I think maybe I should have become a sociologist and made conservative Mennonites my study group. Study the way they think that makes the different from people at large, why their church's split, how they maintain order in their congregations, etc. I think it would be fascinating, and I don't know that it's ever been done before.

I'm in Seattle right now, at Barney's house. He's a Senior at Seattle Pacific U, and he's living in a house with 5 other guys. We hit the downtown this afternoon.

I don't walk in a big city very often, and it sort of turns me philosophical. All the people, a sweeping wave of humanity. Buying stuff to impress people and make themselves feel like somebody. A stereotype, sure, but maybe it's accurate.

There's something about downtown in a big city that I like though, so many people, so much nice stuff, the violinist out front, the fish market.

I got raked over the coals this morning. You know how dentists and dental hygienists are, very bubbly and friendly. They want anything but you mad at them. Evidently my mouth was so full of tartar or plaque or whatever builds up in there, that she had to talk to me. So as much as a friendly dental professional can, she let me have it. She apologized at the end for "being so hard on me," even though she was very nice about it. Sorry, what a distasteful subject. Suffice it to say, that stereotype of the big, bad, nasty dentist's office--it's true. Not a fun place. On the bright side: no cavities.

Grace is where it's at. Now if we can just figure it out.

Lift up your head, all ye troubled, and He shall lift up thine heart. Believest thou me, inasmuch as ye shall strive to do this, the Father shall reward thee with plenteous peace and comfort. Selah.

Now isn't that last paragraph proof that perhaps there are other versions that are more helpful than the good old KJV? No, it's not proof, but it's a strong suggestion. When I'm studying the Bible on Wednesday afternoons and I'm asked to read a Scripture, sometimes I can't help but laughing at how convoluted the text sounds as compared with the NASV or especially the NIV. NASV ITB (is the best), BTW, IMO, FWIH (from what I hear).

So Campus Crusade puts on quite a few social activities throughout the year, both for believers to have fun but also so people can invite their unbelieving friends to experience college parties that are fun without the typical college party stuff. Friday they’re having a Masquerade Ball, and while I don’t know what all they’re doing, the theme is to come with a friend dressed as a famous duo. One of the guys in my Wednesday afternoon Bible Study is a Mennonite and he said something about going as Menno Simons. I thought that was very funny, imagine us going there as Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz or something. Of course, we’d definitely have to explain it to everyone.

But I’m not going.

When I’m down,
When I’m down and out,
When my heart
Is filled with fear and doubt,
Then I lift up my head and He lifts up my heart
And my troubles just all roll away.
-Dottie Rambo (I think)

This actually is very, very true. It’s amazing how often we sing or say stuff but in the meantime we have a need and we totally neglect what we sing and say all the time. Focusing on Christ really sort of puts stuff into perspective.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.

I love that, “strangely dim.”

So I'm walking to Covell Hall this morning, and a guy is up ahead, walking toward me. But there are three girls ahead of me, also walking toward him. As he meets them, he looks at them and smiles. So I'm thinking, "heh, let's see if he does that to me...no way he will." But as he walks by he actually does establish eye contact and gives me a semblance of a grin, though not quite as big as his previous one.

Last night the youth at our church had a Mystery Supper for our minster's and their wives. It went famously, I think. They seemed to enjoy it (they even pretty much went along with all the stuff we had for them to do) and we certainly did. I loved the feeling of cooperation and the fact that we generally get along with our leaders. That's a blessing that I should not be taking lightly.

Tom and David and me had some fun practicing for Kon's wedding last night too. We're going to be singing some fun songs.

Correction. David was supposed to be at Tom's at 5:30 on Friday, not 5:00. I missed the memo.

Triple arrogance alert

1. I liked to be stretched academically. Perhaps my most fond memory as a student is spending two to three hours on a physics exam and, upon finishing, coming out into the real world again, my brain absolutely abuzz with mental stimulation. For any of you singers out there, it's sort of the same thing as a "post-performance high" where you feel an ecstatic sense of giddiness. And so I wonder sometimes--especially when I hear about Mech E's working on the third term of Thermo, or when we're bombarded with a blackboard-full of checklists and boring qualitative methods--if I'd not be better fulfilled in the Physics department where I'd be constantly trying to wrap my brain around difficult concepts. You know, it almost comes to the point where I wonder if IE isn't too "easy" for me. That's where the fear of some arrogance comes in. But I know that there are going to be some nasty (read: great) classes coming up, there's just some stuff to wade through in the meantime. And I'll tell you one thing, Hypothesis Tests (in Statistical Process Control) are pretty hard to wrap the brain around for sure. I'm trying to revel in that.

2. I've realized this many times during my life as a college student: I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I'm quicker than a lot of people at picking up concepts, but there are many who are quicker. But many of those quick people may not have the best grades. Quickness, sharpness, smarts are less than half of acheiving good grades, I'd say. The other more-than-half (how do you like that?) is study skills, study habits, and dedication.

3. Could it be that the IE class I'm in is smart? We got two of our tests back today and on one the average was 85 and on the other it was 87 or so. We'll probably come tumbling back to reality on the SPC midterm coming up.

I'm trying to evaluate what I'd think of a person who I knew that blogged something like I just did. I'd probably be tempted to think of him as a proud person, so you may think of me the same way. And pride is definitely an issue in my life. Maybe I shouldn't even post this, but it's what I've been thinking about. So here goes...

This felt sort of like something is coming to an end. We had a Singspiration at church and AHQ was asked to sing 5 songs. But then at the end, we went back up and sang requests. We started singing after it was time for church to end and we sang for a half hour more. We sang old ones and new ones and meaningful ones for sure.

Ahhh, heaven. How I long for you. Perspective. I have gained some as a result of this evening. The wonder of it all. Jesus, heaven, fellowship.

I overslept this morning. Don't know how, sort of know why, but I wake up and it's 10:07.

I'm a little downcast right now. I've got some things to work out in my mind and with God.

Mike Wolfer asked me what I'd learned this week. When it's put to you like that, it's hard to say. He was talking about school, and that was hard enough to think about. But to constantly have, on the grill of your heart, stuff that God is teaching you, that's a worthy goal.

I’m housesitting for a lady right now. I had done the same thing for her and her husband sometime ago, but her husband has since passed away. One of the things I am to do for her while she’s gone is to check her answering machine. So on Friday, the first day she was gone, there’s a message on the machine from a local old lady saying she needs to speak with Walter, the man who passed away. And he's been gone for a month or two. Very strange, I'm not sure what the deal is.

AHQ did their last official engagement for awhile at the Gospel Echoes Northwest Banquet. Nice use of the word “engagement” I know. It was an interesting feeling for me. I didn’t get overtly emotional, but in an understated way it was a little strange. Like us talking memories before the service, or singing parts of a couple of old, old songs that we used to sing.

I love these guys a lot, and I’ve grown so much as a Christian and as a person as a result of AHQ. God has blessed me so incredibly much to allow me to be a part of this for eight and a half years.

We chilled at Rosie’s after the banquet tonight. It was great fun, we had milkshakes, talked about weddings, volleyball, being stupid, and other miscellaneous topics.

Randy, you rock. 'Sup dawg.