So basically we're about half way through the year 2010. A little over half a year actually. On the one hand, it doesn't seem like a lot of time, but for me it's been almost seven months of a lot lessons learned. This is my first blog attempt and I'm basically doing it just as a way to just express thoughts, opinions, dreams, desires, etc.
So, just kind of a brief summary of the first half of this year. The first five months of this year were pretty much spent at college. Those five months were some of the most stressful, painful, worst, but also educational months I have ever had. Those five months, despite the fact that they were terrible helped me get a lot of things in perspective. I learned a lot about relationships, what's needed to make them work, things to do and not to do, and also they helped me to redefine the kind of guy I was looking for. I also learned some lessons with school. With all the pain and stress and self-doubt, I really let my classes slip, failing one class and not doing so well in others. The result was the lowest GPA score I had ever had and I almost lost one of my scholarships. So for me the lesson was that no matter how bad life is, when it comes to school, you leave all the bad stuff at the door and just get things done. The doubt, the pain and everything, you can't let that take over and ruin your life. You have to keep things under control, in perspective. The other thing about those months is that all the hardships drew me back to God. The school I attend does not have a very good Christian/church community and I never really developed any kind of close Christian friendships, so I found that I had started to slip away some. Those months made me run back to the one person I knew would always forgive me and take me back: Jesus. Since then I've been working at building my relationship with Christ and getting back into my Bible reading.
This past month, my family took a trip to Colorado to Silverton. Now, I love camping and I love seeing new places, but I have never fallen in love with a place as fast as I fell in love with Silverton. It's a little town and I mean little, but it's also really touristy. The place is surrounded by history and stories and it's all just so beautiful. We saw some truly incredible scenery and for me it was a reminder of God's creativity and just how beautiful and amazing His works are. It was also a great time to get away from home and just kind of relax and get rejuvenated, to figure some things out and just get another perspective on things.
Finally, the only other thing I really have to mention is work. Since the end of May/beginning of June, I've been working for Cliff's Amusement Park in Albuquerque. This is the second job I've had and by far the hardest. Working outside five days a week, almost forty hours a week, is exhausting. It's been a challenge to me in many ways. First is just the physical challenge. I stand outside in the heat of the summer for up to nine hours. I get dehydrated, I lose energy, and my feet and body are always sore by the end of the day. Second is the mental challenge. I'm primarily dealing with children all the way from babies and toddlers to generally between 10 and 12 year olds. And some days it's a real challenge to get them to do what you want and there are days when I just want to pull my hair out with frustration. There's also dealing with the parents when I tell them that their child can't ride for one of various reasons. Finally, the third challenge is spiritual. I'm basically surrounded by non-Christians. Since working there, I have found one Christian friend, but, unfortunately for me, he was recently moved to another area of the park. In a place where everyone is talking about sex, drugs, smoking, etc. it's hard to be the Christian. In many of those matters, I'm ignorant. I'm still a virgin, I've never done drugs, I've never smoked, so it's hard to relate to them and it's also hard not to be influenced by it all when I'm surrounded by it so much. So this has been another opportunity for me to draw closer to God and draw strength from Him so that I can remain strong. My friends at work know I'm different. They've seen the purity ring I wear on my ring finger, they know I don't carry a pack of cigarettes on me, they know the only drugs I take are medical for when I'm sick and need them. Granted, I haven't yet had the opportunity to actually share Christ with anyone but hopefully I will before I leave. And if I don't get the opportunity, hopefully the fact that I'm different will make them wonder what makes me different and in that small way, I'll have affected their lives.
Well, that's all for now. I'll probably be writing again soon. God Bless!
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