Sometimes....

...I wonder about which country I live in. For example, in the past few months I have experienced or witnessed the following: power outages, dirty water, internet outages, animals in my house (uninvited), and drivers committing possibly illegal actions. And these have all happened since I have been back in the States!

What am I doing now?

Perhaps you have heard this song on the radio: "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller. (If you don't listen to Christian radio, then you probably have not heard it.) Friend Shelly sent me a link to a YouTube video of the song, and I was inspired to share it with you, too. I think the song sums up what I am trying to do with my life at this time. I can't claim to be waiting in perfect peace, and sometimes I have to struggle to be productive while I wait. But know that I am trying!



While I'm Waiting - John Waller

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Takeing every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

Since coming back to the States, I have felt a reawakening of patriotism and interest in the cultural things of my country. I don't think I've ever been against such things, but I feel that I am seeing them in a new light. When I was in Honduras I drank in every experience, every detail of life, treasuring each as a cultural gem. But being surrounded by things that were not of my own culture seems to have brought out a new appreciation for the things that are of my own people. I am more curious about the the things that make us unique in the world, "Americans", and it continues to be an interesting education. It is an enjoyable study, to be sure, but I am somewhat ashamed that I had to go to another country in order to discover my own.

This journey of re-discovery has most recently stopped at music. I have started to listening to old-timey music. I have heard it termed so many things that it is hard for me to pin down, but I am reluctant to call it "bluegrass" since in my mind that seems too narrow a term. "Mountain music" might be appropriate, and I've heard it called "roots" music. My new favorite radio station, WETS 89.5, calls it "Americana", since what they play covers everything from true bluegrass, traditional songs of the mountains, "new-grass", celtic influence, and even Bruce Springsteen and Rodney Cowell. As I listen I ponder upon the points that make each style unique, try to trace the evolution of the music, and imagine the reactions of my Honduran students to such sounds. Some of them were pretty redneck and so they might enjoy it! If I ever go back I might have to try a music appreciation class.

In what surely must have been designed to further my musical education, Shelly called last week to invite me to the Lincoln Theater for a concert featuring some famous bluegrass bands. The Lincoln is an old theater here in Marion that has been refurbished as a concert hall, catering specifically to the bluegrass and mountain music culture. Because of my newfound interest, I found it fitting that we should go. Shelly and I had not been inside the theater since it was renovated, and the visual experience alone was rewarding! And the music was fabulous, of course. All in all, it was great fun: good music, good atmosphere, and good company. Singing John Denver's "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" with 200 other people is pretty darn cool.

When I was in high school, the Lincoln was just an empty building with a hole in the roof.

The theater is beautiful inside!

Shelly and I, after the show.

PS - I've been trying to publish this post for a couple of weeks now, but technical difficulties kept from it...sorry!

Delusions Of Summer

We have been blessed with two gorgeous days out here in the mountains. Temperatures in the seventies, numbers I haven't seen since November. Admittedly, most of my readers have been suffering much longer than me, so I shouldn't complain too much, right? I suppose we can all celebrate together.

So what have I done with my beautiful days? First, I brought out my faithful friends, my Chaco sandals, who had been hibernating in the closet. Then I went outside and cleaned my car, in short sleeves, no less. The next day, I went to the lake, with no particular goal in mind, just that of being outside. It was fantabulous. There is just something about that sunshine that makes my heart sing. The sounds of peeper frogs in the evening, and birds in the morning, are welcome sounds indeed.

I know that it is only March and that cold days are due to return and remind us that winter is not done with us yet. But I will enjoy what I have right now, and hopefully it will sustain me until summer comes back for good.

I hope you have had as good a weekend as I have.

Hello, old friends!

Some Thoughts

This song came up on my ipod, and I've been hitting "repeat" a lot. I particularly like this part. Just wanted to share!

This Is My Father's World -

This is my Father's world
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King
Let the heavens sing
God reigns
Let the earth be glad.

Current Hobbies

In case you were curious, here are just a few of the things I have been doing lately. Note: the following pictures were taken in December and January.

Emily and I are cutting firewood. That's Emily with the chainsaw in hand. Along with Richard, we moved almost a ton of firewood that day!

A piece of the garage roof came off, and I was the only one around to fix it.

The past month has been spent helping my mother around the house. I keep it moderately clean, and help with firewood and other chores. What these pictures do not show is that I have been very busy applying for jobs and graduate school. But those activities don't make for very interesting pictures, so I didn't take any.

Along with these activities, I am becoming reaquainted with my local library. I am also enjoying the luxury of a well-stocked kitchen, leafing through cookbooks and trying new and old recipes. My mother took pity on my poor soul and bought me a membership to the gym, so I am getting back in shape.

I managed to pick up a few hours at my old haunt, Advance Auto Parts, but I am still looking for something along the lines of full time. So, if anyone has any ideas...

And that, my friends, is about as interesting as it gets around here!

Hello, Hello...

You say goodbye, and I say hello. Or something like that. I've been off the net for awhile, but here I am again, although it's hard to say for how long.

I am back in the States, arriving Nov. 24th, just in time for Thanksgiving. Since then, I have celebrated two holidays, visited Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, taken the GRE, applied to graduate school and filled out multiple job applications with my revamped resume. I've enjoyed a variety of favorite foods, decorated three Christmas trees, watched more tv than I've seen in eleven months, got my broken computer fixed, and spent uncountable hours wondering just what in the world I'm going to do next. In case you were wondering...I am looking for a job, with the thought that I will start grad school in the fall. I am in Virginia right now, at least until I get enough money, or a job that pays enough money, to move back to Lexington (Kentucky). After that is anyones guess.

So what am I going to do with this blog? I'm not sure yet. I might keep it going, more for my entertainment than anything else. I still have some Honduran topics that I want to cover, a few small stories that I never got around to sharing, if for nothing else than to get them down on "paper".

Thanks to all of you for your interest and support in my activities. Happy reading.