Swing dancing

Open swing dance lessons. should be interesting. nothing else to do on a saturday night in cleveland. my roommate has been kind enough to bring me along in his social activities until i get settled.

later

An update from Rachel

Hey,
Since most of the readers of this blog know about Rachel, I asked her to give an update:

It is incredible to see God at work in the human heart. As I type this post for Jeremy's blog, I am amazed at the difference between my attitude from Friday, May 13 and the one I have presently today (Friday, May 27). Two weeks ago, I was extremely caught up with what the future would look like for Jeremy & I. (While he continues to serve as an intern for a church in Ohio, I will be working for summer camps and completing my last year of school at BBC.) My mind was filled with worry as I thought about the strain of being apart for a year. Thoughts like these kept plaguing me: "Communication can be difficult when we are together, how are we going to do this when are 400 miles apart?" "I don't mind good-byes as much when I am the one going off to try something new, but I hate being the one left behind." When Jeremy came up to see me the week before he left, I had trouble enjoying spending time with him. These doubts choked out most of the joy of being with him for one of the last times. I was so caught up with the future that I wound up damaging what we could have enjoyed in the present.  

Thankfully, that's not the end of the story because God is merciful. He didn't leave me to wallow in self-pity and worry for long. The day before Jeremy left for Ohio, he came to visit again. We had a wonderful time that evening as we dug through some memories from the past (literally!) The next morning, Jeremy made us breakfast, we prayed and then he left. I was amazed at the peace God had given me. I had been expecting His grace to show up the previous week, but He provided it exactly when I needed it most!

This incident has reminded me that I can trust God to carry out His plan in His timing. This wasn't the first time I had to learn that lesson, and I am sure that it will not be the last. But for now... I will focus on the present and leave the future up to Him

That is news from Rachel. Have a great day y'all (for those of you down south)

Later

Life as an Intern - Day 2

Had a church fundraiser to summer camp today. Washed cars before an after church. I made the mistake of wearing dress clothes and not bringing my swim-suite to church. I don't think I have ever had that problem before today.

Going into this internship I thought that I would be planning, teaching kids, helping others grow spiritually, and other college graduate, intern type stuff. I thought that I would be mature and looked upon for advice and growth. I believed that I would guild others in learning, I did not even think for a second that this internship might be all about me in a totally different way. I did not realize that this internship is God's provision for me to grow more into the image of His Son, and into a better relationship with Him. Boy was I wrong.

My pride blinded me, and still is blinding me from accepting the reality before me. I am nothing. I can't see it before I have a degree, or because I am "the intern." But really I am nothing. I have nothing good to bring to the table by myself. I would not even be here without Christ, and here I am thinking that I will single handedly run the youth ministry as a intern. What am I thinking?! I have so much pride in my own supposed character and spiritual maturity. What a contradiction that is, to have pride in spiritual maturity.

As I said in church tonight I saw myself. Self-effort, pride and laziness is what I saw in myself, along with other negative characteristics I am sure. Most importantly, I saw myself before a holy God. Before that though, I saw myself as an intern before a very spiritually mature church, and I have no idea what is going on. I found myself challenged not to be someone or something that I am not, but to come before God as I am, completely useless by my own efforts, but limitless by God's. I have been humbled as an intern, now I must image myself before God as a sinner saved purely by His grace.

As I begin this internship, I must seek God, I must pursue humility, I must remove my pride, and I must trust and obey God at His Word.

Later

Life as an Intern - day 1

At a father and son retreat during the chili cook off. I hear it is some of the best and the fight for first is tough. Not bad for the first day as the intern.

I never knew how muched i missed spending time with my dad until he wasn't around to play catch with me today.

I hope to keep the commentary running and let everyone know what my experience is as an intern.

Later

"Home" for a while

Here are a few pictures of the place that I am staying at for the internship. It is a really nice place, way more than I would ever need and want. I have my own room and bathroom, and I will have shared living space with one other guy. It is a really nice set up.

The drive out to Cleveland wasn't bad at all. Seemed really short compared to driving to Michigan which would have been twice as long at least. I am very glad that I got to see everyone before I left PA, but it is going to be really weird not going back on Monday. I have lived there for almost three years, and now I just packed up and left. On with life I guess.

My first day is Monday 9am. I will official start my internship. I am really nervous, and really excited. A lot like riding a roller coaster for the first time. I know that it will be fun, but I still have no idea what to expect. I guess I will find out come Monday. As for right now I am just getting to know more and more people from the church and from the youth group. Full day tomorrow getting to know more people.

Later

New England Trip

Made it back safely. excellent trip. can hardly wait to go again in the fall.
Here are some pictures from the trip. I put them all on one post so they are easier to view

The equinox opera house

Equinox Hotel, built before the 1800s

The church and the school house I think.

Bridge from early 1800s

Brattleboro Vermont. notice the bike shop on the left

The bridge on the left was built in the 30s and the bridge on the right was built 8 years ago. they are almost exactly the same in design other than size. both are still opperational.

Stopped at an old book store and picked up a few books.




Biggest lake in NH and one of the largest fresh water lakes short of the great lakes at Weirs, NH.

An old general store. Most likely from the early 1900s or earlier.

Breakfast in New England at "up for breakfast"

Summer

Summer is almost here. I have two weeks of class - may school - then summer is here. I will leave for my internship  immediately after my exam and probably get there the same day.

Because the nature of May School, I will not have much of a life for the next two weeks. I will be reading and writing and studying, eating and sleeping, talking and hanging with Rachel. That is my life for the next two weeks. Therefore, this blog might not get much attention for me.

The Car that God bought

I have told this story probably a dozen times by now, and I can still hardly believe it myself. This is the continuing story of how God is providing my way to Cleveland, because apparently that is where God would have me to go. At the beginning of all of this I prayed, "God, if you want me to go to cleveland you are going to need to provide enough money to pay off this semester and enough for a car." The short story of that is, God provided that much and more. This semester and next semester are paid off by no extra work of my own. God also provided enough through different areas for me to start looking for a car.

So, at this point everything is taken care of but the car, yet I did no doubt that God would provide it according to his plan and time. God provided above and beyond everything I would have expected, I did not even think twice that God might not provide a car. My question came back consistently to how God would provide the car. I only had $1,200, which can't buy much of a car these days. Say I did buy a car for that, I would be left broke after I filled up the tank and paid for insurance and registration. I didn't really see how it was all going to work out, but I kept faith and believe that God would provide a way for it to happen. To His nature, God blew my mind when I finally saw it come together.

My dad at this point knows that I am looking for a car, he knows my budget and my resources. He told me that he would rather see that $1,200 go to a down payment rather than the full purchase of the car. I disagreed at first, but then I got a phone call from a good friend of mine from church back home. My friend caught word on this blog that I started looking for a car, and agreed with my dad about my budget being to low. He went on to say that the church might be interested in helping me out a little. He presented it to a deacon saying, "He (jeremy) is one of our own, and he is one of our best. Is there anything we could do to help him out with this?" To my great surprise, they have funds just for such a thing, and were eager to help provide me with a little something.

Now I am thinking that God is doing something and that I won't find just any car, but it will be "the car." Since I was car shopping here, and my friend is car shopping in MI, I wasn't sure who was going to find what. But I decide that I would give up looking and let my friend find the car. I knew that if I had a choice in the matter I would get picky or would try and find a cooler car. So I said to my friend, you know what I need and who I am, you find the car that is going to be best for me. Leave me out of it.

I told my Dad that the church is helping me buy a car, and at that point I realized that this was no longer about the car, but about Dad. With the aid of the church, and some individual members within the church my budget nearly tripled at about $3,500 - only $1,200 of that is mine. Still the problem remained in the search for the car... the car itself.

My friend felt the defeat of the car market and gave me a car "Jeremy, there are no cars out there. Everything is either too expensive or needs work. You might have to start looking out there if you plan to find a car in time to leave to the internship" I listened and thought about it a while. I called my Dad about it and discussed the situation with him. He did not want me to buy a car out here, nor did he think I would be able. My dad told me that he wanted me to get a nice car, from MI, for more than $1200 that would last me a few years.

I called my friend back, "Duane, the only reason I believe that I am even going to cleveland is because I am following God's will. It is also God's will that I obey my parents, in this case my Dad about the car. If God wants me to go to cleveland He will provide a car within our budget, within our time frame, within my Dad's specifications. If I go against my dad, I am going against God, I need to listen to Dad. You will find a car." This conversation took place Thursday afternoon.

Friday I get a text from my Dad with the picture below. Duane had found a car that met all the details that have been set. I asked my Dad, "Cool. Whose is it?" He replied, "Yours, I just put down a down payment and we'll pick it up on Sunday." Dad decided to match the church for funds, so I ended up getting this car at no expense of my own. A friend of ours will drive it out for graduation next weekend.

2000 Ford Taurus

Once again, God provided everything and more with no effort on my end just so that He could get all the glory. In this whole thing, I believe that this was more about an opportunity to show God to my Dad than it was about the car. The only reason the car is nice is because Dad wanted a nice car. Please pray for him that he would come to salvation and the freedom of being in grace. Have a great Lord's day

Later