It's hard to write on demand, you know?

Take my essay for the Marshall scholarship for example. The thing about this piece of work is, it's very, very important in getting you to the first interview. It needs to be creative and original and vibran but more than that, it needs to reflect the originality and creativity and vibrance of you as a person.

So last night I started thinking about it and it started coming and now I have an essay that I can edit and change and improve. That's much better than sitting in front of a computer trying to start.

Last night I jogged home from work on a dark, ill-begotten path. I had two adventures. No, three. First, I ran out of the well-lighted warehouse and couldn't see anything in the dark. So I had to fumble along trying to find the path and not run into a tree or an old truck that peered at me with its dead eyes. Then, as my eyes adjusted, I got more comfortable and I continued on the ill-begotten path. But in the middle of said path was a hulking figure of something. I got closer, and what appeared some like the front end of a front end loader with a spear thrusting out from on end. Don't people realize that people might be traversing this path in the night and might run into it? I went a little further and the undeniable stench of a skunk comes to me. I'm not in very good shape, and I wasn't jogging very quickly, but boy, I sprinted baby, sprinted until I couldn't smell the skunk no more! I especially sprinted when I heard rustling beside the ill-begotten path.

Really, though, I feel a little fake right now, because I'm acting as if everything's fine, but I'm really struggling right now.

Yea for God. Nay for me.

My, my. I haven't been so dry in the blogging department for a long time. I coulda dropped a line yesterday, but nothing. And today, nothing.

Family is leaving, the new pellet mill is up and running, I'm enjoying work.

Which reminds me, I gotta go there.

Oh, and there was something in my devotions last night that really struck me. It musta really struck me 'cause I can't exactly remember it.

So we're watching some nine-year old family video with the Headings and there were girls playing "ring-around-the-rosie" and boys on the wrestling mat just shoving and wrestling each other. And kicking, one of 'em got a good kick in.

The last, like, four showers I've taken away from home have been void of shampoo. I'm getting good at the "rub-soap-onto-your-hand-and-lather-the-hair" trick. Obviously, I need to add to my traveling toiletry stash.

And boy, I've just been going all over the place. Tuesday went to Central Oregon, returned Thursday. Friday went to Idaho, returned Sunday. Tuesday went to the Headings reunion near the coast, return Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

I've read I Corinthians 2 about three times in the last few days. Talk about a portion of Scripture that is just full of stuff. Paul's focus is so keen, but sometimes I wonder how that translates to my non-full-time ministerial life, especially when he starts talking about coming to them only with Jesus and nothing else and how the wisdom of this world is nothing. It's crazy what he did, but it obviously worked so well. The challenge is to figure out how to make it real in my life. I've got to.

Justin and Jamison were wrestling and my cousin Jenny suggested that they arm wrestle because that's less physical or something. This reminded me of a great rule of thumb that a boy should never break: never arm wrestle a girl. I tried once, when I was about 12 or 13 and thought I was pretty big stuff. I challenged Jenny, my cousin who is about three years older than me, and she waxed me.

Compromise

Randy and I, we finally had it out a few nights ago. I decided enough was enough, so when he insisted that the radio must be on as we were drifting (correction: HE was drifting) off to sleep, I got up and turned it off.

He got up and turned it on.

I got up and turned it off.

He got up and turned it on AND got the remote control.

I got up and unplugged it.

He got up, plugged it back in, and turned it on.

Tiring of this game, we talked it out and decided that every night we were each sleeping in our beds we would alternate, radio on, radio off.

Really, it's not a fair deal, because he'll be able to get a good night sleep every night, but half the nights I may not be able to comfortably drift off to sleep.

But then, it'll allow me a powerful opportunity to assert dominance over my mind.

My pencil cap, it's all gone. Languishing somewhere, between a seat and a console.