Wednesday and Thursday in Chicago

Sorry for so much of the wait everyone! We had problems with our internet all day yesterday.

I am going to make this a short and sweet update because I am EXHAUSTED!

Wednesday morning we went to Chicagoland Community Church and visited pastor John. We spent the morning picking up all the trash around 3 of their city blocks. Needless to say, it was hard work. We completed the work and then went to see Wrigley Field, the home of the dirty Cubbies (I’m a St. Louis Cardinals fan… they didn’t like that) and ate lunch. We walked around Wrigleyville for about an hour and then went back to Maywood.

At Maywood we held our second day of our after school program. God had provided the soccer teams with a 3-3 tie the day before so the kids all showed up again and brought friends (yesss….) to finish us off. The Newchurch team held strong and we tied AGAIN, 2-2. It was a great game. We went inside for snacks and our lesson time. Austin Carter and Tucker Greenback taught the younger kids and Melissa Bursby, Guymon Bowens and Elizabeth Clowers taught the older students (Guymon wasn’t feeling very good that day AT ALL! She was a trooper, riding around with us and serving even though she felt horrible. Special blessings for her endurance!!).

We left Maywood and went to eat at Bodhi Thai in Berwyn. It was pretty good Thai food and we packed out the place to max capacity. It was a cheaper meal so I’m sure we left them a HUGE blessing in tips. We came back after and got in bed by a much needed 10:30PM.

We had to leave extra early on Thursday to get over to C3 again. We went on a neighborhood prayer walk and got to see the extremely diverse and difficult people group they are ministering to. We prayed for Young Urban Professionals, the L-Train, the Goth community, Indies and Hipsters, Boy’s Town and the Gay/Lesbian community and C3 itself. It was an eye opening experience for everyone. We then went in to C3 where John told us his vision for the church and area, as well as give us tools we can use when we go back to NC. It was a good morning.

We went to Riverside Drive and ate lunch by Lake Michigan. It was pretty cool… literally, it was windy and cold. Chris and I walked into downtown with Austin, Tucker, Christian, Josh and Brandon and had a… 2nd lunch of Gyros. Delish.

We then traveled back to Maywood and had our last day of ASP. The NC soccer team finally fell victim to a 4-3 loss. The kids of Maywood have left victorious. Inside Brandon and Josh taught the older kids about Samson and Shianna and Cathleen taught the younger students about Daniel. We had 3 students pray to accept Christ!!! Praise God!!! It was a great day and we pray that the decisions made were ones of GENUINE HEART and not pressure. We gave their info to John Yi, who oversees the Maywood area, and we pray that there will be fruit in those relationships.

We then went to a famous hot dog/Italian beef place called Portillo’s. It was great. I finally got a Chicago beef sandwich and some much needed num-nums. Josh ate not only an Italian beef sandwich… but a Polish dog with caramelized onions… aaand a Chicago dog. Debbie, you need to talk with your son.

It has been a great two days, and again, sorry to keep you waiting on edge! Continue to pray for us!

Grace & Peace!

Tuesday in Chicago

First off… We thank you guys so much for your prayers of strength over us today. It has been an endurance style day. We are all tired and really beginning to count on Jesus for the source of our strength. Again, we ask for continued prayer in this area. Also, we would like to add that we would die to ourselves more and more each day and experience discomfort. That we would literally let our old self fall away and let Christ be the supreme thing seen in our life and get out of our comfort zones. Also, lastly we are praying for a hunger of God’s word over our students. We see that God uses those who are “humble and contrite” and “tremble at his Word” (Isa 66:2).

Today was very productive and an overall great day. This morning we started out finishing up with our canvassing for Alpha and Omega Baptist (our home base). We have prayer walked a total of 13 blocks of Cicero and handed out many fliers. One of the groups had the unique opportunity of praying over the Catholic church here in Cicero. It was an eye opening experience for many of the students.

From A&O we traveled to Maywood. We walked through about 6 blocks of their community praying, picking up trash and passing out fliers for our after school program. We visited two K-8th grade schools and handed out fliers. The students were very open and accepting to us, however you might also pray for the parents of the students to be just as open and accepting. We are praying for a big turn out tomorrow.

We had our first day of Kid’s Club at the REC (Maywood Park District Building) and had about 16 kids come. We had an awesome experience for our group. We were supposed to meet in the HUGE gym area, but God knew we would only have a small amount of kids and due to a scheduling conflict we had to move to a smaller room. It was perfect size for the group we had. Jaesen Pemberton played a few songs for the group then Michael Mueller and Christian Thompson taught the older students about the Roman’s road and Jessie Ray, Carlye Carter and Sarah Moore taught the younger students about Jonah. We played soccer with the boys and God even granted us a TIE! Demanding a rematch from the boys, they told us they would definitely be back the next afternoon for their “unfinished business…”

We went and ate at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. Many a Deep Dish pizza was partook in. A few ice cream covered cookies and peach cobblers also joined the party. It was a feast and we had a great time. Chris Gray and I had an awesome opportunity to talk about doing church with a pastor named Theo at Lawndale Community Church. It was truly a divine appointment.

We love and miss you all. May the Grace and Peace of our Lord and Savior comfort you as we are away and pray for that same Grace and Peace to be given to the people we come into contact here in Chicago.

We go to Chicagoland Community Church tomorrow. Pray for them as well!

Did I mention to pray?

Monday in Chicago

Monday was a great day. I’m so sorry I didn’t get home and write about it last night. I was beyond exhausted and so was everyone else.

We went to the South Asian Friendship Center and hung out with Mark and his group. He told us all about how Muslims and Hindus are living among us everyday and it is the call of Christ for us to love those people and to live life with them. We prayer walked their community and hung out with the shop keepers. A few of the students actually almost entered a Mosque during prayer hour! Had they not known, they probably would have gone in and prayed for a lot of Muslims!

We ate lunch at a wonderful Indian food restaurant called Indian Garden. Many of the kids had never experienced Indian food before. It was delish… The kids all ate till they were stuffed. Then we went back to the SAFC for our debrief… however it was really hard to stay awake after eating 5 baskets of Nan bread at the Garden.

We then came back to the Iglesia, exhausted and worn out. We took a nap before dinner time and got some much needed RnR.

The pastor of Alpha Y Omega and some of his congregation showed up at 7:00PM for our canvasing and prayer walking. We have covered around 8 City blocks in prayer so far. We handed out fliers and talked with a few people. Let’s just say our students are getting to brush up on their Spanish skills! When we arrived back at Iglesia we were given homemade Mexican sweet rolls and homemade hot chocolate…mmmm. It was a great, great day.

We are having a great trip so far and can’t wait to see what God is going to do the rest of the week.

KEEP PRAYING FOR US!

I Like Christmas Shopping

If I only had the money to do so…

It is interesting doing Christmas shopping on a budget. Normally, I have had the luxury and freedom to buy whatever I wanted for the people I care about. Even multiple presents. I thoroughly enjoy the process of finding the perfect present for someone… or presents…

But since then I have made the adult decision to buy a Jeep. Back around July it became apparent to me that the ole’ 2003 VW GTI was about to spit out it’s transmission like that bad sunflower seed you so joyously happen upon in the bottom of the bag. Side note: have you ever noticed that it seems to allways be the last seed you eat? Anyway, the GTI takes a triptronic transmission, which is fancy German engineering talk for “really freaking expensive” transmission. It was going to cost around $4000, for a cheap, used and rebuilt transmission. I spent $6000 on it four years ago, it had just gone over 110,000 miles and it was awfully inconvenient waiting 10-15 minutes every morning for it to kick into drive (an unfortunate side effect of sitting all night and cooling down).

I felt that it was time to say goodbye.

So I got it warmed up and headed to CarMax. I walked in to the store where I was greeted, given a cheap cup of nasty coffee and sat down in a neat, depression-gray colored cubicle. The associate who met with me asked me a bunch of questions… but never the right one, like: “is there anything wrong with your car?” He went out to inspect it and came back and asked me if I was enjoying my coffee. This question was in no need for an answer as my cup was still full. He typed a bunch of stuff on his computer, mumbling some incomprehensible jargon, which kind of creeped me out… I’m not sure he was even speaking English… I think I heard him making click noises. He then slapped his knee, smiled and turned to me.

“We can offer you $4000.”

I shook his hand and gave him the key. I still feel sorry for that inspection guy.

That next morning trying to put it into a different parking spot…

Realizing that it won’t move…

for 10-15 minutes.

 

I got a loan and bought the Jeep. So now I have payments. Payments make you poorer than you already are. Being poor makes it hard to buy things. This is the process of realization I have come to in the past four months. I have realized that this makes my Christmas shopping slightly more enjoyable. I like strategy. So now my Christmas shopping has turned into a giant red and green chess match. It is a great time to be generous to those that you love, even if you don’t have all the means you wish you had to do so. It is the least I can do for all the people who so generously give to me.

The God of the universe has been so generous in his giving of grace. He has provided me with a Hope and future. God giving the world Jesus is the most awesome display of generosity the world has ever seen. Grace that surpasses all understanding. If you haven’t already, find a way to be generous to the people around you… especially around Christmas. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, give Hope to the hopeless and desperate. Wish the people you meet a Merry Christmas.

A Monumental Month

Looking back, this month has been quite substantial to my life. Things that dramatically alter the course of life are normally more spread out and rare, but for whatever reason, they are upon me in heaping bounties.

 

November 29th – I asked the most wonderful woman I have ever met to be my wife. She has the largest and most compassionate heart of anyone I have ever met and she has chosen to live her life with me… Me. I couldn’t consider myself luckier.

December 10th – I finished my capstone thesis film and delivered it to the film faculty at OCU. They loved it and gave great praise to the acting, cinematography and style of the film. I am so extremely proud of all the people that helped and served this film. You are all a blessing to me and I can’t wait for you to all see your hard work and dedication on the silver screen. I couldn’t have done it without you.

December 15th - I took  my last college final, ever… I wish I could explain the jubilation I felt walking down the hallway after completing the test. Knowing that I was not going to have the burden of class and extra work on my back. Getting the movie done was one thing, but this has been 5 years coming… especially after being given the farce of freedom, only to have the shackles of institutional education slapped back on again after the summer session was over… It is winter, it is the end of the last semester of college and I feel light as a feather.

 

So it has been crazy. I feel free and loved. I am officially a university certified film maker who is engaged to the most beautiful and loving woman on the planet.

Craziness does come in waves though… So much life altering things can happen. It’s like anything could happen. Who knows? Maybe the next crazy thing that happens would be that one of my friends wins the lottery, or buys a new Lambo, or heaven forbid, one get’s thrown in jail…

My money is on a friend going to prison…

 

What life altering things are happening in your life?

Feeling Musically Stagnant?

Here are some great groups to re-energize your musical fervor… if you haven’t heard them already.

 

Mumford & Sons – A folk band from the UK. Very driven by music and inspiring lyrics.

King Charles – (Hard to find, use GrooveShark.com) A one man show/folk artist with a folk/rock mixed style of music and some of the most beautiful lyrics I’ve heard in a while.

Hero Factor – This band has broken up as of late (R.I.P.) but they have all the sounds of Kings of Leon with an awesome organ player mixed in. oldies, but goodies.

Andy Gullahorn – A Nashville style folk artist. His lyrics are very inspiring and full of Christian principle. His music is pretty sweet as well.

Aaron Sprinkle - A little bit of an indie flair. Very melodic and slightly overdriven guitars in minor keys create a great rainy day listen.

 

Also, if you haven’t found GrooveShark.com yet… You’re so missing out. It’s basically iTunes, free and streaming in high quality wherever you have internet.

Too bad the Apple App Store took it out two days after the GS developer released it. Somebody is a little afraid of competition? Yeah… Thought so.

 

What music is currently accompanying your life?

 

 

The Best Chinese Food in the 405

There is one Chinese food restaurant I have been eating at since I was old enough to eat “big people food.”

Canton Restaurant on 30th and MacArthur.

I wish I could describe to you in words the food here. I will post some pictures from the experience. The people who have been here will know that they may have the best egg rolls and egg drop soup around. It is a family dining experience that is meant to be experienced with at least a group of 4-5 (however, they do have nine ENORMOUS lunch combos for under $4.75… That is if you can withstand the temptation of ordering an extra order of egg rolls). Ordering family style is unique because it allows the taste buds to explore the array of deliciousness. My favorite suggestions for your endeavor I have been experiencing for around 22 years:

Egg Rolls / Egg Drop Soup – if you didn’t get these, you might as well just walk back out the front door because you have neglected the best item that comes out of their kitchen.

Sweet and Sour Pork – Perfection… Nuff said…

Hawaiian Guy – Lightly battered, fried Sweet and Sour Chicken with an apricot based S&S sauce.

Garlic Fritter Chicken – Fried wing pieces, perfectly golden brown, crunchy and piping hot. Some of the best fried chicken wings around.

Chicken Chow Mein – This dish looks questionable to say the least (in fact, my grandma nick-named this dish “snot.” I know, I’m not making it sound appeasing, but trust me)… Then you take a bite of it. The flavor of slow simmered onions, cabbage, celery and bean sprouts in chicken broth compliment the slow cooked chicken meat. That being said, this is to die for. All of this is placed over crunchy fried noodles for a great contrast in texture. This dish is my personal fave.

General Tso Chicken – A very pleasant change from the norm of this dish. Sweet, very mild (my mom can even eat it) and very good sautéed onions. And they give you enough for two people to gorge themselves on in one order.

Fried Rice – Very good and authentic to the real thing. Very Chinese.

The Lunch Special. Chicken Chow Mein, Garlic Fritter Chicken and an Egg Roll.

All for…

I highly recommend to the Chinese food lover!!