super confused

now THIS is the level of prankage that I would love to achieve

winning moments

here's some winning moments from the past week (or so)

-clearance rack @ Target! found 2 incredible t-shirts for cheap. i'd post pictures if i could find any online... or if i had a camera on hand to take pictures of the shirts. maybe later...

-saw Matt Wiggins! missing seeing faces from back home, so it was good to see him on his way back to school in TN

-clearance rack @ Old Navy! (sorry, i've held off shopping ever since getting to Lynchburg... so i splurged a little). apparently they had exclusive shirts to celebrate Marvel's 70th anniversary, so i of course bought the Spider Man one off the bargain rack. It's also one of those 50%cotton/50%polyester shirts.... soooo soft

-Bill Murray's cameo in Zombieland. Quite hilarious. Also the new Regal theater here in town is ridiculously nice. Plush seats that recline?? I'm a fan.

-the weather! sunny & 70ish degrees for several days in a row. couldn't ask for better.

-internet/satellite tv @ the crib here in Lynchburg. significantly less time in the c-lab on campus! although I kinda miss the weird moments & encounters... but not too much.

beyonce baby's older brother?

pillar of fire

I'm reading in Isaiah for my devotional/quiet times. It's already quite the experience, due to the higher amount of reading I've done in the New Testament lately (I'm taking a New Testament Survey class here @ LU). I love how different ideas, lessons, and imagery can strike you when you re-read a passage... many times it's something you've known and read multiple times, but didn't see a particular side of it until coming back to it later in life. Often times it's because we aren't dealing with that particular issues, or can't really relate at that time in our lives. I was reading Chapter 4 last night, and it just really stuck out to me how completely mind-blowing & amazing it must have been to have God so visibly active in the lives of His people.

"Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion 1 and over its convocations a cloud and smoke by day and a bright flame of fire by night; 2 indeed a canopy will accompany the Lord’s glorious presence." Isaiah 4:5

I can only imagine what it must have been like... to just look up and see a massive cloud canopy during the day, and a bright pillar of fire at night.... just knowing that God is right there looking over you in love & protection. So often in this day & age, people claim disbelief or uncertainty because they can't "see" God. True, we aren't living under the God of the Old Testament... where He appeared to His people in burning bushes, or flooded the entire world, or countless other direct interactions of love (or wrath).... but that doesn't mean we can't "see" God anymore. Something as simple as watching a tree sway in the wind... watching a tremendous storm in the distance... sitting in the sand watching the waves crash upon the shore... being discipled or mentored (or just a conversation with someone close to you) and hearing exactly what you needed to hear... listening to a song and being deeply moved by the lyrics & accompanying music.... God is evident in all of those things, even if it's not a massive pillar of fire... signaling his divine presence. It's so easy to overcomplicate life and overlook how truly evident and involved God is in your everyday life... but just take a step back and look around you. All the negativity & sources of stress and worry are just boundaries & blockades to overcome, so we can grow stronger in Him and gain a deeper love & respect for who He is and what He's done and will do in our lives.

Just a thought. I think I'll go climb a tree today, take a deep breathe, and just thank Him for not giving up on me.

the little things in life

Every now and then... something comes along in your life that, once you experience, you can't imagine how you survived without. Here's a couple things that fall into that category for me.

-ranch dressing (.... just phenomenal)
-my iPod (especially while driving)
-the band Family Force 5 (speaking of which... they just released their Christmas album "the Family Force 5 Christmas Pageant"... glorious!)
-slip-on shoes (specifically Vans)
-texting (call it a disease.... but hey, i'm happily stricken with this particular bug)
-Vitamin Water (XXX Acai Blueberry Pomegranate all the waaaaay)

I could keep going, but you get the idea.

What are some things in your life that you can't even fathom living without now?

Also, I realize I had a dry-spell for awhile and probably lost some readers.... so c'mon now... take some of your precious internet time and leave a comment, so I know some of you (hopefully) stuck with me!

'tis appreciated. until next tiiiiime (no worries, it'll be soon)

counting down to another countdown

I've always been a fan of countdowns. Anything from holidays, to highly-anticipated concerts, to seeing someone special, to movie premieres, to album release from my favorite bands. Lately, I think I've been even more active with countdowns than ever before (blame falls completely on a certain Abby Brentner.... or new food selections @ Sheetz... or BOTH??)

So.... do YOU ever find yourself counting down to something you're excited about? If so, what's the most prominent one that sticks out in your mind? (or the most recent)

random blurbage! (10-4-09)

-t-minus 2ish days until I return to State College for my fall break! can't wait to spend more quality time w/ Abby. that Pixar coloring book is begging to be purchased, and Apples to Apples game-time is LONG overdue

-current music : Passion Pit (album: Manners); new music from the likes of Paramore, Relient K, and Muse

-experienced my first back-to-back weekends of college football! PSU/Iowa (i need a re-do, good weather AND a PSU victory) last weekend, and LU vs West VA Wesleyan (lol.... did they send a local high school team instead?)

-this video (http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2009/09/22) i'm a little behind on my viral videos, so i apologize if you've already seen that

-I'm currently in concert withdrawal, both from past shows I've missed recently... and shows I'm going to be missing soon. FamilyForce5 will cure that (hopefully that NC-trip works out)

-anybody seen the new NBC show Community?

-2 nights of LU-hockey this weekend, too! our team is undefeated. twas an epic thrashing of PSU's branch campus team, the PSU Berks. should've sent their main campus team (our rival). plenty of fights and fancy stick-work... good times

-joining a 2nd group of ult.frisbee players 2nite. gotta double up to get my frisbee fix each week... plus i miss playing @ night! should be interesting

-i've come to rely quite-a-bit on wifi hot-spots while here @ LU... specifically Moe's (great food adds to the experience). Campus internet is garbage, Panera's internet is about as reliable as a weatherman, and Barnes & Noble is hit-or-miss (plus you're not allowed to use their wall outlets)