Monday, October 12, 2009
French toast sticks
We had French toast sticks in the DC for breakfast this morning... God is good. :)
Sunday, October 11, 2009
its always thanks giving
Today I was making panckakes in the lobby of my dorm. There were tons of people there, some watching tv, others studying, many just socializing with books open in front of them. as I was cooking i would either offer or people would ask for a pancake. I was glad to share with them (mixing water in to panckake mix and pouring it onto a hot skillet is not rocket science). One girl had not gotten over to dinner and was not sure what she was going to have for dinner so peanut butter pancakes were a huge blessing for her. as I was cleaning up a feeling over came me. It feels like thanks giving.
I remembered my aunt washing dishes as some of the family talked around the table, the kids played, and others zoned out on a football game. That feeling of calm comotion. When everyone is glad to be lazy and social and together. That was the feeling in the lobby. Thats always kind of the feeling. Theres always people, not usually being productive and something about college studying is similar to the feeling you get when you eat a lot of turkey... you just want to sleep.
Though I doubt that text books transmit triptophayne into my system, and the people in my dorm are not my family it sure does feel like thanks giving in Gerig Hall.
I remembered my aunt washing dishes as some of the family talked around the table, the kids played, and others zoned out on a football game. That feeling of calm comotion. When everyone is glad to be lazy and social and together. That was the feeling in the lobby. Thats always kind of the feeling. Theres always people, not usually being productive and something about college studying is similar to the feeling you get when you eat a lot of turkey... you just want to sleep.
Though I doubt that text books transmit triptophayne into my system, and the people in my dorm are not my family it sure does feel like thanks giving in Gerig Hall.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Story time
There are two small windows in my dorm room. Seths desk is right infront of one of them and mine in front of the other. As I look out side my window i see a big old tree that is bright orange because all its leaves have turned color. Something about it makes me want to curl up with a good book a warm blanket and my closest friends and wait for winter to come. I love fall. I also have this longing for scripture to tell me a story. I just want to sit down with my bible in a comfy spot and feel like its my grandfather telling me a Christmas story. Its a good feeling and a good time of year. everything feels like its got a burnt orange color to it. its good. also. I am wrestling with Matthew 25. I don't under stand the parable of the 10 virgins. I suppose I should re-read, pray, ask others, and pray some more about it. hm.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Upland
Today in chapel we had a speaker who I know pretty well. Her name is Malesa, she is a senor here at Taylor, and she talked about her living situation across town- among other things. She talked about how ashamed she felt to have a Taylor University sticker on her car window. She feels like her neighbors view her as condescending. All she wants is to follow Christ and to love her neighbor but she feels like she is a walking billboard for middle class condescending america. I often feel the same way. Like im just fitting the mold. My hair cut, my cloths, my car. It all adds up to one more harmless white kid who is getting a college degree. Sometimes I wrestle with the thought that it would be easier to stay focused on Christ if I was living in down town Philly with 7 other Christians in an old jank row house. That would be a much more apparent and tangible sacrifice for Christ than University life. But both are hard and need worked at. I just pray ( and your welcome to pray for me too :) ) that I can use my academic life to Honor and Praise God. That I can focus on my studies and use time studying instead of relaxing or goofing off as a sacrifice for Christ. It may not be a crazy story, but I believe its where God has called me to be for now.
Grace and Peace,
Zachary
Grace and Peace,
Zachary
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Parents weekend
so everyone is on their best behavior, and all the rooms are tidied up real nice. Its interesting the way we change how we act for peoples parents. My mom and dad are coming out to see me at noon. it should be interesting. My room set up is anything but common. Beds are lofted onto desks and book shelves, and my mattress doubles as a couch on the floor sorrounded by bean bags. This floor lounge is all illuminated by Christmas lights and band art work. all in all its pretty good. i'm a fan.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Its october
It's October! the leaves are mostly turned and the weather is cooling down. I love it. Fall is my favorite time of the year. I pulled a box of sweaters out of my closed today and am excited to start wearing them. I'm also working on finding a train that will get me to Chicago. It reminds me of John Foreman saying that home is a place you can still get to by train. I love that image. so hopefully the 16th ill be on my way to Chi Town to see Theresa and Tommy. I love those two.
Peace,
Zach
Peace,
Zach
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Initiation
It was the end of "Welcome Weekend".
Everone was on campus and classes had just started.
As part of the school year beginning everyone had a hall meeting.
Sitting there listening to the does and don'ts was as boring as youd expect.
As the half and hour meeting came to an end you could sense anticipation in the air.
From the freshmen it was anticipation to get back to studying or hanging out.
For the upper class men it was for Initiation.
"All right. so i think thats it then... its time" not the closing remarks for a meeting we expected.
after five seconds of silence and glances all around the hall all the upper class men jumped up and began letting out deep bellowing yells. it reminded me of a battle yell, the kind that between even the small number of men on our floor never seems to die down from that testosterone filled hum.
we were told to go and get a shirt and to bring nothing else. the freshmen were all hurried to their rooms by yells and shoving then quickly moved down the stairs. taken outside into the cool nite and lined up agains the back of the building.
"Hands against the wall!" we were commanded militantly. Then our extra shirts were taken and tied around our heads as blind folds. at any one time you were being commanded and yelled at by at least 3 different upperclas men so the best thing to do was to just stay with your hands against the wall. we were then all taken by the arms and run all around campus. Blind folded of course.
We were told we were out side of Girls dorms and then they made us sing im a little tea pot or twinkle twinkle little star in our highest voice possible. periodically we would be interupted and told to do push ups. This seemed more like boot camp than a Christian College.
after 15 min of running around blind folded doing rediculous things we were lead into the woods. you could feel the mulch of a path under your feet and the leaves of trees periodically brushing your arms or face. The one thought on my mind was... why the woods... nothing is back there except... the lake.
You knew we were all together because you could hear all the others around you. once we were assembled in a clearing we were all made to run in what fealt like a circle. someone grabbed my shoulder and escorted me away from the circle after about 3 min. i could hear 3 or four people around me but i could also hear that we were headed farther and farther from the group.
"ok now careful.. step up." the wood undr my feet. . could it be the dock?... would they relly do that. "ok .. ok.. step foreward carefully." i could sense mor people here. "now theres a chair behind you. sit down slowly" when i sat the chair was not sitting flat. i could feel two people behind me already holding the chiair. There was anothe person by my left leg.. he grabbed the chair. you could sence that they were getting their grip to lift the chair. my only question was to where. was it just to be lifted and carried around or lifted and then dumped with me into the cold lake. "put your legs out straight... tighten your abs. good legs straight!"i was directed..the man who had been guiding me set his hand under the right leg of the chair and then the question i was waiting for " do you have anyting electronic with you?"
before I could answere they began count down ... One! Two! THREE!!!
in that instant they ripped of my blind fold and...
before me sat an upperclass man who took gentle hold of my foot and dipped it into a bowl of warm water. another man began to read
"Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him."
My breath was taken away.. they washed my feet and as soon as this simple, beautiful, servant action was done. there was a line of men ready to embrace me and say "welcome to Foso".
Everone was on campus and classes had just started.
As part of the school year beginning everyone had a hall meeting.
Sitting there listening to the does and don'ts was as boring as youd expect.
As the half and hour meeting came to an end you could sense anticipation in the air.
From the freshmen it was anticipation to get back to studying or hanging out.
For the upper class men it was for Initiation.
"All right. so i think thats it then... its time" not the closing remarks for a meeting we expected.
after five seconds of silence and glances all around the hall all the upper class men jumped up and began letting out deep bellowing yells. it reminded me of a battle yell, the kind that between even the small number of men on our floor never seems to die down from that testosterone filled hum.
we were told to go and get a shirt and to bring nothing else. the freshmen were all hurried to their rooms by yells and shoving then quickly moved down the stairs. taken outside into the cool nite and lined up agains the back of the building.
"Hands against the wall!" we were commanded militantly. Then our extra shirts were taken and tied around our heads as blind folds. at any one time you were being commanded and yelled at by at least 3 different upperclas men so the best thing to do was to just stay with your hands against the wall. we were then all taken by the arms and run all around campus. Blind folded of course.
We were told we were out side of Girls dorms and then they made us sing im a little tea pot or twinkle twinkle little star in our highest voice possible. periodically we would be interupted and told to do push ups. This seemed more like boot camp than a Christian College.
after 15 min of running around blind folded doing rediculous things we were lead into the woods. you could feel the mulch of a path under your feet and the leaves of trees periodically brushing your arms or face. The one thought on my mind was... why the woods... nothing is back there except... the lake.
You knew we were all together because you could hear all the others around you. once we were assembled in a clearing we were all made to run in what fealt like a circle. someone grabbed my shoulder and escorted me away from the circle after about 3 min. i could hear 3 or four people around me but i could also hear that we were headed farther and farther from the group.
"ok now careful.. step up." the wood undr my feet. . could it be the dock?... would they relly do that. "ok .. ok.. step foreward carefully." i could sense mor people here. "now theres a chair behind you. sit down slowly" when i sat the chair was not sitting flat. i could feel two people behind me already holding the chiair. There was anothe person by my left leg.. he grabbed the chair. you could sence that they were getting their grip to lift the chair. my only question was to where. was it just to be lifted and carried around or lifted and then dumped with me into the cold lake. "put your legs out straight... tighten your abs. good legs straight!"i was directed..the man who had been guiding me set his hand under the right leg of the chair and then the question i was waiting for " do you have anyting electronic with you?"
before I could answere they began count down ... One! Two! THREE!!!
in that instant they ripped of my blind fold and...
before me sat an upperclass man who took gentle hold of my foot and dipped it into a bowl of warm water. another man began to read
"Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him."
My breath was taken away.. they washed my feet and as soon as this simple, beautiful, servant action was done. there was a line of men ready to embrace me and say "welcome to Foso".
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