Dougy's back We have a working cell...finally

Doug is back. Deb is gone. I start to wonder if they evr forget what each other looks like. I should ask oh wait they read my blogs. They know it lost the humor factor if I ask it now. Doug is back from BTI plus one extra week. The fact that he’s back is not what is important though; what is important is the fact that we had an absolutely awesome cell time. It wasn’t like anyone got saved we just finally had something that seemed like a cell rather than all of us flailing around trying to figure out what to do when the cell time came. I think the fact that we had dinner helped out a lot. Food is the new universal language. We had vegan tacos…we had veggie tacos (for Nicole). If we kept the cheese off they would have been vegan. I couldn’t tell the difference between those and real tacos though. They tasted the same. We didn’t tell anyone about the fake meat until they had already eaten a taco. No one cared though it was great. I pulled out one Aaron White’s cell talks and used that. It seemed like everyone had some input and we rally had an amazing conversation with them. I also asked them all “if you could have any one super power in the what would it be?” I got a lot of different responses (Scott changed his mind eight times) but they all were very interesting…if only I could remember them. Oh well. The point is everything was great. It stinks that it took us this long to get things sorted out and moving along but now that we overcame confusion and apathy (as far as the cell goes) there’s no stopping us now!!

Lakes lakes and more lakes

How many lakes does the sate of Maine have? Does anyone know? Seriously, I want to know. I’ve seen four lakes so far and I went for a swim in two of them. I had to drive out to Pushaw lake today on the Family Store truck to pick up a couch. It’s the fourth lake I’ve seen since I’ve been here. It would be number five if I had found Alswallowamoose or Alstickagoose lake. I’ve been to lake Sebago I wouldn’t have gone swimming if it hadn’t been for Danielle. It was 51 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius). I talked about it more in depth in a previous blog. I went swimming in Sebec Lake at Peeks Kenny National park last Saturday. I caught a glimpse of Branch Lake when I drove Chris out there about a month ago, and I saw Pushaw Lake earlier today while driving a beast of a truck down a narrow dirt road. Whoever named Minnesota the Land of a Thousand Lakes has never been to Maine. I think Maine probably beat them. I’ve never been to Minnesota though so I could be very wrong. Maybe I’ll make a visit to both states and count them up. Summer assignment next year Minnesota. 614 St. Paul that would be awesome. There are a good number of lakes in Florida but I don’t think there near as big or as many as these. I did have a funny experience yesterday when I finally found the house I was looking for. Lugi (the helping me on the truck) forgot the keys to open the lock on the truck so we spent ten minutes with a hammer and a crow bar trying to break this lock. We finally succeed. Unfortunately we broke the hammer. It was tough little lock. Luckily it wasn’t a master lock or we may have never gotten it off without the key. I think those pictures are funny Master Lock has on there packages. A bullet hole in the lock yet it still is locking whatever door it’s on. That’s hilarious. It makes me want to try to shoot one to see if it really works It sort of reminds me of the movie Hulk, he’s constantly getting shot but he keeps going just like the Energizer bunny. Today was the first time I saw the movie. Does anyone think that at the end of the movie Bruce Banner (the Hulk) looks like me now? He did have a lot of hair on the end. Maybe I’m really the Hulk in disguise, and nobody knows it but me. That would be awesome. Maybe I should make myself really angry. I'll just watch The Miami Dolphins loose over and over and over again, that'll do it.

Not just another Sunday in Bangor,Maine

Sunday is always a good experience here in Bangor. The worship is always an exciting time and the speaker’s words are always anointed (even when he ends with a Forest Gump ending…like me). Today’s anointed speaker was Aurora Atell. We sang “His Love Endures Forever” during praise and Worship, we heard Michael W. Smith sing “His Love Endures Forever” for an offertory, and we read Psalm 136 (read it and you’ll see a trend happening…if you haven’t already). It was a very loving atmosphere. Her preach was about recognizing and obeying God’s call for our lives. We even had Sword Drills I hadn’t done those since Jamie Smith did them in class one day. Previous to that I hadn’t done them in like twelve years. That’s a long time. I then was invited to Mary MacKay’s house for Lunch since if I was at home it would be me and Winfield. It was good. Barbeque Pork and Potato Salad (what is taters precious?). I learned to play a game called Ziggity. I’m almost sure that’s what it’s called. Aurora taught me and I won three out of our five game tournament. I’ve noticed lately that I’ve been focused on results a lot lately…is that a bad thing?? I’m just curious. I seriously want some input on that. The real interesting part of the day was fifteen minutes ago in Bible Study. Gene is a well of information that is constantly pouring out when he gets a chance. There were things that I thought I had straightened out in my minds and he would bring something up and throw my ideas into another tailspin and they would crash and burn. It’s funny how the Holy Spirit seems to want you to wrestle with stuff rather than figure it out and sit on it that way. I also saw a very fiery and tenacious side of Tara tonight. I apparently wasn’t the only one arguing with stuff in my head. Some of her remarks seemed to have an edge to them. It wasn’t a bad thing but it made the atmosphere different. Rather than sitting at the table listening to Gene pour out his info and have these dead pan bland expressions on our face we actually had fun we made jokes and laughed at stuff when we started running ion circles over issues. It was very exciting. I almost can’t wait for next week. I’m not really sure how it came about but we did get into a discussion on holiness. The discussiopn lingered on and finally we prayed and petitioned for Holiness. It was good stuff. Holiness is what I want and what I need!!!

Fun at the park

Aurora and I went to Peeks Kenny National Park today with Charlie and a bunch of volunteers form Powerhouse. That was cool. We went into the lake there. It was fun going into a lake that you couldn’t see the bottom of without having to worry about what was there. No gators in Maine I guess. Yesterday I was saying to myself I don’t want o go I want to stay at home and do nothing. Why would I want to do that? That would have been so boring. I had a blast. I almost wish I would have stayed longer. I had Cheez-Its, Gatorade, ad sunscreen what more do you need? I was ready for anything. I found some cool rocks too. They also had a lifeguard there. That must be a boring job watching people have fun in a twenty by twenty foot swimming area. The deepest part was like 6 ½ feet. No sharks and no gators just make sure everyone is swimming. We tried to do a hike through he woods but that didn’t work. All we found were camping grounds and people looking at us like we didn’t know where we were going…because we really didn’t know where we were going. That makes sense. We pulled out a Frisbee and threw is around a bit after our short trek. I wanted to play a game of Ultimate Frisbee but no one else was up for it. We had fun playing Marco Polo though. It was an awesome time. How great is this summer assignment? I get to hang out in Bangor, have fun, build relationships, and try to start a cell. You can’t beat it. I love this place. I can’t get enough of it. I feel like I don’t want to close my eyes and I don’t want to fall asleep ‘cause I’d miss you Bangor and I don’t wanna miss a thing. I feel like I could write a song with those words. I bet it would be a hit if I did it. Josh you’re not permitted to steal my idea. Those are my words and I have the blog to prove it. Score!!

Dodge ball and Ultimate Frisbee

Friday night’s at powerhouse. Hey, that sounds a lot like the movie Friday Night Lights. I haven’t seen it yet but I want to. Dodge ball is probably the funnest games in the entire world. I love it. I would play it all the time if I could. I think it should be an Olympic sport along with Ultimate Frisbee. I’d compete in it. I think I’d do a good job too. So along with getting a police officer saved I want to petition to make Dodge Ball and Ultimate Frisbee Olympic sports. Is anyone with me? Anybody…Bueller… anybody Bueller. I’ll do it myself then. Hmmm…this is a very short blog. Has anyone ese herad the song by Relient K and John Rueben Nuisance? It’s a great song if you haven’t heard it yet listen for it. It’s good stuff.

I love Pool party's I hate Sunburn

Pool Party’s are so much fun. Rather than crashing the pool party I decided to have a pool party of my own. It was planned for Kids of Summer (a youth program we started Tuesday or whenever w can fit it in). I had hot dogs, chips, ice cream, and a sunburn…again. Every thing you need for a great pool party. I don’t know why I’m getting burnt so much. I blame Canada. I saw the movie The Punisher today. That is not a good movie. I was unimpressed. It was all about revenge and unjust justice. Very not good. I'm catching up a lot on movies that I've missed I noticed. I also found out the NHL will be back next year for sure. It is official now. I’m very excited. I get to see the Tampa Bay Lightning take home The Stanley Cup again. I don’t care if more than half the players are Canadian they’re winning and I like it. That’s all the news for today. I am going to get some Starbucks.
I get Canadian Starbucks again in three weeks. SCORE!!

Hindsight's 20/20

I realized today that I have to re think some things that I enjoyed before I went to The War College. I went to Charlie and Ashley’s house last night. Aurora and I had bought some smore stuff and so had Charlie and Ashley, so there was a plethora of smores stuff. It was good. We played a few games of pool; I did well in the first game then I got progressively worse. I don’t know why. I thought I was doing everything the same I still had fun though. After I had gotten to the point of terrible pool where I couldn’t go anywhere else but up we stopped to do the smores. We stoked up a fire and roasted some mallows. It was wonderful. We talked about all our musical endeavors and other random stuff it was fun. Then we watched the movie Identity. I had seen this movie once before while I was in Florida. That was before my TWC transformation. I liked this movie at one point in my life. It’s in the “psychological thriller” category. After I watched it again I wasn’t quite sure what was so thrilling about it. I couldn’t deal with all the death and gruesomeness of it all. I was not a fan. I had this huge disgust for the movie after it was over. It has a unique twist at the end but the rest of the movie is stupidly (is that a word?) gross absolutely. I guess it’s something I should have seen coming but I sometimes don’t think about stuff until it happens. Then it seems so clear. Hindsight’s always 20/20. Maybe that could be my superpower to be able to see the results of stuff before it happens. I have the power of hindsight. That could be fun. I still like the force field idea though (read my blog from July 8th if you’re not sure what I’m talking about). I’m now curious about what other things I might have this disgust for. I will let you guys know. Has this happened to anyone else or am I a little slow on the pick-up?

Yesterday was the first day I was not on the truck. The work I did at the store was just as hard thought I had to move at least six couches around and tones of tables, cabinets and entertainment centers. Wow!! That was brutal. Chris and I had the hardest time with one couch. I never have had to move a couch that was that heavy in my entire life. It was ridiculous. It should be illegal to make couches that heavy. I never want to have to move that beast again. I also realized I’ve got a tan on my legs. I’m very excited. I was taking shower after I got back form the Family Store I took my socks off and thought my legs were really dirty but it’s a tan line either that or the dirt jus t won’t wash off. I’m almost back to my old Florida standards. That’s cool beans.

Crash a party

I had a blast today. I went to crash a pool party. Brandon and Sam were at Mary’s house swimming so Aurora, Jericca and I went over and decided to join in the fun. They left like two minutes after we got there though. So I spent the entire time swimming with Michael and trying to stop Aurora and Jericca form dunking me. It worked I was the undefeated dunk Champion. WOOHOO!! I should get a prize…or not. I am also getting a tan again. I’m so happy. So rather than being a pale pasty white boy, I can be a mildly tan white boy. I’m just trying not get sunburned. That seems to happen to me a lot. Chris got first place at his Paintball tournament. Everyone should cheer for that. He got a ton of paintball gear so he can save a lot of money. I can’t really think of much else to say so I’m done. This is a very short blog.

Sunday breakthrough!!!! Praise GOD!!!!

Sunday was good. I didn’t wake up on time but that’s okay. I wasn’t very prepared for the young adult Sunday school discussion we had, but it turned out all right. I was feeling weird all day until lunch. I was invited to Mary’s house for lunch and it was good. I got to sit talk and eat (all good things). I laughed at stories told someone else's stories(not my own) and laughed some more it was good. I then took a short nap on the couch. Not good. Aurora and Tara got some scissors and I woke up hearing Aurora’s giggle and was appalled because they were cutting a small bit of hair form my beard. I was so furious (and still half asleep). I couldn’t believe it. Danielle asks Tara to do something and she pulls Aurora into it and they become Delilah. AGHHHHHH!!!!! I will not be overcome. They will not win. Danielle’s plan will fail. The rest of the day was good. I watched Brianna eat most of a banana like corn on the cob. Funny. It was also Fred’s birthday. I didn’t know so I couldn’t get him anything. I wouldn’t be able to if I did know; my wallet was and still is empty. I always thought my parents were joking (or stupid/careless) when they said money doesn’t last long. They were right. It stinks. Anyway I had some ice cream cake which was wonderful. Then off to Sonday Nite Live. That was awesome. You may remember me saying I couldn’t figure out how to get a hunger in the youth for the word of God. I just had to present it in a different way. I had to figure out a way to reach this post-modern generation. I am sorry Aaron I will review your notes tonight. Deb figured it out. We watched a movie. Coach Carter (awesome movie) then brought up critical thinking points half way through. We made it a time when they wouldn’t shut there brains down for a two hours during the movie. We had them watch for quotes or places that pulled out emotions. Principals in the movie that were good or not. And ideas of how it related to life form a Christian view. I was so thrilled when I realized what was happening. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it earlier. I have like ten blogs talking about preaching point and quotable lines in movies. It makes sense. Now I know. Good note for whoever comes hear next year. Everyone in The Holy Terror session of The War College, who is reading this, refer the student going to Bangor to this specific blog. It will be helpful. Just kidding, but seriously do it.

Ten months of hair and still going strong. Two song quotes for it.
No compromise—OC Supertones
I won’t back down—Tom Petty

A cool beans day

Satan starts on me right when I wake up this morning. It was easy though; I took him out with no problem (I simply said go). Aurora and I were asked to go over to Charlie’s house to spend the day hanging out playing pool and watching some movies. At first I was like I really don’t want to I really just want to stay at the house and do nothing. Then I thought how much does that suck. GO!! He’s the guy you want to get saved; how is that going to happen if you stay at home and miss this opportunity to be with him. DUH!!!!! So off we went. We got to his house through the rain after being there for about half an hour I realized I’m terrible at pool. I always thought I was pretty good. When you haven’t played in about a year (on a good table) it shows. I was terrible. Then we decided to have a tournament. That’s when I realized I lost (or never had) my touch. Three games of cut throat. I lost mine and lost for another guy (I took his place since he left early). So that’s two games, in a row, I lost. They go on with the tournament. Jessica wins. Then we decide to have a loser’s battle. Aurora, Rickey, and I are competing. Rickey and I both lost two games. So were doing what we can to get a record three in a row. We actually didn’t want Aurora to win at all. The game lasted forever (notice how it’s underlined). That had to be the longest game in the world. I would say it lasted just over an hour. We scratched so many times (most were non-intentional) so we kept bringing other balls up. Just when everyone thought it was almost over bam, bam, bam, three scratches in a row; the table is full again, and it’s anybody’s game. I couldn’t believe how long it was. It eventually ended up me and Aurora facing off. I missed an easy shot and she sunk my last ball. I was hoping for a scratch but no such luck. So Rickey and I both lost three consecutive games. How cool are we.
We went to get some pizza and rent some movies. The pizza we got was enormous twenty-seven inches. Yes we were gluttonous pigs. I think we wanted to have enough for everyone to get there fill. We had our fill and more with the chips added to the mix. We then watched The Village and The Jacket. As Keanu Reeves would say “Whoa.” Those movies were so weird. I thought my head would explode because they confused me so much. I understood them but they were just…too strange for me. I usually love psychological thrillers but these two were just odd. The Jacket was okay. I like it. It was a good movie. The Village was just too slow and really weird for me. They had a colony with beliefs and lives built on fear and deceit. I didn’t like that and the girl really had nothing to fear while she was in the woods, so it wasn’t that exciting. I personally was unimpressed. We were also planning on watching Hostage, but after the first two movies it was too late. Maybe another time I can ponder through that one. It was an awesome day. I wouldn’t trade it for any another. It was cool beans.

You can have one super power What is it

My blog now allows anonymous comments. Everyone comments now.
This question was posed to me a few months ago by Aaron (Ziploc) White. If I could have any one super power in the world what would it be? I’ve given it careful thought and I have come to a definite decision. I know I would want something that I could help someone with. What good would a superpower be if I couldn’t help anyone but myself? When I first thought I said transportation (a.k.a. phasing). I thought that would be cool I could be in a airport in a second and not have to wake up early and drive there. I could go from Florida and Vancouver and Charlotte, North Carolina without going on a plane. I could go into the vault of a bank and no one would know. Temptation not good. I then thought that it would just make me lazy. I would be phasing everywhere, and I’d get lazy and apathetic. Not good. Then I thought about pyro-kenesis. I thought that would be awesome to have fire come out of my hand and burn stuff. I like fire. Then I thought what good could I do with that? I could roast marshmallows in the blink of an eye. Oh no dinner’s not ready and you have to cook for twenty people. Don’t worry I can cook it in two minutes. What if I had a dream about fire and I woke up in the middle the night and my room in burning not good at all. That wouldn’t be very helpful. Then I thought about X-ray vision. NO!! Not helpful in anyway shape or form. Unless someone has a broken bone. I would never need to go to the doctors office again for my ankle, but again not very practical unless I had a medical degree. Then I thought what about flying? Aaron made a good point though it’s not very useful unless you have super strength or something else to compliment that ability. Then I thought about ESP, but I think it would just be weird for someone to hear my voice in there head. I would be telling them telling them a ridiculous joke while there in an important meeting, or (even worse) they might mistake me for an evil Spirit talking to them, and that wouldn’t turn out good( breaking me off in Jeus name is not good for business). I may also not want to know what other people are thinking at times. So then I thought. What does the world need? Food? (no) money? (no) Protection? (YES) Hurricanes, storms, earthquakes, tsunami’s, disaster. The world Needs protection. A force field!! That’s it. I wan to be able to make a force field I could save hundreds of people form death. I could put a force field around a person so they can’t inject with a needle. I could put a force filed around people so they won’t get shot, or I could protect everyone in Cuba right now so Hurricane Denis won’t kill anyone. That would be awesome. I wouldn’t save everyone though. That would be over kill…or over doing it. I would definitely have to be asking God if it is okay to protect certain people. Although roasting marshmallows instantaneously and flying would be cool and transporting from Australia to faster and cheaper than Phil could. I want to be in the business of saving lives…oh wait I already am. BA ha ha ha. Right now though I’m focusing on walking on water. Maybe I’ll work on the force field after I take a trip across the Atlantic Ocean. The instant smores will just have to wait. Everyone else your thoughts??
I could be a Hero in more ways than one.
What’s your superpower?

Good News

In the mind of Michael Collins I think this would qualify as Good News. Check it out your thoughts.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4083676.stm

By the way does anyone know if he has a blog?

Wednesday What Can I say?

No seriously what can I say? It's Wednesday. It's like every other Wednesday. I was on the truck at the Family Store like I am every Wednesday. It was a lot easier than it has been in the past though. The pick ups were actually relatively small (Praise the Lord). I also realized that the Family Store could save a ton of money if, rather than taking all the stuff that is falling apart and broken and un useable and just have a bonfire with it, it would save them so much money on trips to the dump. They have so much wood from entertainment centers that are falling apart, nasty mattress', books, and other random wood stuff we get that's broken, bent and otherwise destroyed. It would be fun we could have the bonfire and roast hot dogs and marshmallows and have smores. That would be awesome!! They had so much stuff they can't sell and need to get rid of that the truck was full and there was still stuff left over to be thrown away. It's ridiculous. I say burn it all and get some use out of it to roast the mallows. No one ever gets tired of smores. It could be the employee/volunteer appreciation party, once a month, it'll last all night long. I think I'm going to pitch it to the manager next time I see them. The rest of the night was fairly uneventful. I played Halo2 and talked to Chris. The highlight was the ribs that Debbie made. Oh my the were so good. I cold have eaten them all night long and never gotten sick of them. I loved every finger lickin bite (I never really liked that cliche. Why did I just use it?). After I picked up Chris from friends house we almost had a ten o'clock basketball game. Where he beats me 10-3 and I laugh and make jokes because I'm so bad. He was hungry though so it didn't happen but it will, and I will blog about it. I think I'm getting better though. I've been playing by myself in the gym at the corps when I have some free time. Everyone seems better when there by themselves though, so I may still be really bad. I will let everyone know.

Ice Cream makes everything good

We had our fourth young adult cell today. We’re still struggling to make it a natural thing that happens and we get to meet people now it seems like an awkward program and that makes it hard to have fun at times. We did go out and have some waffle fries with cheese and cheese sticks and quesadillas…wow we had a lot of cheese. Then we topped it off with some ice cream. I loved every minute of it. You can't go wrong woth Ice Cream. Ryan also joined our group on his day off from camp. It was good seeing him again and hearing of his camp exploits; his pranks (I hope the DYS doesn’t read my blog) and other amazing camp stuff. It almost makes me miss the camp in Florida. Here’s a shout out to all my CAMP KEYSTONE PEEPS!! I should write them a letter. That would be fun (I’m thinking out loud now, but I’ll get back to blogging in a minute). They would probably like to hear from me since this my first summer not there in like four years…I’m sure everyone misses me even the people who don’t know me. Okay, I’m done thinking. We got to talk with Scott as well; he was just recently accepted as a Free Mason Shriner. So he is one of the guys that will be helping to but a good face on the free masons. That is so not cool. We got a chance to pray for him (but not about the free mason stuff) he’s got some things he’s trying to work through. We made TWC pitch to him. He said he’s thought about it. I think it would be an awesome opportunity and a great way for him to get keep going with what he’s already accomplished…I should probably be telling him this and not you guys. I think I’ve run out of things to blog about so I guess I’m done.

Last Few days update. Our Independence Day!!

Okay so this is going to be a blog to cover the last few days…
July 2: I hope everyone had a wonderful Canada day. Doug is back. Wahoo. Seriously that’s all that happened that day. Uh…no it isn’t…I lied I got a call form my parents. They are no longer homeless. They have a condo in Naples Florida which gives them a view of the lake and pool (God has blessed Florida and the USA South). So they now begin there one year of assisting the COs in Naples until the building in wherever is finished. I also got a call form my older sister who is going to sign me up for Survivor. She says I have the goofy personality that people look for. Apparently they like goofy people with lots of hair.
July 3: Doug is leaving. Blahhhh. Nicole (Our Youth Pastor) and Doug are going to BTI. Where they will be immensely blessed and get a truck load of Holy Spirit energy and revitalization and then they can bring it in to Bangor and share the wealth. I want a piece a dat. Woot Woot!! So Tara, Aurora, and I drove them to Portland to meet with some other officer dude. Then we left and Tara started to drill me with some questions (mostly so we didn’t ride in silence) to get an insight into my mind. Praise God she didn’t get lost in my hair while getting insight. That was good times.
July 4: I went to an island (I don’t remember what it was called) for a cook out and a parade. That was fun. I ate and ate and ate and just when I was going to stop dessert came out so I ate some more. Hamburgers, hotdogs, and chicken (every vegetarian hates me now) with pasta salad and chips (the chips were low fat so I’m not fat don’t worry). Then we had strawberry pie for dessert, brownies, and cookies, and it was good. Then we played Ultimate Frisbee. I had a blast. We lost seven to five but it was good times I enjoyed every minute of it. I also cut my hand. But I kept playing. Just like in Rugby playing while injured. Except in Rugby I would probably need to learn how to play while I was dead. It wasn’t that bad at all. I also got sunburn on my arms. It’s Canada’s fault. I blame them. But you can’t be upset when you get a sunburn when you’re with friends. I will be going to see a fireworks display tonight with Aurora. And Debbie gets back tonight. Hooray someone will be here who will be in charge again. I will have fun.
Happy 4th of July, Happy Independence Day!! (even if you’re not American)

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare (cymbal Crash), the bombs bursting in air, (cymbal Crash!!) Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there. (trumpet Cresendo to Fortisimo!!) O say, does that Star - Spangled Banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

God Bless America and humble us. May there be more of you and less of us.

Canada Day

Happy Canada Day Everyone!!!! (even if you're not canadian)


O Canada!Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Belfast anyone...anyone...Belfast...

So I went to Belfast, Maine today. Why you ask because I’m a nice guy and can’t say no when I am asked to do physical labor…why is that?? Since I had nothing planned for this morning I agreed to drive the Family Store truck to Belfast to pick some stuff up. I should have said no. It was worse than our regular pickups around town. I thought it would be easy stuff that we would load onto the truck. Almost nothing was in boxes a good chunk of the stuff was garbage. There were a ton of shoes as well. So Patti, Elizabeth, Lugi and, I all started in on this pile of junk. I enjoyed the drive though I heard Smoke on the Water on the radio which got me into a good driving mood. I then went to see Tom Cruise in War of the Worlds. It was a very good movie. Not as many preaching points as other movies, but it was still good. Wow. I just used the number of preaching points in it to help judge a movie. One of the side effects of TWC I guess. Does anyone else do that? I don’t think it’s bad but it is weird. Didn’t I blog about this once before? I don’t remember. I had an urge to watch Bill and Ted’s excellent adventure a couple nights ago. I’m glad Jenn left that movie hear. It was hilarious!! I loved it. Does anyone know when Van Halen was at the height of their popularity? They talked a lot about Eddie Van Halen. I watched Bill and Ted and ate Ice Cream. Chris pulled off a scam that I think would make Stephen Court proud. Chris got Gabby (A friend who happens to be a girl. Nothing more.) to do his laundry. He has never done laundry in his life. What makes it even funnier is that she didn’t know how to work the machine so they had to call Doug to get instructions to turn and pull the knob. WOW!! That’s funny!!!!! We are [pushing on with VBS although the kids don’t seem to want to listen at times (this reminds me of something else that starts with a w and ends in arrior academy). We’re raising up souldiers who know all there is to know about Jewish culture. Fun fun fun.

I realized to day that I love almonds. I never knew it before but I do now.

The war is on our battle cry is NO COMPROMISE!!

Another Wednesday at the Family Store

It’s another Wednesday with another list of pick up spots for the truckers at TSA Family Store. Only ten pick-ups but that’s not what I want to blog about. This morning Aurora and I did shouting prayers for PTB in the chapel. I really enjoyed it partially because I love to yell and shout and jump around but also because there was a group in the Kitchen (not far from the chapel) preparing lunch for the soup kitchen from the Universal Unitarian church. I don’t know a whole lot about the Unitarian church, but I do know that they’re not good for business. I love being an antagonist; that may or may not be a good thing. I didn’t get a chance to talk to any of them though because I had to go to the Family Store. I would have loved to just have a conversation with one of them. That’s all I really have to blog about today.

Has anyone seen Donald? I can’t find him anywhere.

My Apologies…

First day of VBS and more.

Who knew that after all the preparation done yesterday there could be so much more left to do. I thought someone was going to have a heart attack over some of the stuff that needed to be done. Our first day went great though. Everything easy wonderful, all the volunteers showed up all our supplies were where we needed them and he kids had a blast. I don’t think it could have gone better form my perspective. I also got to play a Shofarot which was like music to my ears. The best part (for me) was after VBS, after the fun and games, after the singing and playing, and after I had taken the kids home. I was taking Charlie home and he opened up to me like never before. I was so amazed. I asked him a simple question like when did you accept Christ so he change your life? and it opened up a myriad of other stuff. He was suddenly willing to share struggles in his life and problems he had been facing and I was able to share with him some of the insight I had and let him know that I shrewd some of his same struggles at some point in my life. It was wonderful. We talked about stuff I hadn’t even thought about before. He has applied to work at camp this summer because he needs a job and there short staffed. So pray that God’s will and not mine will be done in that situation. He’s also trying to get one of his brothers saved and to get a cousin of his to quit smoking. I love this guy. I’m very excited about spending more time with him. You got to respect one on one van time. Obviously that won’t be the only time I’m with him but I will do what I can with it. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord. No seriously praise the Lord…right now…as you’re reading this. Do it!!

I preached PRAISE GOD!!

I preached today. This was my first time ever preaching in a formal setting. The only other time I ever had to preach was at Harbo(u)r Light, and our two minutes of preaching and thirty seconds of prep with Steve-o. This went wonderfully though. I did have a bit of a glitch at first, because I figured me talking alone would be enough and I wouldn’t need a headset to the sound system. No one could hear me in the back. So I looked around the chapel a bit for a head set. I didn’t really know were they were and I made that apparent, so Danny brought me a Cordless microphone. Praise the Lord for Danny Larcombe. The Holy Spirit did an amazing job with me then. I was able to get my point across to everyone without stumbling over my words every few seconds and I didn’t try to be anyone but Travis. That’s good stuff. I didn’t end it the way I had planned it partially because I forgot but it went okay. I did a Forest Gump ending by saying “That’s all I got to say about that. I then did the always popular Michael Collins patented (actually Paul did it first) Ephesians 3:17-18 apostolic prayer (benediction) over everyone. I did get some good feedback from a few people in the congregation. According to John Giron there were a few times when I sounded like my Dad. WOW. How weird is that?? Not…weird at all…actually. It was a very good Sunday Service followed by VBS prep and then a nap.

That night I watched a show on the Discovery Channel called the Greatest American Ever. They went all over America getting people to vote for whom they thought should be the greatest American (Only in America would we vote for the greatest). Ronald Regan was number one, Abraham Lincoln was number two, Martin Luther King Jr. was number three, George Washington was number 4, and Benjamin Franklin was number 5. I was okay with the top five. What I wasn’t okay with was that Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Phil Brett Favre, Ellen Degeneress, and Michael Jackson made the list. What have they done to be great? Those places could have been saved for Davey Crocket, Daniel Boone, Norman Rockwell, Louis Armstrong (a.k.a. Sachmo), and Walt Whitman. Put people on who have actually made some contribution to the foundation of America or the arts, not people who tell over weight people how feel good about themselves or people who show that even when you have so much plastic surgery you should be on Planet of the Apes you can still be famous. It was absolutely absurd and ridiculous that those people were even nominated. I would have pitched a fit if either of them had won. Just them being on there was obscene and so degrading to me.

Disappointment

Man, today was…oh, how to describe it…disappointing…very disappointing. I awoke at 9:00 to the sound of a phone. It was Aurora. Praise God for wake up calls (I was hoping to sleep till ten). I was going to meet them at a skate park and then go to Alswamooska (close enough) Lake. Unfortunately Chris also wanted to go to a different lake with some of his friends. So I decided, being a man with an impeccable sense of direction (if pigs and cows are flying and monkeys are eating Oreos 24-7), that I would take Chris and his friends to Branch Lake and then find my way to Lake Aswallowamooseka. It would be no problem. Unless the directions I got were wrong. Charlie is a great guy but when giving directions road name help so much. I had no problem getting on to SR 15 finding the road to turn to get to Lake Asquashaducka I was in the dark. I had to find a road that started out paved and then turned into a dirt road, and it’s right after a fish factory (also odd) sign. It also would have been helpful to know that I had to get on to SR 1 rather than stay on fifteen. Needless to say I never made it. I drove up and down Sr 15 foe forty-five minutes looking for a sign for a fish factory, or a sign that pointed me to Lake Aswapatoungeka. After Charlie, Ashley (Charlie’s wife or close to it) and, Aurora were done having the time of there life at Lake Aswatabugka. They called me asking if I would want to go to there house to see a movie and just hang out. Of course I would love to. So we rented Life Aquatic. None of us had seen it, but it had Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Owen Wilson. It’s an all-star cast it has to be funny. No there's a good reason none of the people reading my blog have ever heard of that movie, absolutely terrible. I only remember laughing once in the entire movie and I usually laugh easily. This was stupid. I think they tried to be funny it just didn’t work at all. I don’t know why they thought it would be a good idea to do the movie. It bombed. I was very disappointed. Never see the movie Life Aquatic it is disappointment in a box. That was my disappointing day. I preach tomorrow though Praise the Lord!!

Screen printing

Tonight was my first night I have ever Screen Printed. I never new Screen Printing was so boring. Whenever Nicole or Charlie talked about Screen Printing stuff it sounded like fun. It wasn’t!! Nicole and I had to screen print all these little symbols on bandanas for VBS. It was so boring. Maybe if I was doing something I actually liked and it wasn’t the same thing over and over again it might be fun. It took up almost all of Powerhouse though so I didn’t get to do much else. I finally finished writing my sermon for Sunday. I just have to run through it once or twice or three times, so I don’t stumble over my words and also so I l know I can read my own notes. That would be terrible if I was standing in front of everyone and I couldn’t read my own writing. It would be hilarious but not a goods thing to get the point across.

I think God has decided to use some quotes that I like form movies on me now. While I was Screen Printing I got some of the paint on my Hard Rock Yokohama, Japan shirt (that is so not cool beans). A shirt from a place I probably will never go. I went home to wash it out but no luck I haven’t dried it yet it’s just sitting in the Laundry room wet. I’m still trying to salvage it. But after the first time scrub I heard God quoting Yoda’s line from Star Wars Rvenge of the Sith“Let go of everything you are afraid to lose.” Why a shirt though that’s so random but then again it is one of my favorite shirts. Maybe he’s going to build up to something bigger for me to lose. I’m scared to wear any of my other Hard Rock shirts now. Actually I can’t think of much else I have hear that I don’t want to lose. Actually yes I do…I have three things actually: my guitar, my cornet and my cd’s. STINK!! None of that stuff is ever leaving the house. I am going to bed because I get to sleep in tomorrow. Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm walking (USO) Fun stuff.

I went for a walk earlier today. It was in this old Bo marc Industrial Park area place. I was driving past it and God told me to turn the car around and go for a walk, so I did. While I was walking I started looking at this red and white checkered water tower and the radio Antenna next to it. I looked in the opposite direction and I could see the mountains. I noticed the tallest mountain in that chain lined up almost exactly with the water tower and there was an antenna on it. A thought then came back to me. A few years ago the Florida Divisional Band and Divisional Youth Band took a trip to Mexico City on our last day we went to these old ancient Inca pyramids. The two tallest ones were called the pyramid of the sun and the pyramid of the moon. When our DMD (Jim Cheyene) went to the top of the moon pyramid he looked around and wondered why the pyramids were built the way they were. There was nothing symmetrical and no visible order to them. He figured there was a reason for it though (he was always thinking, smart guy). He then went to the top of the Pyramid of the sun and form that vantage point he could see that each of the pyramids by there placement and height lined up with the mountains in the back ground. Does anyone else think there could be a connection between the witchcraft in this area and that water tower being lined with the mountain, or am I just a little weird? I also felt a huge heaviness around the whole area like something was pushing me down right when I drove in there and started walking around. I also went over to the Seventh Silo (Witchcraft bookstore) bookstore and looked at the outside. I waited till I saw the last lady there leave. I waas very cover, under the radar. I think she saw me anyway; while she was loading up her car she looked right at me for a few seconds. I went up to the store after she left and looked at the advertisements in there display case thing. It was a bunch of stuff for people to get connected in the Spirit and get healed and all this weird crap. I felt like something was pushing me away from the store. Like something wasn't happy that I was there. So after a while I went back to my car, I rolled the windows down, and played the O.C. Supertones as loud as I could stand it. I felt fine after I left but there were house In that area I don’t know how those people could stand to live there. It’s not a good situation. I then almost went to see Batman Begins but God told me to finish my preach for Sunday so I did. Well…I didn’t really finish it but most of it’s done. I think it’s gonna be cool beans. I can’t wait…oh, no I lied…yeah I can wait.

Fun movie quotes

We are gearing up for VBS here in Bangor. It looks like it’s going to be a really great experience for the kids. It’s supposed to be set in the Jerusalem marketplace, and it seems like we’re going to turn them all into Jews (I'm not giving up hot dogs though). Everything we have to do is something related with the Jewish customs and practices, but Jesus was a Jew so it’s all good. I am also working on my speak/preach for Sunday. I’m ion full “hurry up and wait for more revelation” mode. I hate it when this happens, but actually I love it, but seriously I don’t. So I’m getting more and more every few minutes and it’s slowly coming together. I’m no longer having a panic attack over it every two minutes any more (only very three hours). I don’t know whey I stress so much about stuff like this if I bomb oh well, if I get all of Bangor saved that’s cool beans too. I don’t really remember much of the last few days except I was on the Truck at The Family Store and I wanted to throw some stuff out of a window form the second story. I saw “Kingdom of Heaven” on Tuesday. That was good stuff. Orlando bloom (he’s so hot) led an army in the crusades defending Jerusalem after the rest of the army was killed by the Muslim army. There was a quote that I really liked where Orlando bloom made all these guys knights and a priest said, “Do you think making a man a knight will make him a better fighter.” Orlando Bloom Said, “yes it will.” I don’t know exactly why I like the quote but I do. I know it shouldn’t make any difference what your rank is in the army fight as hard as you can. Maybe it’s the whole idea of when you have a rank or some type of title you want to uphold that and title. It’s something more to fight for. If anyone has any more insight it would be appreciated. Another good quote is “tell the truth always, even if it means your death.” Yet for your sake we face death all day long-Psalm 44:22. After he (Orlando Bloom) was defeated he went back home. He went back to being a blacksmith and later King Richard came looking for him to go back to Jerusalem and fight on another crusade. All he said was I am just a blacksmith –Humility. It was all good stuff. It doesn’t paint a very good picture of Christians but it did have some good points. Can someone please tell me when did I start to watch movies differently? I never watched movies to find preaching points in them. I’m probably going to be doing that for the rest of my life now. I used to quote stuff like “The sponges migrated a foot and a half” Bill Murray—Ghostbusters. Now I quote stuff like “Let go of everything you are afraid to loose” Yoda—“Star Wars Revenge of the Sith”. That’s so weird. It 's just one of the many side effects of a year at The War College.

I just had an epiphany. Since there's really no limit as to how many phase's you can do, couldn't we call The War College, The War University? Who's with me?!?! This reminds me of the time I wanted to in spell souldier with a u. Well, I never stopped. Ha ha ha ha.

Tara is back form New Jersey (when does New York and New Jersey stop being new?) so we’re united, strong, still pushing forward and still making progress like she never left.

It's Monday...Hallelujah!!!

I love Mondays. Not really. Not much happened today. We talked abpout VBS. I ate some Ice cream form this place called Giffords. Really good stuff. Ther was no Wasbi, Garlic, or Blasalmic flavored ice cream praise the Lord!! I am also stareesing over this ASunday becasue I have to preach. Iahve only preached once before and that was at Harbour Light before the meal Sunday night. That one I had in my head and worked in thar type of setting. It's Jesus or hell. That's my preach. I'm done.

Sunday!!...again

Is it just me or does Sunday come really quick? I don’t know why but it seems like I was just at church yesterday. It was a really good service. Mary (out YPSM) did the speak today. It wasn’t about Fathers day though it was about Mary and Martha. Good stuff. My voice is also very raspy right now. Sometimes words won’t come out at all. I feel like I'm thirteen again. I stood in the middle of Hogan road yesterday yelling at cars for an hour and holding a sign so people would come to our pizza fest. It didn’t work to well. So I can’ talk well. It’s a good thing these blogs aren’t verbal. No one would recognize me.

So I had a revelation today. I just found out that Chris’ friend Gabby is not a dude. I thought this was some guy from his paint ball team. I pulled into the drive way to drop Chris off and when I saw her said to my self "she is definitely not a dude." I now know how Darren felt when he thought that the prostitute was hot and it was a guy, but not really. That was hilarious!! This actually just the opposite…isn’t it?
It was a bit of an uneventfull day, partially because I sat around the house thinking about cutting the grass, until I got to talk to Josh. That made the whole day better. Does anyone know if it is bad thing that my legs are still hurting form playing dodge ball? I don’t think pushing a fifteen passenger van out of the mud helped. The van is clean though hoo ray. Aurora did it. She’s on top of things like that. I also found out it is very hard to cut the grass after eight at night because it gets dark real quick. I think I probably missed some huge spots last night. Yes that’s right I’m doing yard work while the Burr’s are in Florida. I noticed something absolutely amazing a few days ago. I was watching Back to the Future part 3 and while they were unveiling the clock tower a band started playing a song. The song the band played was “I’ll Gird on the Armor”!!! How cool is that?? For those of you that are really confuse d it is the session song for the Martyrs. It’s very exciting.
In case ou guys haven't realized it my blog accepts anonymous comments now. You can leave anonymous comments and make fun of me and I won't know who it is...maybe this isn't a good idea.

Powerhouse and Bonfires Good combinations

Last night at Powerhouse I had a blast. I played Dodge ball almost the entire night. I love Dodge ball; it’s so fun. I was hitting people left and right then I was getting hit even more. There was a band that preformed; they were serious hardcore. I don’t think the lead singer actually sang or said any words I think he just yelled into the mic the whole time. I couldn’t hear any actual words in the songs though. Maybe he just forgot them all and was trying to cover it up…probably not. I didn’t stay to listen to the band very long because (partially because I couldn’t understand them) it was in a small room and it was killing my ears, but I could also hear them while I was in the gym…and any other part of the building. I love powerhouse.

Today we had a pizza fest. It was a fundraiser for the teen center (powerhouse). We had pizzas donated form four different (local) pizza chains and every one paid five dollars to try the pizza. There were games and cookies and some other stuff, but it was all about the pizza. After it was over Aurora, Charlie, (a guy from the corps) and I went over to Charlie Liu’s (guy who is in charge of Powerhouse) house. We had a bonfire, that took for ever to get started because the wood was wet (gasoline helps), we had smores and a Frisbee and two muddy dogs and lots and lots of fun. We sat around the fire and talked for hours until we decided, at ten o’clock, we should leave. So we jumped in the fifteen passenger van put it in reverse and hit the gas, we hit it again and again and again and realized we were stuck. The ground was so wet and saturated and soft that the two back wheels were just spinning and digging deeper into the mud. I went in and asked for some help so we got out some 2x4’s and tried to get them under the wheels, no luck, then we used an old skateboard deck, no luck. Finally we got some shovels and gravel and started to dig. We realize it was helping a little so we stuck the 2x4’s in (and the skateboard deck) and the four of us (Me, Charlie, Charlie, and Rickey) started pushing as hard as we could. That van was not easy to push. So with Aurora hitting the gas and our pushing, the van finally stared moving, and we stopped pushing and the van stopped moving, so we had to push even more to get it on solid ground so it would move by it self (there’s a sermon in that). It was a good form of authentic Christian community (except not all of them were Christians). I missed it and enjoyed it. So my pants are filthy it’s late and I’m tired so good night everybody.

Memory Lane and BIG REVELATION

I just got back from taking a tour of Bangor High School with two year alumni Jenn Burr. We (Jenn, Aurora, and I) walked through the halls as Jenn reminisced about the time she spent there, and things did and didn’t do. We also took a little walk through the back woods which is where the “smoker clique” would hang out before after and during school. She told us things that happened in different groups and the things that happened in different parts of the school. It brought back some memories for me too but I was able to hold back the tears. After our trip down memory lane we went to Starbucks (of course Starbucks) and we started talking about the idea of there being nothing to do in this city. Jenn brought up a very interesting point though first she said in a city like this the church should step up to get exciting stuff happening for people to do. I agree with that totally. Then she said, “In this city it’s hard to be without a group of friends that you would meet at like school and stuff, because there is nothing to do but when there is a group like the four of us (Me, Jenn, Aurora, and Tara) are together we can think of fun stuff to do.” I think that is one reason that community would be so vital here in Bangor. While we were at a conference (Aflame) at Camp Sebago Stephen pitched MMCCXX. It must have hit Doug like a ton of bricks because he’s all over trying to get Bangor in on the deal. At first I was having a tough time seeing how we would get people out of there houses and into a community but now I realize that we will get then to realize they will have something to do rather than sit in front of a Television and watch other people having fun. It’s the perfect plan to get breakthrough. Someone give me some feed back on this I’m very excited right now…although it could be partially form this Starbucks coffee I have right now. I am so on fire ready to get going. It’s good thing powerhouse is tonight or else I would have no outlet for this energy….who am I kidding I always find an outlet for it. Look out Powerhouse T-SCRIGGITY on his way!!!

Four o'clock ain't so bad.

Waking up at 4:00 am wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I was very confused though, and I wasn’t totally alert until about ten minuts into our drive to the airport. Doug did that part of the driving which was probaly a good idea considering I could have plowed into a bus and not realized it. I hope I didn’t on the way back. I did hear a loud bag and the Mini-van does look smaller. I should proably go watch the news.

At about 6:00(pm) I went to the Bangor mall to do some mall evangilisim with Aurora and John Giron. I walked around the mall for about fifteen minutes unitlI realized I had passed John twice before. It was weird being with him though; (In a good way) I felt like I was back in Florida. It was nice but I had to tell my self a couple of times I was in Maine and it was cold outside. It wasn’t cold, but it definetly wasn’t Florida weather

I also don’t think Bangor has very many police officers. I’ve only seen a few since I’ve been here including the one that pulled me over. It could mean that th Holy Spirit and I will have easier time geeting them all saved or we’re going to have a hard time finding them. We will get them. Oh yes, they will be his. I’ve crossed all the t’s and dotted all the…lower case j’s. I’m like in a Waynes World mood right now. Let’s have a Scooby-Doo ending.

(mask is pulled off) “It’s actually Satan”

I would have suceeded if it wasn’t for these meddling War College students.

I like it.

It's been a while

Sorry I haven’t blogged (blobbed as Jaime Riefer would say) in a few days. It seems like forever. We’re really being run till there’s nothing left in us here in Bangor. Not really but I said it so Stephen court will think it’s really hard. Wait…he’s probably still reading this. AGGGHHHH!! I really got to think through these plans much better than what I have been. Anyway since I haven’t blogged for a while this might be a long one so those of you who don’t like reading long blogs read of part of it know and part of it later. So it will seem like two short blogs. There’s no condemnation. These past few days I have talked to people two people (IM’s) who I haven’t talked to in a long time one of whom is a Holy Terror. It’s a great thing when you talk to people that you haven’t seen in a long time. I love it. (End now if you like short blogs). On Tuesday we had our young adult cell again it was good times. It was a little unorganized but we still had some good discussions and got some really good insight on stuff. The three guys we met last week (Cory, Darren, and Chris) didn’t show up. I was disappointed I really thought they would be there. Maybe they will eventually. I think Chris Burr (like me) has the spiritual gift of procrastination (I break that off in Jesus name). He has post-poned our discipleship session three times this week. I think I might have to tie him down sooner or later and make him listen. Not really I’ll just rebuke him back into a chair and start if he tries to leave again. It’s cool beans hanging out with him. I can’t think of anything I’d like to do more. That may have been a lie. I have to think about that one. Does anyone know why the computers spell check doesn’t recognize it’s as a word? Every time I use the computer says I’m wrong. It is a word right? Some one make sure Xander is reading this he’s the grammar guy. He's always accenting the I in Florida. Who does that really? (End, again, now if you like short blogs). Doug and Debbie are leaving…again. They just got back form Hershey Pennsylvania on Tuesday and there leaving tomorrow morning (Thursday morning). There plane leaves at 5:00am. Guess who has to dirve them to the airport at 4:00am. IT’S MEEEE!! Praise the Lord for 2 to 5 War Room Shifts to get me ready for this. It’s going to be grueling but I think I can make it (It’s only a fifteen minute drive). Tara is also gone. She went to New Jersey for a week, to visit some friends. So it’s Aurora and Jenn and I…here…continuing our work…taking charge……does that seem really unexciting to anyone else?? I’ve been informed by Doug that I will be partially in charge of the Youth Programs this summer, along with the Youth Pastor and YPSM. I get to do VBS. I haven’t helped with a VBS program since I was twelve. It shouldn’t be too difficult, except remembering everyone’s name. I always have a hard time with that. I did fine memorizing names at camp, but that was only fifteen kids usually. This is going to be between twenty and thirty kids. I need a bigger brain. My list of guys I am going to disciple has grown from three to five. So I should have full (sixty hour) schedule by now (stev-o should like that). I’m supposed to preach in two weeks, start praying now for me. Maybe I’ll just tell jokes and make everyone laugh. Actually, I tried that the first week and it didn’t work. When I was being introduced I told a joke and no one understood it. That may just mean there aren’t a lot of John Mellencamp fans here. Well, I think I’ve definitely gone form updating to rambling so I should probably end this now. (End this, again, now if you like short blogs)

Sunday!! Sunady!!! Sunday!!!

Sunday is always an interesting day. This was the first time I heard Tara preach. Apparently the smile on my face wasn’t exactly what she was looking for in the audience. I guess she was hoping to see more of a convicted look. That’s my bad. I’ll try harder next time. It was a very good preach. William Booth would be proud I think. "Stop looking for religion and start forming a relationship". I hope I quoted that right. A much needed message this day and age. No one was rushing to the mercy seat when she finished but, you can’t always measure effectiveness by the number of converts. Sometimes the change that happens on the inside takes time in order to appear on the outside. I thought it was good stuff and cool beans all at once.

I came home (I am now calling the Burr’s house my home) took a nap and watched the last few minutes of Arena Bowl XIX. The Colorado Crush beat the Georgia G-force with a field goal in the last three seconds 38-41. I enjoyed it.

Then Sunday night Bible study. I hadn’t been to it previously, but I decided tonight would be a good night to attend. I think the intention was to finish Luke chapter 22 and get through part of chapter 23. We started on verse 39. We only got through fourteen verses (schedule subject to change by Holy Spirit). Rather than length we went for depth. We dug into parts rather than just skim the surface a dig a bit here and there. We asked questions and searched for answers. It was really nice. We talked the disciples falling asleep, Judas and his betrayal, Peter whipping out his sword, and then his denial, later. I think it was a little more than what most of them are used to. I really enjoyed it. I also got some bloggable quotes. Only two:

1) Judas was a church goer but he wasn’t a Christian—Gene. What a guy he led the study. smart man. I think I need to get some one on one time with him. See what else he’s got stored up in that head.
2) God has OCD when it comes to love—Tara. I think most of you know her. She’s cool beans.

I think I may need to use those sooner or later, probably later rather than sooner.

Never Liked cats

I’ve never really liked cats a whole lot. Winfield (the burr’s cat) isn’t helping the situation. I don’t mind feeding him in the morning or at night. I’m also not opposed to cleaning out his litter box, though I could think of twenty different things I’d rather do. I also don’t mind it when he cries for food, but when the cry for food comes at 6:00am; I have a problem, especially when that 6:00am is on a Saturday. No one should need to get up at six in the morning on a Saturday especially not to feed a cat. If I could ignore him I would, but I really think he’s trying to talk. I think he’s getting out the words now and here. While he’s trying to talk it is the loudest and most annoying thing I have ever heard in my entire life. He can’t wait three more hours till I’m actually willing to wake up and not think about shaving him and shipping him to Egypt. Even if it was at seven I would be happy but not at six. Normally after he’s been you would think he would be quiet, but the excitement lingers. After he eats he continues to try to speak. I don’t know what he could possibly want; he’s doing it right now. I think he’s actually trying to say mom. I don’t know what he could want I fed him already. How funny would it be to hear that the mailman admitted himself into a psych ward because he thought a package was talking to him? Ha ha ha that would be hilarious. It makes me want to do it even more. Not really, but seriously I could. Things change though. Maybe I'll eventually learn to love Winfield. This could be the beggining of a beautiful relationship.

I also realized I don’t hear the phone ringing at one o’clock in the morning. I woke u p and there was a message ion the phone form the Bangor PD letting me know that two windows were left open at the corps. They eventually called the CSM and he took care of it, but I didn’t hear the phone at all I don’t think that’s a good thing. So if the corps was burning, I wouldn’t know about it until the seven o’clock morning news. That’s also not good. Hopefully, I won’t be home alone too often. I must get my beauty rest for church tomorrow. Good night.

Thunder and Lightning

I have been told that my entries the last few days have been a little long so this one will be short. I heard thunder for the first time in nine months today it was very exciting. Tara, Aurora, and I were sitting at Starbucks and we heard the thunder rolling across the sky. I got very excited. I can’t wait to se the lightning next. “His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.” Psalm97:4. Maybe a little Heavenly lightning is what Vancouver needs. The next time anyone goes to Starbucks you should get a Mint Mocha Frappuccino. It is absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend it. I hope this is short enough for everyone.

Behold!!! I win, and hockey will be back

Behold! I’m about as high as a kite right now. My self-esteem is what I’m talking about. I just beat Chris Burr In a game of basketball, one on one. I won; I’m very excited; I don’t think this has ever happened to me before. I’m still trying to process it all. The man who has played since he was in fifth grade lost to the guy who has always tried to be almost, almost good since the fifth grade. This is a momentous occasion. I need to call ESPN or something. It’s the next big thing on Sportscenter. To celebrate this time, and just because it’s only me and Chris here, party at the Burrs house. Come on over Phil, get a twelve dollar Air Canada ticket over here and sleep on the plane. Rachel, get on a bus you can be here by tomorrow. I just realized how far away everyone really is. Isn’t that weird? I’m all the way over here and no one is within a one day (driving) trip of here. Oh well, everyone get on a plane train or automobile and get here party a tthe Burr's! woo hoo!!! Were gonna party like it’s 2005 because no one really likes 1999!!! I don’t care if you’re not laughing; it’s funny to me. It’s not really that great of a victory. He killed me the first game 11-4. Then we played to five. He shot left handed and he didn’t have any shoes on so I won 5-0, but it was a shut out. According to Stephen Court that, I think, deserves a milkshake. We should still have a party.

In other news, BEHOLD !! Hockey should/will be back next season. YEAH!! Who else is excited with me (every Canadian about eighteen Americans, okay). The NHL owners and agent have finally come to an agreement for a salary cap and a kuxury Tax. The biggest hurdle they faced is behind them. I'm glad they finally realized how much that was needed. I just wish this epiphany would ahve come sooner. Anyway, I will say that, The Tampa bay Lightning will to win it again. Lord Stanleys Cup will saty in Tampa. Nobody will stand in there way. Not the Hurricanes, Bruins, Devils, Canucks, Leafs, Blues, Redwings, or the Flames. The Stanley Cup will remain in Tampa Bay; I decree it in the Heavens. Actually even if they don't win it I love just watching them play. All the Canadian can settle down now and stop trying to act excited about curling. Ha ha ha ha. This has been a wonderful day. I win and I know hockey will be back next season. The only thing that would make this day any better is if I…uh…actually this day is perfect the way it is. BEHOLD a perfect day.

On the truck again and some divine appointments

It’s Wednesday again…all day (I hate it when that happens). Since it is Wednesday I was on the truck again for the TSA Family Store. I feel more and more like a redneck every day. Pretty soon I’ll be saying Hey y'all and yee-haw. I’ll also know all the words to every Charlie Daniels song. Woo Hoo I can’t wait.
Anyway, I never knew that people took the “Spring Cleaning” term so seriously. That’s what everyone is doing. They must have a late start at “Spring Cleaning”. Actually think it’s still Spring. Isn’t it?? I don’t know. I only know that when you have to postpone three stops on a schedule till next week because you don’t have enough room or time for every thing. That’s too much. When will this world stop seeking material possessions? Shut up Travis; you just bought a new pair of sun glasses because you lost the last pair IN YOUR HAIR! Seriously I can’t figure out where they are. That’s the only explanation I have for them being gone. Oh well, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. I had a lot of fun on the truck. It's always a new experience.

Tara and Aurora and Nicole and I started our first Young Adult Cell. We had ten people we need to multiply soon. Actually, there we’re only seven of us, but we were sitting at a park just talking about what we were going to be doing how this was going to look, and these three guys just came over and started talking with us: Corey, Darren, and Chris. Darren is from Tampa, Florida, and Corey’s dad is a minister at a Nazarene church in a little town just outside of Bangor. Yes, Bangor has towns smaller than it is. They asked us what we were doing and our names and if we were from Bangor. It was really awesome talking with them. We prayed for Darren and invited all of them to our cell/hang out session next week. Chris seemed really interested. I love divine appointments. Is anybody else with me on that?

I haven’t yet had a chance to talk to the police officer that I will be getting saved, but it will happen. I still got time. he will be mine...I mean Gods. I’m very excited about these next couple of weeks; I think we’ll really start moving in and help this corps gain some ground that the enemy has stolen. We’re gonna be on FIRE!!!! Pray for that yo.

Apology...agian...with other stuff

Hey guys how you doin? I must apologize for my stupid blog that I posted yesterday. I was not in the best of places spiritually last night and I think I that was reflected in that blog so I apologize to everyone who read it.

On a different note today was an odd day. I still felt like crap when I woke up, but that was gone after a bit of praying and some time resting in the Lord. Seriously I felt one hundred percent better. I also found out one of the teens here took my advice and changed his screen name from demon child blahh blah blah to Salvo Legion. That was my idea. I also had my first in depth disciple time today with Chris (Burr) that went really well. The book we are using I think stole some ideas from Stephen Court. It used part of a movie to get a spiritual aspect across to the reader. I had flash backs of “Walking Tall”, “The Day After Tomorrow”, and “The Incredibles” going through my head. I felt right at home. Doug, Aurora, and Tara, and I got into some deliverance ministry stuff today that was fun. I also did some prayer walking around the city and stumbled upon a Universal Unitarian church. For those of you who don’t know about the Unitarian cult, it’s not good for business. They also serve at the soup kitchen on occasion, which can’t be good. That’s something I’m going to have to pray about before I go attacking it, if I do at all
I met an interesting guy today at the soup kitchen. After talking to me for about five minutes he said, “Hey, are you one of those under cover Christians?” I told him I wasn’t under cover but I was a Christian; he just laughed; he said he could tell because I wasn’t eating (I had finished) and I hadn’t told him my name. Is that really something a lot of people do? Do we always forget to tell people our names when we start conversations? How weird is that? I thought it was just a “me” thing. Then he started talking about his god being older than our God (he was a first nations/native American) and His God defeated our God in some battle of the Gods 1,253 years ago. He knew what he was very lucid when I talked to him he wasn’t drunk like a lot of the guys are in Vancouver when they go on with stuff like that. It was like this was something he was thought in school or by his family; definitely not good at all. But I think I can work on him. I’ve noticed that false religions are running rampant here in Bangor. Something we need to pray through to get some breakthrough. You’re prayers would be greatly appreciated in that area. Well, now that I have a book written I guess I should let everyone get back to fighting there own individual battles. I doin a Stephen Court move now!

Grace
Travis R.

Nuisance

Has anyone heard the song by Relient K and John Rueben “Nuisance”? I love that song. That has got to be one of the best songs of all time. Seriously that is awesome. If anyone doesn’t like that song I might have to…uh…I’ll think of something (stink, now I have to think again). I just realized I have nothing else to talk about. So…how’s everyone doing? Anyone feeling defeated in any area of there life? No? Good…okay I’m done. I seriously can’t think of anything else to say. I could just ramble on a waste everyone’s time while you read this. That’s always fun. But is it nice? Hmmm I don’t think so. So does anyone but me think Detroit is going to win the series tonight? I think Ben Wallace is just too much. Okay I[m done wasting evryones timw with this blog. But remember Relient K and John Rueben “Nuisance” An amazing song. Trust me.

AFLAME

The weekend of Aflame:

It’s not about the bush it’s about the fire
It’s not about Moses it’s about the mission
It’s not about the moment it’s about the mission
--All these are quotes are from Danielle

Aflame was a wonderful experience. I got to spend another weekend in beautiful camp Sebago. It was brighter this time than last time. It didn’t rain at all. It was great to see Jenn, Stephen and Danielle again. I really enjoyed hearing them speak rather than just teach. It was a more informal setting than most conferences, but that could have been because there we only about forty people there.

Sunday was all about the presence of the Lord (that’s where those quotes came from). The key to world conquest, getting all the tools to save the world, converting Mormon, Muslims, Jews, and JW to Christ by staying in his presence. We get everything we need to do this form God and we understand his plan and strategy by Staying in his presence. I just thought I would pass on these words of wisdom from Danielle to everyone who reads my blog.

I also spent some time swimming in Sebago Lake. That is the coldest lake I have ever been in. It was 51 degrees (approximately 10 Celsius). I really enjoyed it. So did Danielle, Aurora, and Tara (Jenn and Olivia were really the only intelligent ones, they stayed dry). The lake was cold enough to knock the warm Floridian spirit right out of me…for a time. I seriously was borderline manifesting for the first thirty seconds I was in there. It was stupid cold, but I did enjoy it. Come to think of it after I got out I felt very refreshed…and cold. O also decide that I wouldn’t wear shoes at all on Saturday. So I didn’t, except in the dinning room, because apparently health people would have a conniption fit if I didn’t wear shoes. It’s a sate law. No shirt, no shoes, no service. Does that mean I can not wear pants and still get service? I should try…or not. I think that's about it as far as aflame goes.


Aflame
It’s not about our flame it’s about spreading it. –Mine

The War College
It’s not about the college it’s about the War.
It’s not about the training it’s about using it. –Also mine

Solitude

I'm not actually experiencing solitude; I'm actually just all alone right now, but I'm okay with alone time. Deb and Doug have gone to pick up Jenn, and Chris is at a friend's house. So it's me and Winfield (the cat)...who I should probably feed soon. Anyway, I'm all alone there's nobody here beside me...anyone remember that song from Shrek. Donkey sang it when Shrek through him outside. I feel like singing it right now, but it wouldn't be funny at all, because no one is here to hear me except Winfield and he doesn't like my jokes anyway. So, I need a way to entertain my self right now. I'm usually pretty good at that...so...uh...I'm gonna...uh...umm. I'm gonna go eat. See ya.

Three is better than two, and more fun

I was on the truck at the Family Store again today. That was exciting. If I have to move one more couch with a bed in it up stairs I’m may loose it and go postal. Who ever invented those things should be hit really, really hard…on the knee. I hate moving those things. They’re ridiculously heavy. Usually there are three of us in the truck. Ted didn’t show up today until about 4:00 when everything was done. Now Laura and I did fine on our own; she’s strong…she’s a tank, but three people would have made it so much easier and much more interesting. There was at ton of pickups that needed t be done today. Four couches. Did every in Bangor but us get the memo that it’s time to move. There are a lot of people moving. When that happens they need The Salvation Army to come pick up their stuff that they don’t want or need anymore. Why would anyone buy a cast iron wood burning stove? Seriously who does that? Who needs one of those? Who says to them selves, “I have eight hundred dollars to spend I think I’m going to buy myself a huge wood burning stove and stick it in my garage where it will never be used. Oh, I’m moving I better Call The Salvation Army to come pick it up for me because I don’t want to carry it around with me; it’s way to heavy, and I never use it, so they can have it.” Does anyone know how heavy those things are? They are not light. Another thing, why would someone decide to move out of a house they have lived in for the past twenty-nine years, and into a house of equal size in the same city but still get rid of half of the stuff in your first house? These people are strange. I don’t know what they’re thinking. I actually just have nothing else to talk about today so I decide to talk about things that confuse me. I’m done.

Star Wars....Your Thoughts?

I just ended an unusually tiring day with a movie. I think I need to get a little sunshine to get my energy up. Doug and Aurora and I went to see “Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith”…again. This time I wasn’t so caught up in the movie itself and what happens to everybody; I was able to focus on other aspects. It looks like George Lucas made a perfect portrayal of how some truth mixed with a myriad of lies can turn a persons entire point of view. It also shows how the enemy uses times of confusion and creates confusion itself to its advantage. For example (who didn’t see this coming): When Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) is fighting the Emperor one of the first things the Emperor does is he breaks a window. There’s wind blowing and stuff being sucked out and it’s also affecting Mace and the Emperor fighting creating all kinds of confusion, but Mace is able to stay focused on defeating the Emperor rather than become distracted. Then Anakin comes in and sees what is happening and because he is filled with lies he stops Mace from killing the Emperor. Mace dies, (which made me very, very unhappy by the way!!) and there is so much confusion in his mind that he doesn’t realize what is happening. That is when the Emperor makes his final move to turn him to the dark side. That is a perfect portrayal of how the enemy will try to move us from the path of righteousness to a path that leads to emptiness. Every bit of truth that Yoda gave to Anakin the Emperor gave him a lie.
Yoda said, “Train yourself, you must, to let go of that which you are afraid to loose.”
The Emperor said, “I can teach you to save that which you don’t want to loose.”
Yoda Said, “don’t give into fear it is the path to the darks side.”
The Emperor said, “Use your anger (which comes from fear) it will only make you stronger.”

George Lucas is either a very smart man/Christian or I have way too much time on my hands. I’d like to think of George Lucas as a Christian though.
James 4:7 “…Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Hebrews 4:12 “ The word of God is living and active; sharper than any double edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thought and intentions of the heart.”In the New George Lucas Version devil is translated to Emperor, and sword is a Light Saber.

Memorial Day Blog

Memorial Day: a moment of silence for the men and women who have died serving our country and cause.

(About half a minute)

Since today is a day off (yeah…our schedule is still pretty relaxed here, not really) we took a trip to this beautiful city called Bar Harbor. We went up to the peak of Cadillac Mountain. You could see everything form up there. Nothing but fog for miles and miles and miles; I couldn’t see a thing. I’m sure everything looks just as wonderful as it does on the postcards though. We walked around a wet Maine version of Gastown. But the mountains here are closer. I did get a picture of a really nice boat. Apparently they have wonderful Lobster. They had a lot of funny T-shirts that mentioned moose and lobster. No I didn’t buy any. We had fun though walking around looking into random shops around the city and drooling inside a fudge shop (thanks Tara). We also got to see Nick Hutchinson (Death and Glory student) he was working in one of the tourist stores there. After that we left to a secluded area to talk (a mini van) and fed on manna from heaven (Dunkin Dounuts). It was all good stuff.
We actually had a discussion about old Salvation Army styles of ministry and the way worship has been changing and the way it is perceived and received by younger and older generations. We discussed bringing in new Praise and Worship songs with the guitar and drums but still doing a few old hymns for the older senior souldiers and still being able to worship and meet God through both. It was great to get the view of seasoned officers who grew up in a traditional setting but are still moving with the times as far as worship in the service is concerned. Which led to a discussion of the songs Phil Leager and Josh Ivany are revamping. I think these songs are something that will help us relay a message to the older generation so htey know we’re not trying to rush them out the door and into a grave. We want them to come along side us and fight. We need their experience and wisdom to help guide us along. So we can start reaping where they have already sown and so we don’t fall into the same traps they did. We find new ways to reach out if other ways have failed. They have the experience we lack, but will gain, and they have the scars to prove it. Army history is something that is very much needed in our battles today. Replace animosity with love, true Christian love. Siphon wisdom, gained from experience, from the seasoned souldiers, and use it. It is as valuable today as yesterday; Happy Memorial Day everybody.

SONDAY!!! HOORAY!!!

It is Sonday all day today. That always seems to happen. It was a wonderful Sonday too. I had my first official Sunday morning worship service and was officially introduced to the entire corps. It was an awesome service. We felt heaviness in the room at the beginning of the service but after some hardcore prayer and worship we were free and clear form any hindrances. The Holy Spirit filled us up then gave us some more today. Apparently this is the fourth consecutive Sunday that has happened. I’m really excited to see where this corps is being led. I really was able to make the connections needed to relate with the youth here tonight. We have a program set up on Sunday night’s called Sonday Nite Live!! It was a blast. We had a short discussion with Doug about Demons and what they can and can’t do. It didn’t go as well as it could have but I think it’ll sink in sooner or later. We then went into a couple of games of volleyball. I was tearin it up WHAt!! WHAt!! I love it. Then we had pizza and made each other laugh. I don’t think this corps has heard my loud, hysterical laughter yet. Maybe eventually. Then I had everybody and their mom telling me what to do with my hair. Apparently a lot of people here think I should keep the long hair and loose the facial hair. I was thinking about loosing it all (after this year is over). I’m also getting better at Halo2 on X-box. It’s exciting! Peace Out!!

Rest and Relaxation

Today was my first official day off. A day for rest and relaxation. Aurora and I went to down to a bog. I was not impressed. I guess I would have to really appreciate nature to enjoy it, and walk slowly to see some of the animals there. Today is also Dougys birthday. Happy Birthday Doug!! I just realized the time; I need to go because I have to wake up early for church tomorrow. See y'all later.

POWER HOUSE--Ministry opportunity

Powerhouse. This is an opportunity to meet the teens in Bangor. This is a night that The Bangor corps has set aside for teens to come in and just go wild. There was: air hockey, ping-pong, x-box, foosball, basketball, Dance Dance Revolution, we showed a movie. It was just a lot of fun. It was definitely not what I expected. I thought it was going to be mostly the same people that went to YC. There were a good number of people not at Powerhouse who went to YC. There were a lot of people at powerhouse that weren’t at YC as well. This is like an amazing ministry opportunity. I relate, build relations, I strike…with the sword of course. I’ve always bee a little naïve in thinking that everybody in Christian groups/functions/circles is a Christian. I have always thought that, and I don’t know why. I just realized these last couple of years that is not true. Did anybody else have that mind set? I can’t assume everybody is a Christian because they are not. If they all were why would that gathering exist? It happens at settings like TWC but that’s training ground. Squad meetings are to get us trained up for these times. In the settings outside TWC I think they are very rare. Why would Christian bands have worship and response times at their concerts if everyone there were a Christian? Why would we have an alter call at Sunday morning worship service if everyone was an assumed Christian? WHAT WAS I THINKING? I love these ministry opportunities. I wish I had noticed these earlier. Actually if I had, I probablly would have crashed and burned.

Rain Rain Go Away. Teens, and, Alias

The rain is back again, oh wait it NEVER WENT AWAY. But I’m doing everything with out griping or complaining. Today Doug, Aurora, Tara, and I were all together and we finally had time to talk about some of the deliverance ministry we may be involved in. We then went driving around the city and went by some of the high spots and one area that had a witchcraft bookstore. There are a number of areas here where cults and false religions are very prevalent. I think that as soon as the three of us get some background information on the city God will start revealing some things on the spiritual mapping aspect of this city. One thing we do need to look at is what God has already sown among these seemingly ungodly areas of this city. I know that something good/ of God can come from these things. Wow! I do listen in class. I also got a chance to spend a little time with the teens today I got to get to know them a little more, but I think it still may take a little more time than usual to build some trust between them and I. I’m not exactly sure why that may be.
On a different note, did anyone else see the Alias finale last night. If you haven't don't read on. Wow that was awesome. It scared the crap out of me along with Doug and Aurora and Tara and Winfield (the cat). I couldn’t believe the ending it was so annoying. First of all it made me jump cause Sydney and Vaughn got hit by a car, which was the most random unexpected thing in the world, second of all he was revealing some deep secret that no one knew about. I now have to make sure I see next season. I can’t believe I was dragged into this!!!

Work is so much fun!!!! no it's not. But Seriously it is

I actually have to work while I’m here. I don’t mean work like we do at The War College I mean work like at a job. I am a truck driver at The Salvation Army Family Store. WooHOO!!! I’m goin’ to get me one a dem’ John Deer tractor hats and then go drivin all over town in Celine. That’s what I named the truck after Celine Deon. I love her singing; she’s French.

Okay that was a bad impression of a trucker. It sounds more like a cross between an Arkansas red neck and a seventy-seven year old man. No offense to any Arkansans or seventy-seven year old men. I really loved driving that truck around. Well, I didn’t get to drive it. I’m such a safe driver…well, before yesterday. I really like loading it with the furniture and then throwing bags of clothes nasty dirty torn and stained clothes into the back of a trailer. What’s not to love? Although if anyone ever asks you to carry/haul a sofa-bed up stairs just say no!! That is one the hardest thing’s I have ever had to do. That’s thing gets heavy near the end of those stairs especially if you need to turn it around to get it through the door. But with the help of Ted (the other guy in the truck with) we succeeded. That’s what I get to do every Wednesday. It's all fun stuff. Well, I got to go so I'll see Y’ALL later!!

Blessings to all.

Too Long?

Does anyone think my posts are too long? I think they are a biut long but I have so much to say.
Input is appreciated.

Perfect Opportunity...missed

Well, I think everybody reading this already knows by now. You guys probably read Doug’s blog more than mine. You all know that I have had an serious huge urge to get a police officer saved and I have been thinking it could be here in Bangor. Yesterday I had the perfect opportunity. I was driving this huge fifteen-passenger van…in the rain and I was looking to see exactly where the turn was to get into the parking lot of the Family Store (thrift store). I realized where it was and I focused on the road again; that’s when I saw them two enormous red lights. I hit the brakes and tried to stop, but it was raining and a fifteen-passenger van is not great at doing quick stops. The light had to have been red for a few seconds because a car was coming out of the street going across. I knew that even if I did stop I would have been in the middle of an intersection and people would have been furious with me. So I hit the gas and went right through. I didn’t look to see if there was a police officer in the area because I didn’t have the time. He, needless to say, saw me go right through the red light. He pulled in behind me, I hoped he was just going the same way I was because he didn’t have his lights on, so I pulled into the parking lot of the Family Store and so did he and then he hit his lights…STINK!!! Doug was in front of me going on but he saw the lights in his rear view mirror and went around the other way to see what was happening. I decide to play it dumb and get out of the van to get Chris, he told to get back in the van so I did and I checked my pockets for my wallet. Guess what I didn’t have…I had left my wallet with my ID at the house. The police officer came up to me (I tried to make it as casual as possible asked me where I was from (I don’t know how he knew I wasn’t from here) I said, “Florida via Vancouver.” That I think confused him. He asked me for my Id and I said that I forgot it at the house. He asked me if I had any ID I said no but my name is in my Bible if that helps. He didn’t like that joke either. He needs a sense of humor. He got my whole name and birth date and went back to his car to run my name through a system. Doug and I just talked and laughed. He never brought out his ticket book once, so I was feeling pretty good at that point. I knew I had never had any tickets or accident so I’m okay. I was too, he came back and said, “you’re all right just pay more attention next time” Then I realized I missed a perfect opportunity get him saved. He was divine appointment and I missed it. Oh no I have failed I am going to into seclusion, and never show my face again.

Not really. That would be ridiculous. I’m never ridiculous. OF COURSE HE’S NEVER RIDICULOUS!!!!! Okay I’m done now.

Bangor in a nutshell

Bangor is an absolutely beautiful city…when It’s not raining. I could have stayed in Vancouver and gotten this kind of weather. There is also no Thunder or Lightning. It’s not even exciting rain just wetness. From what I’ve been told it’s not always like this. It maybe letting up soon though. It’s also cold here. What is the deal I can’t catch a break. But I don’t like to gripe and complain so I won’t. I had a chance to go to Youth Councils her in Maine. That was exciting. Of all the themes in the world they picked Napoleon Dynamite. Heck yeah!! Why didn’t they use that in the south. Gosh!! flippin idiot!! But it was again cold and wet. The cabin I stayed in didn’t have heat either, but that’s okay I felt right at home. I had the privilege of meeting Tom Freeman; he is an awesome worship leader, but the youth in this territory are much more reserved that In the South. Not a whole lot of shouting or jumping when the song is up beat, so Aurora and I got a number of odd looks when we yelled out “There is freedom!!.” It eventually caught on. I got to hook up with a lot of the guys who attend the corps at YC. There all really awesome I’m going to have a blast this summer. I also realized I am terrible when I play X-box. There is this game everyone likes to play called Halo2 and I am absolutely terrible at it. It’s great fun but I suck at it. I mean…uh we don’t play X-box…we have a tough schedule thirty hours of work a day. Not time for X-box. That would be a non-productive activity…uh…yeah. Forget it. Yes I play X-box and I love it. Stephen you should think about investing in one…or two. Jonathan your slacking you should have had one donated six months ago. I’m having so much fun here. I got to go see Star Wars Episode III “Revenge of the Sith” the first day it was out. We thought about catching the midnight showing but that would have been too long of a day. So we saw the seven ten showing. As you can tell I’ve been having a blast and I think bogging has to be a daily thing so everyone try to keep up.

Fullness & Fasting

Fullness was absolutely amazing. I wish it lasted longer. Sure we were fasting but I could handle that. Fasting was not a problem this time. Everything that happened was just another sprint to the future God has for me. I’m sure it was the same for other people as well. People were set free from generational curses. Generational wells (personal and Corporate) were re-dug and some started. Seeds were planted in people, so some birthing may be in the future, and I got to meet some of next years The War College (Holy Terror) students. Looks like it will be a very exciting session. Anyway, I am very excited about what fullness opened up and what it will be opening up in the future. I really hope it expands. I really hope everything The War College is doing expands. I know not everybody agrees with what is going on here but let me just say it is a breath of fresh air form the everyday Corps (or as some would say corpse life) life. Not that a Crops is bad; not at all. It just gets boring after a while…and I’m not even an officer. It was good to see pushes being made for the Salvation Army to fulfill its destiny. It will be exciting times when people are getting saved on the street corners again just form a ten minute speak. We’ll tear hells throne to pieces and win the world for Jesus!! BRING IT.

Stephen Court Monday vs. Tunic Tuesday

Stephen Court Monday didn’t go as well as I had planned. Including me there were only four people who made an attempt at looking like Stephen. Only three of them had the socks and sandals. I figured it would so much more popular than Tunic Tuesday. This was the one day a week we could wear socks with sandals and it would be okay. As far as the rest of the wardrobe; I’m sure almost everybody has a pair of khaki shorts pants or Capris. The next best/closest thing would have been acceptable. I’m pretty sure everyone could manage to get there hands on a salvo T-shirt and then a open button up shirt over that. It’s not that hard to look like Stephen Court. It’s also a lot cooler than tunics especially when it’s hot outside, and not everyone in the War College has a tunic, but we all could dress like Captain Stephen Court, but there’s always next week. We can all do it on our summer assignments. I think that’s a wonderful idea. I will let everybody know when the next one is. Be prepared. So I'll give a shout out to those who were already prepared. Rachel Collins, Regan Lipsett, and Rebekah Barnum. The rest of you need to pick up the slack come on!!

The fuzz will know Jesus

These past few nights on Street Combat I realized I now have another life long goal. I want to get a police officer saved. Yes, that is correct. I will a get the po po, the 5 0, and/or the fuzz (who came up with these names?) saved. Sue Ann and I tried it last night on Street Combat, but it was raining and we couldn’t find any officers willing to talk for more than fourteen seconds. Whether it happens here in Vancouver, in Bangor, in Charlotte, in St. Augustine, or in Naples; I will get a police officer saved. I have also realized that moving is inevitable. Since I have been here I have moved from room 406 to 108; then from room 108 to 402. I also found out that my parents are being moved to Naples, Florida. In one week I will be moving to Bangor, Maine for the summer then coming back to Vancouver. Two Weeks after that I could be heading down to Charlotte, North Carolina. That’s seven moves in one year. That is way to much moving. Someone( I don’t know his name) wrote a song with these words, “…so far away; doesn’t anybody stay in one place anymore…?” No the answer is no so build a bridge and get over it. But seriously this is way too much moving in one year. Salvation Army officers don’t move around as much as I have in one year (praise God). But I know it is all for a reason and although I don’t yet realize it I will sooner or later.

I also really enjoyed class this morning with John Evans. I now realize we are all bastards but God loves us anyway. On a completeley different note; how often does anyone get to dance with someone during class at High School? NEVER. If anyone ever wants to know Regan is a very good dance instructor. I now know how to waltz. Something I‘ve always wanted to learn…not really. I was able to Waltz, Tango, and beat Darren Hailes at arm wrestling. It was like Michael Collins class Australian style. I also got to say Bastard…a lot. So it was more Like Aaron White meets Michael Collins Australian style. That is John Evans class in a nut shell. Very exciting. I hope I can endure something like that again in the future. ~~Travis/Keith Green

Another apology

I need to recant a statement made the other day in my "Top Ten blog". At number eight Jenn Burr was quoted to have said, "Sorry I was late for PTB, I had to straighten my hair." I was informed by Jenn that she never has nor will she ever be late for PTB for that reason. Her is naturally straight anyway. I promise in the future I will check the information form my sources more carefully than I have in the past; as an good journalist would. That would have been hilarious if there was any truth to it, but seriously, Jenn was furious when she saw my blog. So I apologize to Jenn for posting a lie for everyone to see . I am sorry if this has caused any permanent psychological and/or damage or if this has defamed your name at all. I will do everything in my power to restore honor and dignity into the name Jenn Burr. JENN IS NOT A BAD PERSON !!! Just so everyone knows.

I realize that there are a number of people who may not have liked the quotes they were said to have said. If you have never really said something that you are quoted to have said on this blog I apologize profusely. I think a majority of what was said is very accurate. But if anyone was misquoted again I apologize. Please don't hate me. I hope everyone will accept my apologies. To everyone who thought it was hilarious thank you for having a sense of humor.