lot so I will quit for now. I'm off to enjoy a relaxing weekend. Oh, and for what it's worth: I HATE THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS!!!!!!

Pure Life

2007-06-11T12:02:00.000-05:00

The literal translation of "Pura Vida" is just that: "Pure Life." Now for a little info on this saying.

Pura Vida is a commonly used phrase in Costa Rica. In the context of conversation, it could be thought to carry the same meaning as "it's all good." For example, if someone would ask you, "How's it going?" you would respond with, "Pura Vida." It's really kind of a catchy thing to say in my opinion, but the meaning I've given it for myself goes beyond this.

I have decided to engage in a more literal slant on this slogan. As most of us do, I desire to have a life with a degree of purity that if too often lacking. I want to feel, as well as know, that God has washed me pure.....again. I want to be able to respond to the question, "How's it going?" with "Pura Vida" and really feel that way. Sanctification is a painfully slow process very often, but that's what's at the heart of this post I guess. So now you know my motivation behind the name of my blog.

In other news, there is a time capsule being unearthed in Tulsa this week. I don't know a whole lot about it except that it's a car that has been buried in front of the main post office for 50 years. My dad told me that he was watching the news and some interviews of people who had put things in the car and are now anxiously awaiting the return of their precious articles. One 75 year old man said he can't wait to get his beer back. Now, I'm not sure about this, but if he can get that beer down it will either kill him or make him live another 50 years. That's just my opinion.

Pic of me in Colorado

2007-06-05T08:52:00.001-05:00

Yeah, I needed to post this online so I could reference it for my profile pic. I will hopefully get to blog about "Pura Vida" soon.

The Great Dumpster Fire of 2007

2007-06-04T16:43:00.000-05:00

"Stu?"

"Yeah?"

"The dumpster is on fire..."

"What??!!"

"OUR DUMPSTER IS ON FREAKING FIRE!!!!"

Now you have to understand something: Lafe and I aren't normally excitable people in the morning. It takes something special to get any kind of response from us before we head out the door. However on this morning, things were dramatically different....

Our story begins with me borrowing the First Security Bank "Teal Grill" for Grovefest last night. Lafe was the resident chef and used the grill to make all the food that we enjoyed at Wilson Park. Now, fast forward to this morning as Lafe and I are waking up. I offered to help Lafe clean out the grill before returning it, but he said he'd do it by himself (really a very nice gesture in an effort to get me to work on time). So I jumped in the shower while Lafe went outside to dump the coals from the night before, and by the time I was out, we had a certified bonfire in our dumpster. Poor Lafe!!!! Who would have thought that those coals would still be hot?! Not Lafe. If ever I have wanted a digital camera, it was now. The smoke billowing out of the gigantic trash receptacle was enough to make you think there was a controlled forest burn somewhere nearby. So we spent the next 15 minutes running pitchers of water from our apartment to the dumpster in a losing effort to control the blaze. Our downstairs neighbor even pitched in, but to no avail. The fire department showed up and one of the guys greeted us with, "Thanks for the help, but I think we can handle it from here." So the firemen doused our blaze and the fire marshall took down all of Lafe's information while the Cliffs apartment complex wreaked of burning trash. The smoke was enough to make one think there was actually a thick blanket of fog on this early morning. My jeep still smells....

"I always wondered how we were gonna get evicted from our apartment."
-Lafe Benson

Inagural Post

2007-06-02T11:22:00.000-05:00

There are so many things I want to say right now, but I will just keep it simple and say, "Here I am blogosphere!"

Now, why have I resisted so long in joining the ranks of the bloggers and why am I starting now? Well, I am a face-to-face communicator. I truly prefer personal interaction as opposed to internet musings, but soon I and all of my friends will be vacating NWA and so I need a good way to keep in contact with everyone: hence the caving. I hope to awe and entertain everyone who comes across my blog with mind blowing creativity and pizazz. More accurately, I just want to fit in.

So bear with me as I develop my blog into something more exciting. I realize that there will be very few links/pics for a while, but that will all change with time. Ok, I have to get back to work now, but I can't wait to see you all soon. Oh, and I will discuss the meaning of "Pura Vida" in my next post.