Tuesday, November 29, 2005

I am no movie expert

I must say that I was quite impressed with the new Pride and Prejudice. I will not reveal all that is great about it for those of you who have not been so fortunate as to see it already. However, i do say that it is worth your $7.50 to see it in the theater. Now I am always good for a love story, if you did not know so already. To some of you this is not new,so it will not be a suprise that I loved it so. Since I can not reveal the story as I would like, I will say that it did as it always does, made me love and hate that I saw it all at the same time. That is all.

Monday, November 28, 2005

Fall Fun on the Farm









Those of you who have never been on the Kitchens' farm do not know what you are missing. God's beauty is clearly displayed all around you, you can't miss it and you have to appreciate it. I guess for me it has extra special meaning as I can't remember a summer without roaming the hills. We don't get to go out there much anymore, it just doesn't really work out for multiple reasons. however we do have our church fall festival down there (as you see in the pictures). it is probably my favorite church activity that we do all year. We have sooo much fun. As you can see we can be pretty silly together. And that too is what I love. I love silliness (as if you didn't know that about me) but really i do. And I love my church family for being silly with me. 3 cheers for silliness.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

A Haiku

We watched a really touching show on the Dust Bowl in my U.S. History class yesterday. Survivors discussed their experiences, and the experiences of their parents, and I almost cried a time or two. Their stories were sad, but their strength and determination was encouraging. So was their trust in God. It didn't rain in the midwest for approximately 7 years! (And, I was quite fascinated that it was about 7 years.) Anyways, this haiku came to me today randomly.


Desolate, barren ground.
The wrath of God upon us.
Seven-year Dust Bowl.



So, there it is. I was moved to write a haiku based upon watching an educational show. I am such a nerd.

Monday, November 14, 2005

Who does that?



Ok, honestly who does this? yea that's right me and my 20 and 21 year old, junior in college friends. It is amazing how you can entertain yourself. People today really don't appreciate the fun and humor you can find in a giant wooden spoon. So here is the story, now you can appreciate and possibly this awesome story will inspire you to do something a little abnormal? but hilarious and fun today. This is us at the Starbucks drive in window. here the giant wooden spoon serves as an easy way to transfer our money into the hands of the Starbucks employee. At first I don't think she knew how to respond to the spoon but she warmed up and put my drink onto the spoon. By this time we are dying out laughing along with her and most of the other starbucks employees who decided to come take a look at all the silliness. Now just think..we caused not only ourselves to smile but also 3 to 4 other people all with a giant wooden spoon. So please participate in some silliness today no matter how old you may be and then share the story with me. peace

Thursday, November 10, 2005

A Very Silly Ode

Ode to Procrastinate
When a test is only hours away
and yet you can't quite bring yourself
to...oh...oh it hurts to say

That's right to study
in such moments as these
you are so tempted to quit
and just accept that B

So holla to my homies
who feel the same way as I
and will not cannot study
when the sun is in the sky

Yea, silly i know but i made it up in 3 min. so that's pretty good. Peace

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

"We are passing away..."

Dear friends, this post will be somewhat more somber than my others. I sent out a prayer request sometime in late August, I believe, asking prayer for a friend from high school, Laura Wallace. Shortly after we graduated high school, it was discovered that she had a cancerous brain tumor. She underwent treatment, and as of last fall/spring, the tumor had shrank considerably...in fact, it almost wasn't there, I think. She was going to begin college this fall at The University of Alabama. However, in August I spoke with her, and the cancer was back. This past Tuesday, Laura went home to be with the Lord.

It was a shock to many of us. We knew things didn't look very good, but we assumed, and hoped, we had more time. Her family took her to the hospital over the weekend, and they began a morphine drip. I spoke with Laura Jackson, another good friend from high school, on Tuesday, and she said that Laura's family said, She looked up, smiled, and then she passed away. I think she got a glimpse of what was to come... :-)

Please pray for Laura's family in the days and weeks to come. They have fought a long, tough battle. Laura was such a happy person. Before the cancer, she had long, beautiful, brown hair. Even after her treatments left her bald, she remained upbeat and positive. Even joked about it.

And, I encourage you to take the time to visit or call your friends. You never know when you might not be able to again. After weak attempts and pathetic excuses, I hope I do much better in days to come.


Sweet to rejoice in lively hope,
That when my change shall come,
Angels will hover 'round my bed
And waft my spirit home.

There shall my disembodied soul
View Jesus and adore,
Be with his likeness satisfied,
And grieve and sin no more.

Shall see him wear that very flesh
On which my guilt was lain,
His love intense, His merit fresh,
As though but newly slain.

If such the views which grace unfold,
Weak as it is below,
What rapture must the church above
In Jesus' presence know!

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Deep, deep hole

While walking today across campus, I thought randomly about supposed "bottomless pits" on earth (not the bottomless pit that Satan will be hurled into one day). If you don't know what I'm talking about...I was imagining the bottomless pit in the movie Tom and Huck, starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Brad Renfro. I have a few comments on this...

First, raging hot lava is found the closer towards the center of the earth that you go. So, for all other comments to be made, we have to assume that no lava is found at the center of the earth.

Second, without lava, a bottomless pit would reach all the way to the other side of the earth eventually. And, if there is just one giant hole in the earth from one side to the other, how does gravity work, if someone were to fall inside this pit? Would he or she hang suspended in the middle, gravity on one side of the earth forcing them one way, and gravity from the other side forcing them the other way? (So, putting lava back in the picture, would it hang suspended as well?)

Hmm...what do you think of these random thoughts?

Random Pics that are AWESOME!





Ode to a night of taking pictures. Pictures are so much fun and it is so much fun to sit around and think of silly things to do so that you might catch them in a picture.

Also, I was a California Raisin for Halloween and many have enjoyed this picture already so I thought I would further share it.

So to sum these up, there is the raisin, my friend Steverson as a human bowling ball, and well we don't know how to explain the other, its just awesome.

Take time to Enjoy the Simple

The weather has been amazing. True fall weather in November is hard to come by and yet blue skys and perfect temperature are with us this week. This has inspired me to spend a good part of my time outside doing anything but studying. Yesterday I found myself outside on Samford lawn just hanging out with friends and throwing the football. I've actually gotten to where I can spiral the ball almost every time I throw and my catching is improving. However my coach (chris) has informed me that I need a lot of help on my three point stance. He tells me this after I end up face down on the ground from him taking my arm out from underneath me. But don't be fooled, my improvement has come from numerous drills ( I don't lie) such as pole drills (scary having the ball thrown at you standing behind a pole). Anyways, to my point. I feel it refreshes me to be outside just having fun. It is such a simple activity. Everyone has things going on, things that need to be done now and right now. I definitely understand this I assure you. However, I can also assure you that if you will just take a little time to yourself (preferably outside enjoying this beautiful weather God has blessed us with) all of the other things that seem so stressful and time demanding will be so much easier for you to handle. I have found that I enjoy God so much in nature and in the simple things like hanging out with friends and throwing the football. I need that, I want that and I am thankful for it. What simple things do you notice God in today?

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Be joyful!

Today I awoke with a particular song in my head. I sang it in the shower, at random times walking to class, etc. Great song, and I haven't sung it in a while.

Oh be joyful, oh be jubiliant!
Put your sorrows far away!
Come rejoice and sing together this holy day!

Oh be joyful!
Oh be joyful on this day!

Oh be joyful!
Oh be joyful!
Oh be joyful, put your sorrows away!


It certainly deserves the exclamations. What a happy song. I couldn't help but be...well, joyful! I only wish some of you could come to Tuscaloosa and sing it in rounds with me. :-)