I LOVE snow...

when it's in December-February.  I've had enough.

Since nothing interesting is happening in my actual life (not entirely true), I thought I'd tell you about my more interesting life of my dreams.  I was dreaming...

I was attending Midwinter Conference.  Midwinter Conference is a large gathering each year of Evangelical Covenant Church pastors. Usually this gathering is about 1,000 people.  This time, however, the denomination seemed to have grown exponentially, and we had to hold the main gathering service in the United Center in Chicago.  The arena was quickly filling up with close to 30,000 pastors, ministers, missionaries, ect.

I was excited to see such tremendous growth in one short year, so, when I spied Donn Engebretson, executive vice president of the evangelical covenant church of north america, I decided to say how impressed I was.  Donn, however, saw me first, came over, and stated how excited he was to hear my sermon.

I kind of laughed it off.  "Sermon," I said, "it's more like a quick devotional."  (You see, I had been contacted previously to give what I thought was a short devotional to a small "breakout" session.  I had been very busy and decided I could just "wing" my testimony.)  Donn seemed a bit shocked..."well, it is 45 minutes long.  You're giving the main sermon for the evening.  It starts in 15 minutes or so."

At this point, I begin to freak out.  I haven't thought of anything to say, let alone anything good to say.  My first thought is to find a Bible.  But, as luck would have it, in a room filled with 30,000 pastors, no one seemed to have a Bible.  So I'm rushing around, trying to find a Bible while the auditorium is filling up and the worship service begins.  All I manage to find is a Spanish Bible and figure, since I had two years of High School Spanish, it will have to do...

and then I wake up.  It was kind of disappointing.  I was interested to see what I would have preached on.

Blessed Lenten Season to you all...

I have decided, along with my roommate, to give up fast food.  This should be a bit of a stretch but, overall, an appropriate circumlocution.

I have been more mentally busy then anything, recently.  School is going well and, as of yet, not too overwhelming.  You read enough to get by and hope that everything else falls in place.  I am also talking with "people" about going "places" and doing "things" next year.  It is an exciting journey, but, again, emotionally exhausting.  Finally, First Cov.-last week I got to be in charge of the whole shin-dig, seeing both pastors were doing ministry stuff out of state.  I was tempted to finally impliment my vision of First Cov becoming a hip-hop church, but decided to give it another month or two-I feel we're well on our way already.

As many of you know, I have not posted primarily because I have been in a state of shock following the Bears painful loss.  For a month, now, I have been curled up in the fetal position, hugging the Bears' helmet and drinking rootbeer out of the Bear's cozy.  Nonetheless, I did many exciting things, including, but not limited to:

Jan 29th-School starts with a theological bang when it is revealed that all third year classes will be conducted in Latin.  Students take a sigh of relief because we don't have to brush up on our biblical Aramaic, like last year's class.

Feb. 2nd-In preperation for a trip to Denver for a pastor's conference, yours truly spends 3 hours in Dollar Rental Cars at O'Hare.  1 hour to pick up the car, 2 hours just enjoying the surroundings.

Feb. 3rd-I visit DesMoines IA, if driving 75mph by a city counts as visiting.

Feb 4th-Black Sunday-that of which we do not speak occurs.  I am saddened.

Feb3-9-Beautiful Denver CO.  Highlights include mountians, 60 degree weather and Steve C.

Feb 9th-I again visit DesMoines, this time stopping for gas.  For a minute I mistook it for Rockford, so glorious it was.

Feb 11-the shortest Church annual meeting in the history of the United States is recorded at Rockford First Covenant-54minutes.  Amazingly, this is just short of the world record-52minutes by St. Mary's Anglican Church in Dublin.

Feb 15-Old school IHOP run (ala 2005), not quite as old school as Denny's, but pretty close.

Feb 16-Coffee house, caffine, Dan B, kariokee and "Wind Beneath My Wings"-enough said.

Feb 17-Chicago Auto Show-I sin the sin of covetness.

Well, that  is life.  TTYL ryjo

Show me that smile, again...

Currently Reading The Jungle (Bantam Classics) By Upton Sinclair see related

I just got done playing basketball with High Schoolers.  You know you are old when you have to ice down your knees.

Every year I do a run down of my life, a year in review, if you will.  This year I thought it would be interesting to hypothesize that I did the opposite of everything which I did and see how things turn out.

The Opposite Year

January:  I begin the year in high spirits and stick to my New Years resolution with upmost rigor.  By the end of the month, I have lost 40 pounds, down to a slim 155.  Miraculously, all of this occurs while I also build tremendous amounts of muscle mass and continuing with my bachelor's diet of frozen pizza and ramen noodles.  My other resolution does equally well, as I had read every major work of every major author available in the English language by the middle of the month.

February:  Deciding to "live it up" during Valentine's Day, I go out to the fanciest restaurant in town, alone, followed by a nice movie and some dancing.  People, figuring my date left me, offer me loads of sympathy money.  I make $5,304.

March:  The relationship with my roommate turns sour, as I curse all forms of transportation of any kind, including walking.  "People are made to be where they are, if God would have wanted them to move, he would have given them legs!" I proclaim.  Enraged, my roommate, el Presidente of the Greater Rockford Transportation Coalition, unleashes all the fury at his disposal upon me.  I spend the rest of the year waiting on plane delays and in traffic jams.

April:  Deciding the Chicago Cubs are again doomed to finish last place in the division, I decide to cheer for the worst possible team in baseball: the Detroit Tigers.  I am pleasantly surprised at the result.

May:  A much awaited baseball trip with my good friends Ryan and Bob turns out to be a riot.  Instead of passively watching each game and enjoying my time, I decide to become incredibly involved and passionate about each game.  Storming the field after one particularly contentious call in the Toronto Blue Jays-Chicago White Sox game I end up spending the night in a Canadian jail.

June:  I realize my tan is not up to what it ought to be, so I start laying out.

July:  Bemoaning the lack of patriotism in America today, I decide to light myself up with fireworks and jump into the mighty Rock River during the finale of the annual fireworks display in Rockford IL.  Figuring me to be a terrorist, I end up spending the night in an American jail.

August:  My sister's wedding is a joyous time for all, especially when it comes to matchmaking for Ryan.  As, I eagerly await each relative's assessment of my dating life, I decide to take much of their critique to heart.  Yes, it is a shame I haven't found anyone yet.  Yes, I should give that Anderson-girl a call-after all she is back from school.  Yes, I shouldn't be disappointed, I'm sure Ms. Right is right around the corner (and I laugh at the pun). 

September:  I think my dreams have come true, when I realize I get to help four people move in two weeks, including myself.  Thinking it is such an amazing time, I volunteer to help as many people move as possible.  I end up moving myself four more times, just for the fun of it.   

October:  My new roommates Paul and Jake decide with me to remodel our apartment, seeing it was a bit "drab".  We choose the coordinating colors of deep burgundy and a sort of sand/tan.  Our redecoration of the living room area and foyer goes particularly well, as we set up some great ornamental wall hangings and candles which really accented the natural wood floors.  Paul, however, is completely distraught when he is unable to find a duvee to match his valance he got for a steal at Pier One.

November:  Finally deciding to speak my mind at Seminary, I finally muster up enough courage to ask why Joel Olsteen isn't required reading in ANY of the classes.  Realizing their horrible mistake, I am asked to leave the seminary.

December:  I readily embrace everything having to do with Christmas, particularly right after Thanksgiving.  Particularly exciting are the generic Christmas songs like:  Santa Claus is coming to Town and Frosty the Snow Man.  I listen to "My Grownup Christmas List" for two hours, straight.  I also purchase fourteen inflatable snowglobes to put in my front yard.  "Christmas is all about giving!" "And hope and peace and stuff!" I exclaim! "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

Happy New Years everyone, hope you have a great year.