My Birthday

So today is my birthday. Strange... I don't know, I guess it's not really. I mean it does happen every year at the same time. Anyway, I'm glad to be 26, mostly because I was at one point scared of where I would be (or not be) in life at this age, and when I think on it, it turns out... I'm happy. So I'm glad to be here. I'm also excited to go back to Solomon's Porch tonight, God willing. I miss that place a lot. There are so many great people there. I'm sure I'll come back and feel like a stranger, out of place and distant from all the goings-on, but I'm hoping that's not the case, or if it is, I'll be able to rise above it.

The best way I think I can live my life is to be open to opportunities in all situations. If things are not as I expect or hope, I can trust God, and I can look for the opportunity for something good and right to come out of it all. That, and I need to stop focusing on just myself for a few minutes and consider others before me. But it's all one.

I had a great conversation with Kathy Ringhoffer last night. She was so encouraging and supportive to me and I really enjoyed telling her all about my recent personal exploits. I cannot say how much it means to have people be so affirming in my life. Especially adult type people. When so many... older types (sorry, guys)... are always stressing caution and inadvertently doing everything they can to curb my enthusiasm because of a silly thing like worrying, it is both refreshing and stimulating to be supported and, for lack of a better term, egged on from such a source. So thanks to Kathy and everyone else who is so positive in my life.

I've been getting up early ever since I returned from Africa, the past four days. Now before everyone starts blabbering about jetlag, right off the bat lets establish several things. First, when I wake up at 6:30 in the morning with only seven hours of sleep, it is in fact 1:30 in the afternoon in South Africa. If you think about me waking up at a time that I should be waking up over there, it would be a few hours earlier. Secondly, I don't feel strange bouts of tiredness at odd hours of the day. So at 3:00 in the afternoon, I don't suddenly feel like it's nighttime and maybe I should be going to bed soon. I get tired at night, and I wake up early in the morning. And I have energy basically all throughout the day. It's strange but true, and I will not be convinced it is merely a result of my body adjusting to the time difference. I think it's something better. I'm hoping it continues, as I keep devoting myself to the things that matter in my life.

So that's how things are right now. Any questions? Good, then lets move on.