The Ebb and Flow of Life

OK, it’s been almost two weeks since my last post. I don’t know how you guys keep up with the daily posting. Oh, it must be that care-free college life. LOL.

Here’s what I have been up to:
-Last Friday I went to yet another great concert at Grove City College. Jars of Clay was in town with Sarah Groves and Don Miller. I don’t think Jars of Clay could have played a better selection of music than what they did. They played a lot of the stuff that I grew up on from their self-titled album. “Liquid”, “World’s Apart”, “Love Song for a Saviour”, “Like a Child”, and “Flood” were sweet. After hearing some of the new stuff, it looks like I am going to have to pick up their latest album “Redemption Songs” as well. Don Miller opened up the night with readings. I have to admit it was strange having someone do poetry and prose readings before a concert. He was a self-proclaimed liberal as well (from the west coast), so his performance probably wasn’t totally appreciated by the conservative Grove City College contingent on hand. His stories did have a good message to them, though.
-After getting to sleep at about midnight on Friday, I had to get up at 5:15 AM the next morning for a quiz meet in Homer City some two hours away. That was quite a day. I sure did sleep well on Saturday night. The highlight of the day may have been when I asked the following practice question to the C division quizzers (mostly 7th and 8th graders new to the quizzing program): "Practice Question #2. Question #2. Question. Within one year above or one year below, how old am I?” A girl jumps and I call her name. In a serious tone, she says, “32”. I am like, “What? Not even close! How in the world did you come up with 32?” She responds, “Well, you look about as old as my dad, and my mom is right there and she is 38.” At which point her mother (who was the coach) chimes in, “OK, Amber, just shut up right now.” Haha. A great little series of events there. I am thinking, “Man, am I really that old?” LOL. Either that girl is bad at guessing ages or I am in big trouble. Haha. Usually people tell me I am younger than I look. Oh well. Can't win them all.
-On Sunday I had a rough time running on the treadmill. One of my shoes came off while I was running and because I was timing myself, I had no choice but to kick the other one off and run in my socks. I felt like I was one of those hardcore Kenyan runners. LOL. Just call me disciplined (or stubborn) when it comes to running, I guess. I know, I know: what a nerd! LOL.
-The mother of a friend of mine passed away Monday morning. I just got back from the funeral home a couple of hours ago actually. Diane Turner will be greatly missed. I’ll end this post with what is probably my fondest memory of her. During “Aunt Carol & Friends” crusades easily over a decade ago at the Hubbard Church of the Nazarene, the group was always known to do skits/dramas to old school DC Talk and Carman songs (during their white-boy rap days when it wasn’t even cool--LOL). Anyways, they put this song on that had lyrics to the effect of “Rap for Jesus, gonna rap for Jesus, to the beat......to the beat.” I have no clue who sang it, but the words just stuck in my head. All the kids in the audience are like, “What is this, where is the Aunt Carol & Friends team at? Aren’t they going to dance or do a skit?" The smoke machine was out and working and the strobe lights were flashing, but no one was to be found. That’s when it happened: Diane Turner came down the middle aisle (shoes removed), jamming the best she knew how to that righteous groove. I haven’t forgotten it to this day. Having known Diane, I wasn't aware that she had dance moves like that. I am sure Sara and Joanna were mortified that evening, but really they should have been proud of their mother that day. For when it’s all said and done, we all need to do a little rapping for Jesus......whether it’s to the beat or not. Word.