Pete Tweets

NEW BLOG

2017-02-14T06:30:00.000-05:00

Check out today's post at WrongVsWrite.com!

Valentine's Day 2017

2017-01-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

I heard a little rumor that I am revamping my blog. Stay tuned for updates.

A Mini Sonnet Sequence

2016-11-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Recently, I have found enjoyment in sonnets. In this project for my British literature class, I tried my hand at sonnet writing, imitating poets like Anne Lock, who adapted Scripture to poetry. I played with the tension between copying Scripture closely and deviating carefully.

***

A Mini-Sequence of paraphrases of scriptures on sloth:

A paraphrase of Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22

I see you truly when yourself you fake.

Alive and yet dead, neither cold nor hot,

So my wrath will root out your false lie stake,

Seeming richly clothed when yet you are not.

Yea, soon I come here, finding you hiding,

As a thief I come, buy my gold and silv’.

Save yourself, repent; I come next as King

In the dark night to see your resolve.

Knocking I offer life should you choose it,

Here my offer I repeat yet again:

Stop up your lying, listen my words split.

I will come to you, come let me begin,

I offer vict’ry conquering the breach,

Hear if you have ears then listen my speech.

A paraphrase of Deuteronomy 6:10-15

Godly promises shall be delivered.

He gives you cities, cisterns, crops, and food

And houses of warmth where once you shivered,

Now comfy, in plenty, filled up--be shrewd.

Beware: forget is the utmost of rude,

Comfort will blind your dependence on Him

Lest ye turn from He who chothéd your nude,

And offer an idol life and a limb.

Come shall He no matter how far ye swim

In flooding of your sinful mud deluge,

Aside He shall set all proper and prim,

Be feared as your mighty awe-ful refuge

Burning heat as bright as He be jealous.

To avoid ye must copy Him: zealous.

A paraphrase of Hebrews 4:11-13

To strive to find rest put your effort all,

As our lord, work six to rest on seven

In His presence is God’s restful Heaven.

If so, be not saddened at the death pall,

For, living it is which speaking He calls:

Sharp point edge and tip, which sword-like driven

Exposes and discerns wheat from leaven,

True motives and intent hearts each enthrall.

The omniscient Lord with His roving eye

Sees all, knows all, is all places all times.

None of all his invent can hide intent.

No clothing nor mask is enough so sly

To shield, protect, to hide in or prevent

Giving account past hallowéd death chimes.

A paraphrase of Hebrews 5:11-14

Much more have we to teach—if you could learn,

Much more to say—if only you could hear.

Sharper wit dulléd, bent—Oh, how we yearn

We agonise for you; we beg: give ear.

You cannot yet sink your teeth into this

For far too long still are you teething, for

Waiting long stale rotten food goes amiss.

Still you require a spoon-feed mentor!

The Word must be chewed for all its pleasure;

No sipping or slurping as if a child.

Righteousness calls for skill to good treasure,

Shun evil: master all basics compiled.

Only a grown-up can discern the chew,

Trained to split right and wrong in all they view.

The Gospel is Like Prunes

2016-10-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

Originally posted at Calvin Chimes as Activist Michelle Higgins explains “Why Black Lives Matter” at Unlearn event

The activist must face the cost of standing up for justice. One UnLearn 365 speaker, Michelle Higgins, knows this intimately.

As frank as UnLearn 365 is, one of the most straightforward questions asked was, “Why do black lives matter?” At her session titled “Why Black Lives Matter,” Michelle Higgins answered point-blank. St. Louis–based worship leader and #BlackLivesMatter activist, Higgins was scheduled to speak in the Meeter Lecture Center Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 12, but was moved to the CFAC Recital Hall to accommodate a full house and the big screen. Higgins called in via Skype and began by sharing why she was unable to attend in person. At the airport, she had been detained on suspicion of being a terrorist carrying a biological weapon. Although she worked to remain civil to the officials, she made clear that being an activist, much like an Old Testament prophet, has a cost. Yet, no matter the cost, she said, the work is important.

The work Higgins referred to is the fight for racial justice. As she began her talk, she directly answered the question on every mind: Black lives matter because every life matters to God. And every life should matter to us. However, she cautioned us against replacing #BlackLivesMatter with #AllLivesMatter. It is clear that in our nation, she explained, we don’t treat all lives as equal. Skin color has morphed from being a descriptor to a determiner of value. “God made me a black person!” she exclaimed.

We live in fear, Higgins said, and because of our fear, we dehumanize others. Instead of following God’s mandate to subdue the earth, we subdue each other. This pattern of domination is directly opposed to the Gospel.

Offering a solution, Higgins distinguished between activism aimed solely at human flourishing and Gospel-informed activism. The Gospel is a message of hope that addresses the body, mind and soul.

When asked what is wrong with the American church, she used the phrase “rugged individualism.” We each like our own personal security and aren’t willing to love others if it means stepping out of our comfort zones. We would rather be suspicious of stereotyped groups than vulnerably love them. Higgins referred to this as “sacrificing black bodies to our paranoia.” As counter-cultural as it is, she said we must be willing to engage both those who are thankful for our work and those who fight against us. Using very biblical language, Higgins frequently pointed back to Christ’s radical commands to love, no matter the cost.

The facilitator asked Higgins how her work as a worship pastor connects to her work as an activist. In response, she explained how worship disarms us of our fears and allows us to pay the cost of love. Coming to a place of worship forces us to let go of the control we think we have. Sometimes, she said, we are so “constipated” on ourselves we need a Gospel that is like prune baby food. Liberated from fear, we are equipped to testify.

Near the end of her talk, in the midst of technical difficulties with Skype, Higgins was able to answer some questions from the audience. Students were genuinely interested in how to practically engage with this issue.

Higgins offered talking points and tips on how to engage in an emotionally-charged Thanksgiving dinner conversations with family and how white people can humbly enter as allies. Our job as Christ-followers, she said, is not to argue our point, but first to die to our own paranoia and then help those around us do the same. Only after we undergo self-purification can we lovingly approach others. It all starts with “un-constipating” ourselves of arrogance and fear — thankfully the Gospel is like prunes.

Fresh-faced 18.

2016-10-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

First car, first girlfriend.

Two years ago.

Thirty weeks since diagnosis.

Fourth job, finally big-boy.

Five basement-rental family members.

6 months until breakup.

$500 for a dying car.

4 more house dwellings.

3-ish crushes since.

2 exact years on the job.

1 me still same | so distant.

Mini Golfing

2016-08-17T20:20:00.002-04:00

Mini golf is the great equaliser: no one is good at it and everyone is bad. It breaks the tension, diverts the focus, creates a third entity. A few years ago when facing a difficult conversation, I received advice to approach it as a story outside us both.

"So, hypothetically, the knight is really trying to help the fair maiden, but he now sees why the maiden could have misunderstood his motives. If the fair maiden discovered his true intentions, how do you think she would respond?"

Tension between two poles is broken when the third entity is introduced, not by distracting from the pressure, but by creating a common ground to focus on issues that actually matter. One person's hobby or a coffee shoppe the other frequents would never suffice as well. Mini golfing can be such a common ground, outside the norm of both characters, a tie-breaker, if you will. And I will.

The short clubs and multi-coloured dimpled spheres are tools of restoration, even in the uncertainty that there ever was an ideal state to restore to. Hole after hole, goofy strokes and green carpet sloping wickedly toward water. A hole-in-six feels just as good as a hole-in-one with new-found old friends. Uncertain expectations give way to a little thing we call Hope.

God Created Men

2016-05-05T01:16:00.001-04:00

The content of this post was originally taught as a lesson to 6th Graders, the first half of a two-part co-teaching.

***

In 1862, Victor Hugo published a massive, epic book titled Les Misérables. The story takes places over the course of decades and follows the lives of many characters. One of my favourite threads woven into the masterpiece is the story of a man named "Jean Valjean", a good French name.

Read more »

Comic Book Movies

2015-09-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

I have consumed so much creative content lately, I need to produce some. For example, yesterday, I finished an audiobook while watching a movie (don't worry, the film was dialogue-less). Last evening I read three comic books while watching a movie based on comic books. While it may be argued that to truly appreciate each unit of art, I should spend more time devoted to each, my philosophy of speed-reading applies across the forms of media. Take what you need and move on.

A few months back, I met Jordan and decided I wanted to get to know him. All I knew about his was he is into comic books, so I said, "Jordan, introduce me to comics." Unlike any other medium I've seen, graphic novels manage to combine the strengths of many art forms. The written word meets visuals meets film-like frame-to-frame movement. I am fascinated by techniques used to tell the story and direct your eye.

"The medium is the message": different art forms allow you to tell different stories. Logically, Marvel comics were my gateway drugs, since I am familiar with the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). I continued on to other adaptations of familiar book/film/television stories and vice versa. Although I have found some graphic novel-only stories I enjoy, I still like to watch the same story become different stories across multiple media.

Some movies are said to have the "comic book feel". I'm still trying to put my finger on what exactly causes that. It's probably a combination of the visuals, the pacing, camera angles/styles, and character development. Notable examples include: Marvel and DC superhero films, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Hellboy (I and II), and Kingsman: The Secret Service. Each is unique in its tone, yet very much a "comic book movie".

I'm excited to continue to explore different art forms, especially where they intersect with each other.

The Artist

2015-07-24T12:51:00.001-04:00

Art is a lifestyle. Therefore, an Artist is more than simply a person who does the act of creating art. An Artist is a special type of person. I often think of "artsy" simply as a sort of person who draws or crafts, but the Artist is both scientific and artistic. The Artist knows their craft and medium (scientist) and uses it well (artist).

Personally, I know many Artists. One in particular is my friend Nathan. I highly respect Nathan's life and art. Despite financial and logistical boundaries, he continues to create great art. As he is continuing to hone his craft, he is picking more and more knowledge. He knows more about cameras and lenses then I'll ever know. I am always stunned by his attention to detail when I think it looks or sounds "good enough".

I have been blessed to be a part of his recent production, Flipped Justice: Until Vengeance, the second in a trilogy of short films. Let me tell you, behind the scenes Nathan has put in many hundreds of hours into creating details I didn't notice until he pointed them out. This has been a film over a year in the making.

More than his filmmaking, Nathan is a brilliant guy. The very way he interacts with people and cares shows how he is an Artist. Come to think of it, that is a great definition: the Artist is someone who cares. Nathan cares about people, cares about creating beautiful things, and cares about serving his God. That is why I am proud to call Nathan my friend.

Go ahead and enjoy his art. May it inspire you to become an Artist yourself.

Add that to my growing list of life experiences.

2015-04-21T10:15:00.000-04:00

Looking back, I could have made different decisions. If I could have seen back then what is now, I might have. It's almost humorous how much I poured into it, now with no hope of any return.
Read more »

I Have a Dream...

2015-03-21T22:46:00.001-04:00

I tend to avoid both optimism and pessimism and instead strive for realism. Often, that realism can be interpreted as pessimism when the reality seems negative. And yet.

And yet, like C.S. Lewis' character Puddleglum, I must believe there is Hope.

“Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things--trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia."

Even if the sun and Aslan are just figments of my imagination, I must believe they are real, or else, without that Hope, what is the purpose of life? I must believe that my life is continually going uphill: each month is better than the last, each year better than the past. I live in the Hope that life is getting better, that there is something better than this.

I am in a season of life where I have the excitement of exploring new experiences, being in love, and dreaming what I want to do. Life seems so wide open in front of me, like anything is possible. I feel like it is all up to me, who I want to be. And yet.

And yet I live in a world that is collapsing more and more the farther from the Fall we get. The older I get, the more I realise the Brokenness in the world, in my own life. I hear the voice of older, wiser people telling me:

"Soon, it won't be all new and exciting. Soon, you'll "settle in" to a humdrum life. Soon, you'll realise life happens to you instead of the other way around and you'll accept your fate. Just wait until the honeymoon wears off. Just wait until the reality of life sets in. Just wait until you get married and it's not at all what you expected. Just wait until you have kids and they're running around throwing up on the furniture. Just wait until you turn 30 and that decade seems harder than your 20s. Just wait until the car breaks down at just when the money isn't in the checking account. Just wait until you lose your job and nothing seems to work. Just wait until your wife, co-workers, and friends all seem to be fed up with you. Just wait until your Christian life goes from easy to hard to impossible. Then your dreams will be disillusioned. You'll be forced to choose to rest in God or rely on yourself."

I've faced enough of the Brokenness of life already to see that it all forces me to God, and that's all good. But should I therefore live my life until then expecting the worst to happen and setting my expectations so low I'm not disillusioned? I argue that even if life will "get real" someday, where I'm at today is exactly where I need to be. Even if I will feel more pain later, that must not hold me back from living and dreaming now. Even if I will soon face that reality of life, this reality of joy is no less real.

In fact, our generation must keep dreaming today, or else who will see the dreams? I may someday see how much of life happens outside of my control, but for now, I'll live in my own agency. I may never reach my dreams, but I will get a whole lot closer if I dream them than if I just let life take me. <insert cheesy quote:>

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.- Norman Vincent Peale

How to change an organisation:

2015-02-15T20:12:00.000-05:00

(Since organisations are made up of individual people and cultures are made up of individual beliefs.)

(1) Be an upperclassman/woman.
(2) Create a good culture.
(3) Invite the underclassmen/women into the culture.
(4) Make the underclasspeople assume that has been the culture forever.
(5) They will pass the culture on to the next generation after you are gone.

Completion

2014-12-28T13:54:00.000-05:00

Christian disclaimer: I am completed in Christ alone.

I am not "completed" by any human, but being a part of a team is beyond amazing. No person shall be the centre of my life, but life should be others-centred. I am a whole and complete person in God, but there is nothing like having another friend so close. So close distance hurts. So close they see your flaws before you do. The Bible says two are better than one, to see each others' blind spots. To balance each other out. To be a team.

Plus, it's so fun!

Knowledge and Veils

2014-12-13T01:05:00.002-05:00

At the very beginning of the Bible, it says that Adam knew his wife, and she gave birth to their sons. The word know means experiencing intimacy, not just knowing facts. With that in mind, let us commence:

It took me a while to understood the image of a bride wearing a veil. Why would a man marry a woman who was symbolically hidden? Wouldn't you want to know who you are marrying before you step into that commitment? Yet, we have to make promises all the time without fully knowing what we're signing up for. You can prepare as much as you can, but there comes a point of faith.

Read more »

"Normal"

2014-12-06T20:00:00.000-05:00

Our perspective from within the Normal can't gauge well.

Normal is relative. We know this to be true. While I was in Mexico, a lot of things were out of my Normal. But I didn't want to go all tourist and snap pictures left and right. I realised: to the natives, this all was normal. After I came back from that trip, I gazed around in awe at the USA, what had once been normal to me. The friend who picked me up at the airport didn't see what I saw.

It's all relative.
Read more »

My Arrogance is Constantly Being Revealed

2014-12-06T01:29:00.002-05:00

The other day I found a pair of work jeans in my possession that I hadn't used in a while, so I wore them to work. These jeans had splotches of yellow paint on them. When I was in Mexico, our team painted the porch yellow.

I realised part way through the day: when I put those pants on in the morning, I had sub-consciously hoped everyone around me would realise the yellow pain was from Mexico and be amazed I went to Mexico.

I mean, really?! It's as stupid as it sounds. I started off a day expecting others to think I am amazing. And how on earth were they supposed to know all that about me from paint spots on my jeans?

Seriously, Pete: life is not about you.

Thanks for your patience, unresponsive world.

2014-12-03T23:55:00.001-05:00

Have you ever been utterly silenced when you realise your immense inadequacy, ignorance, and arrogance?

Shut up when you see you know nothing about anything at all like you thought?

Hit with the brick wall of realisation that you're not who you thought you were, and neither are others?

Thus: my lack of blogposts in the past months.

These are not bad things. I'm learning so much once I get over myself and admit I have learning to do.

I've been told your Greatest Day is the day you see yourself for who you really are. That means both your Brokenness in and of yourself and God's Grace that you are no longer that man.

I used to hope that someday I'd have a magically life-altering come-to-Jesus sort of Greatest Day. But I've been having so many Greatest Days over these past few months. So apparently it's a lifestyle, not an event.

The Realisation is no fun, but neither is the Repenting, because that includes admitting I'm wrong, and that means sacrificing my arrogance.

But I'm learning.

#CeliacAwarenessDay

2014-09-13T21:19:00.000-04:00

Since today is #CeliacAwarenessDay, I figured I'd make y'all aware of Celiac.

When I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, I had a bunch of blood work done and they found red flags for Celiac. But in order to confirm it, I had to have a doctor send a camera down into my guts and scrape a little skin to test. Sure enough, it was bad enough they diagnosed me with Celiac on the spot and called a few days later with the test results (I was a 3 out of 4 on the Marsh Scale). This is not just a gluten allergy--Celiac Disease is much more critical. In the two months since I've been diagnosed, it's been interesting to learn what foods do and don't have gluten in them, and what other things to be aware of, like chapstick.

Celiac Disease is an auto-immune disease, meaning that when I eat gluten, my body starts attacking itself. There are a lot of various symptoms of Celiac, because the systems of the body are so interconnected. In addition to the exterior symptoms, major trauma is happening on the inside. If I kept eating gluten, eventually the insides of my intestines would no longer be able to absorb nutrients and I would essentially starve to death. Since dying is not my first option, the only solution is to avoid all forms of gluten in my diet.

For those of you who don't understand what gluten is, it's a protein found in some grains: namely wheat, rye, barley, and triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye most people haven't heard of). Also, even oats manufactured on separate machines and certified Gluten-Free contain a protein similar to gluten that causes similar issues in people with Celiac. Maintaining a Gluten-Free diet consists of more than not eating bread or barley soup. It means avoiding all matter of cross-contamination.

To give to a little context, doctors around the world have decided people with Celiac Disease can ingest up to 10 milligrams of gluten per day without ill effects: a crumb of bread has 30 milligrams of gluten in it. To avoid cross-contamination, I have to extremely clean my dishes (metal and glass are easier to clean); I can't share serving utensils; and I can't high-five someone who has touched bread, then pick up an apple to eat. You can imagine this makes eating out extremely difficult. Whenever someone else prepares food for me, whether at a restaurant or a friend's house, I have to trust them with my life.

Lucky for me, I live in an age where GF is a priority to food manufacturers. Just last month, a ruling by the FDA went into effect mandating that in order to label a food as Gluten-Free, it must contain less than 20 PPM (parts per million) of gluten. That is about 1/8th of a teaspoon in a loaf of bread. However, in my experience, even though there are a ton of packaged Gluten-Free food options, the best GF foods are things that are naturally Gluten-Free. Fruit, meat, and potatoes make up a goodly portion of my diet. Plus, anytime my family and I can eat the same foods, it makes me feel a lot less of an outsider.

Celiac Disease is a chronic illness, and although avoiding gluten is a solution, there is no known cure. Unlike an allergy, you can't "grow out" of it. Celiac is highly genetic, so having family members with it highly raises the likelihood of you having it. Whether you have family with Celiac or not, I recommend everyone be tested. The estimations for people who have undiagnosed Celiac are astounding (83% of people with Celiac don't know it), mainly because the symptoms are so diverse and often misleading. In addition, I've heard people say our bodies weren't created to digest grains anyway, so there's no harm in modifying your diet anyway.

Gluten-Free is the way to be!

To read one of my favourite perspectives on the disease, go to: http://mylifewithfoodallergies.com/index/5-lies-celiacs-tell/

"Life is Weird."

2014-09-03T16:49:00.000-04:00

That's something a friend of mine said recently. And I completely agree.

Next week I'll officially be an adult, but I've been out of school for a few months now. Life is good, and I usually feel like I'm headed somewhere, but life is weird. Making decisions that truly impact the rest of your life is weird. You're Playing With the Big Boys Now from Prince of Egypt is running through my mind.

Making slow progress is weird. I've been living by the phrase "patient initiative" lately. I'm trying to be content where I am, but I'm also taking responsibility for moving one step at a time. The problem with long-term thinking is there's a lot of short-term living between here and there.

I've discovered that my love for the written word extends beyond creating writing. I immensely enjoy refining text into publishable pages. That's why I'm hoping to head toward the publishing world. Proofreading and typesetting fascinate me, and I want to learn more about them. The freelance life is weird.

Diseases are weird. In the five months I've had Diabetes, I've certainly adjusted. I'm excited to get better equipment that will help me be healthier, but for now I'm doing well with what I have. I have recently been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, as well, so it has been exciting being able to create my own diet. Different people deal with having these diseases differently, but right now I personally have no qualms calling myself a Diabetic Celiac--because I readily admit these two things are daily issues that define how I live my life. They do not define me, but they define my life.

Being an adult is weird in so many different ways, but I'm learning to live in the tension. Part of me keeps begging to go back to the good ol' "care-free" days. The funny thing is, looking back from this perspective, I'm sure it seems more care-free than it was in the moment. Truly, I cannot go back, so I'm living where I'm at.

"Life is Hard."

2014-09-03T16:41:00.000-04:00

My life is pretty hard. Now, in one sense, I don't think I've been through a lot of big tough things. Neither do I claim to have it as hard as Joe Schmo over there. Who can compare pain, being such a personal experience?

Read more »

Ahh, Summer

2014-07-10T01:21:00.001-04:00

Summer has always been a time of growth and learning for me, and this summer had been no exception. Yet, it has felt like less of me learning new things and more of me living what I know.

For starters, I live with a chronic illness; everyday; and it won't go away (thus the name: chronic). It's a living picture of sin, how it nags, it lives with me. It takes effort to care for it; sometimes I have to take care of myself before I can care for others. Yet I can't take care of it on my own. Some days are easier, some are harder. Some days I'm more healthy than others. Even on those bad days, I know I'm forgiven and it won't ruin my life forever. Yet the long-term choices I make and the way I live day-to-day determines my future health. Quite honestly, I could die any day. But, quite honestly, that would still be true if I were perfectly healthy. My Diabetes is getting more managable, but it's still a big part of my life.

Another thing I've experienced is community. One community I love is my team (I'm a camp counselor). I've had this week off work, and I can't wait to get back to my team. They truly are a community of Grace. The other community I love resides in our hearts as Operation Neverland. Whenever I'm around these friends, I feel completely free. I wish there were some way I could share that feeling, but words are inadequate. (For a great attempt, read this: http://clairemdb.tumblr.com/post/91075267966/dear-humanity.) I am learning to accept love and give it. Humility isn't about hiding from attention and love or feeling obligated to return it. Humility is truly loving one another. I've been getting tastes of Shalom.

Speaking of Shalom, I've finally been introduced to Redemption in person, and it's a wonderful experience. I don't know if I'll ever truly understand the significance of that encounter. It's a step on the journey.

I'm still on my journey to adulthood, and some days I actually feel a little closer. I have a meagre few months left as a 17-year-old, yet I don't necessarily feel closer to figuring out what I'm doing with the rest of my life. I've seen more and more potential possibilities, but not many more actual options. By being treated as an adult and being trusted with responsibility, I've learned who I am and what I want to do with my life, but that whole money thing still confuses me... The idea of living in a commune keeps getting more and more appealing.

I feel like I've figured out my life a little bit more as I've written this. Shout out to my two faithful readers: thanks for letting me share this with you. I need to share it somehow, and it's all psychological anyhow, right?

Advice and Hobbies

2014-05-09T16:19:00.002-04:00

My advice: if you go on a mission trip, two weeks is a good max. Just long enough to enjoy the fun of a foreign country and be able to see the impact you're making for Christ. Much longer and you start to get into a routine and see the ugly side of missions work. My first week in Mexico, I knew it was all fun and games: going out to eat often, touring the big city nearby, etc. I was scared of what the normal routine was, because I knew I'd get to see some uglier stuff. The third week I was there, I said to myself: "If I went home now, I would have all these nice memories, but if I stay longer, who knows what'll happen."

Yes, I did see the other side of mission work--the Devil does all he can to stop the Love of Christ from being shared throughout the world. But the longer I was there, the deeper relationships I grew with the kids and staff. The more I got into the somewhat boring routine, the more I appreciated how God was using the people down there. I was planning on being there for ten weeks, but ended up coming home after six--and my last week was swiss-cheesed by emergency room visits.

If you want to pick up an expensive hobby, I recommend Diabetes. Blood sugar tester, test strips, lancets, insulin, needles, and an emergency supply of sugar. Take the number of doctor visits you currently have, and multiply it by five. Take the number of times per day you give yourself shots and multiply that as well. Now, take the total amount of time you spend preparing food, and multiply that by 10. And even though putting coins in the parking meter only takes ten seconds, you spend the next three hours worrying about when your time runs out.

Now, if you're looking for a cheaper hobby, I recently officially picked up laughter as a hobby. I have always enjoyed laughing, even though I don't like the sound of my own laughter. I figure: when life throws stuff like Diabetes at you, you can either laugh or cry, and laughing hurts less. Now, this is a tricky one, since there are times that crying is a good thing and laughter is just one way I ignore the pain. It's healthy to acknowledge how broken my life is, and mourn that.

I did truly have a wonderful time in Mexico, but it's hard to explain more than that. It was hot and dry. I worked hard. Yes, I learned some Spanish and got really good at converting dollars to pesos. I ate amazing food like fresh tortillas and frijoles and fruit. Yes, I wish I could have stayed much longer. I'm gonna go back someday.

Explanation: Lack of Pictures

2014-04-06T23:16:00.001-04:00

I left home a month ago (already!), and I have taken barely any pictures. It was nice to have other team-members around the first week to take pictures for me, but since then...I haven't taken pictures. So now I'd like to explain why that is.

(1) Primarily, I hate being a tourist. I don't want to walk around with my camera like a clueless tourist. Tourism is a pet peeve of mine...
(2) Actually carrying my camera (iPhone 3GS) around isn't practical. Working out in dusty fields, hauling concrete, etc. isn't a great environment for the device. And even when I'm around the main compound, I rarely feel like having my camera on my person. I'd rather enjoy the moment than record it.
(3) Whether recording moments for posterity or to share with friends, pictures (and even video) are woefully inadequate. You truly have to be here to believe it. This is a weak reason, because my photos could whet your appetite to make you want to come experience it here. But in my mind, it's a good enough reason.
(4) Usually, moments I think worth recording with photography are abnormal events: birthdays, vacations, etc. Even in the course of a month, what was once abnormal to me in Mexico has become normal. It's normal to ride in the back to the pickup and nudge cows out of the way with the truck, to make enchiladas and cut avocados, to walk down the road to buy Coke. The only reason I'd share things that used to be abnormal to me is to brag to you, so that doesn't seem worth it to me.
(5) When taking pictures of people and their homes, I'm wary of privacy. I live at a casa hogar, a children's shelter, so I want to be especially careful sharing online about the kids that have come from rough backgrounds. But even aside from that, if a foreigner barged in on your home and started snapping pictures because they thought your U.S. architecture was cool...you may rightly be creeped out.

So here are five reasons I haven't taken many pictures. Actually, let's just call them excuses. Here are my five excuses why I haven't shared many pictures with you. I really am sorry.

Thoughts on Language

2014-03-23T19:25:00.001-04:00

Hello again from Mexico! I've been here for two weeks now, and I have much to share. But I've found it very difficult to wrap it up in a package I can send you. I used to think "You had to be there" was just a throw-away phrase, but that's what it's come down to. I like words, how we use them, what they stand for. So it was a bit of a stretch for me to share pictures last week, but that's what I had to do to give you a window into where I am, and prove it's all real. If someone told me they had done all the stuff I've been doing, I'm not sure I would believe them. Part of the natural human instinct in enjoyment is to share, to prove to others that it's real, and language is one of the chief ways we share.

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Mexico: Week One

2014-03-16T18:30:00.000-04:00

Much has happened in the past week. I can hardly believe it has been only a week. Last Thursday my parents dropped me off in Grand Rapids and I gallivanted all around the city. Saturday, I flew for the first time since I was 3, and stood on foreign soil for the first time (since good ol' Canadia doesn't really count...). The flights went well, and I really enjoyed the experience. Ever since then, I have done so many things, just for the experience. This past week, I have been with a team from Blythefield, but they left early Saturday morning.

The team on our tour of downtown Guadelajara

Last Sunday and this morning, we went to church in Guadelajara, and I picked up so much Spanish just by listening to the sermon. Between what I knew, what I could guess, and what I recignised, I could gather enough to know what he was talking about, but not what he was saying about it. Something about Abraham, and something being the same as something else, and such. As we drove between the big city and the village of Camichines, I read every sign I could see. The "Reductor de velocidad" sign made me chuckle; apparently speed bumps are velocity reducers. It is easier to learn words in context, instead of just memorising their meanings.

Orange juice

During the week, I helped make fresh jugo de naranja (orange juice), ate the best tortillas, and went out for tortas at a food stand in a neighbouring village twice. La comida es muy, muy bueno. So...I've drank a lot of coffee so far, because it is a cultural thing, not because I like it. I also took Communion with real wine for the first time (tasted like vinegar). Frothed chocolate milk with cinnamon and glass bottle Coke are also high on my list of favourite things to drink.

At the little snack shop down the street

Mexico time is very different from American time. In the US, we always want more, more. We hoard more stuff and demand we get more done in the time we have. Instead of doing, Mexicans focus on being. Earlier this week, five of us guys went to pick up a machine for the corn. We thought we'd just pick it up and bring it back, but we stood around for almost a half hour, sharing glasses of Pepsi and listening to stories being told in Spanish. We came to find out it only took two of us to drag the machine, so it wasn't a very efficient use of five guys. Yet in the inefficiency, there is efficiency. I really enjoy learning about the self-sustainability of crops and animals. Even the way they build down here amazes me.

Brick laying

I have often wished to extend the length of summer. Well, now I have my chance at 6 months of summer, including the allergies and sunburn. But I'm not complaining, since there is no snow in sight! I haven't seen any tarantulas yet, but I have seen many scorpions. Scorpions are like bees and wasps: you know they're there, but you don't live your life in fear of them. Most of those scorpions were hiding in the brick pile we moved up to the roof. Brick-throwing should be an Olympic sport. The bricks break pretty easily if you drop them, because they are made from porous volcanic rock.

Outside my bedroom door

Well, there is so much more to say about the mountains, the people, the tortillas, the language, the culture, converting to pesos and kilometers and litres, etc., but this wraps up week one. Week two will be a new challenge because the team I came with left yesterday. Now I'm trying to get comfortable in a house that's not my own. I have so many highlights from the past week like the mariachi dance at the restaurant and the key engraver, but I still find it hard to believe it's all real. I have met so many amazing people and had so many conversations I didn't believe were real.