There’s currently a topic on CTZ that talks about what it means to be a Jesus Freak. One of the members wrote, “To be a “Jesus Freak”, all you have to do is listen to DC Talk often.” Really, though, listening to DcTalk often would make you a DcTalk freak or fan.

The rest of his explanation was good…I think what he meant to say was that you should heed the advice of DcTalk in their song(s).

Jesus Freak
DcTalk

Separated, I cut myself clean
From a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams
Been apprehended by a spiritual force
And a grace that replaced all the me I’ve divorced

I saw a man with tattoo on his big fat belly
It wiggled around like marmalade jelly
It took me a while to catch what it said
Cause I had to match the rhythm
Of his belly with my head
‘Jesus Saves’ is what it raved in a typical tattoo green
He stood on a box in the middle of the city
And claimed he had a dream

What will people think
When they hear that I’m a Jesus freak
What will people do when they find that it’s true
I don’t really care if they label me a Jesus freak
There ain’t no disguising the truth

Kamikaze, my death is gain
I’ve been marked by my Maker
A peculiar display
The high and lofty, they see me as weak
Cause I won’t live and die for the power they seek

There was a man from the desert with naps in his head
The sand that he walked was also his bed
The words that he spoke made the people assume
There wasn’t too much left in the upper room
With skins on his back and hair on his face
They thought he was strange by the locusts he ate
The Pharisees tripped when they heard him speak
Until the king took the head of this Jesus freak

People say I’m strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger
People say I’m strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger

What will people think
What will people think
What will people do
What will people do

I don’t really care
What else can I say
There ain’t no disguising the truth
Jesus is the way

I woke up today at 11 and saw I had a missed call on my phone. I called the guy back and it looks like tomorrow’s already busy day got busier. Not only do I have the preparation for VBS and the visit to the therapist, but I’ve got a to fix that guy’s computer. At least he lives in Winfield…I don’t have to drive out to Barrington or some odd place like that to get the job done.

Anyway, I have somewhat of a desire to work on David Bales‘ web site but after two busy days in a row, I’m ready to relax a bit. The beautiful weather doesn’t help keep me inside, either. Even with the quick run I did shortly after waking up, I’m not feeling like doing much else besides sitting around and reading…so I think I’ll do that!

Well, I was asked how dinner and volleyball were, so I figured that I’d write a complete synopsis on my day here for all to read, not buried under the View Comments link.

Here we go…

I woke up today at about 9 am. I had intended to get up about 8 but who ever gets up when they intend to? Anyway…I ate, showered, and headed out to St. Charles to work for a nice older lady. She kept me busy (and fed me :)) until 2, when I had to go home so I could head back out to the physical therapist. My finger has improved significantly but it still needs some work, primarily with extending. After the doctor visit, I came home and hung out for a little bit. I don’t quite remember what I did – something on the computer, I think. Then I headed out to dinner and volleyball which turned out to be eat dinner then go to church to watch the softball team play it’s playoff game. Both went well…I met some new people (including some nice young women – NO STOP WHAT YOU’RE THINKING…I just said that to get your attention … what else would I say – the girls I met were jerks? Well they weren’t but none of them stuck in my head and made me think “like her.”) and got to know better one guy I sorta already knew. My church won the softball game, which, I think, was the “world series” of DuPage county church softball … or something like that.

That title about describes my entire day, spent working on a number of web sites. I started off adding a little bit of content to the Creative Change web site. I moved on to working a little on Bill Owen’s ETS Equipment site but quickly found out I needed to get more information from him before continuing. I added some new pictures from this summer’s camp to the Tourette Camp web site, created a template I think I’ll add to Stan‘s collection of templates for BlogSCL, worked some on a new site for David Bales and uploaded my “new” site.

Tomorrow I’ve got to work at 10 in the morning, go to the physical therapist in the afternoon, and I think I might try out my church‘s college-age Tuesday night dinner and volleyball.

Check out my web site for the (not very noticeable) changes.

I was hoping our trip home from Ohio would be a little shorter than our ride out there. Traffic was better coming home, but we took a few detours. First, we drove a little further north than we needed to in order to see Lake Erie. As we were warned ahead of time, it wasn’t much to see. The state park where we stopped had fish skeletons and a rotting goose on the rocks next to the water…everything there smelled, too. The stop provided for a nice break, though. Once we got back to 80 and were heading west, a car pulled up alongside us. I had seen a little smoke come out of the muffler as the car pulled back onto the expressway from the shoulder where it had been, but I didn’t really think much of it. I didn’t really think much of it, but my brother said they were trying to get me to race. I looked over at them and though they weren’t trying to get me to race, I discovered that they wanted me to pull over because their engine was overheating. The water pump was bad and the engine burned up all the oil. To make a long story short, they ditched their car on the side of the road and we drove them to their home in Rockford. We had a chance to share the Gospel with them. There’s no doubt in my mind God wanted us to give the two guys a ride home … the timing was too precise to be coincidental. If we hadn’t gone to Erie, of if I had driven 2 MPH slower or faster, we never would have passed the two guys. So, if you’d like to keep them in your prayers, that would be awesome.

We got home about 2 am this morning, so I’m not sure that my storytelling is making as much sense as it could, so I think I’ll take a nap until some friends stop by on their way back to Iowa.

Well, here I am 14 hours later, sitting at my laptop at the desk in my family’s hotel room at the Hampton Inn North Olmsted, Ohio. Due to some construction near the Illinois/Indiana border, the trip to Oberlin took 7 or so hours, instead of the expected 5 1/2 to 6 hours. We arrived just in time to see my sister play with her quartet and watch the rest of the performances – all three hours of them. All groups played excellently, but having already sat in the car all afternoon, I was a bit restless and unable to enjoy the experience to the fullest extent possible. Not to say that had I run immediately before hand, I would have been more content…but I’m beginning to ramble so I’ll stop. Oh…and the pews (the concert was at a church) were spaced really close together, not allowing much leg room. It’s wonderful being tall, but it makes those situations a bit uncomfortable.

After leaving Oberlin College to head out to our hotel, we checked out Taco Bell. I went to order a Wild Cherry Pepsi, then a Dr. Pepper, both shown on the menu, but the man on the other end of the intercom stated, “This is Taco Bell, we don’t have Wild Cherry Pepsi.” He beat around the bush about the Dr. Pepper, too. I don’t know about your Taco Bells, but I’ve been to several that have Wild Cherry Pepsi. Oh well..the Mountain Dew suited me fine.

A few minutes ago, my dad, brother, and I got back from the exercise room, where I got a nice workout for a bit. Now we’re watching some movie entitled, “Life Is Beautiful.”

I mentioned in my post earlier today…or, rather, yesterday, that I a lot happened this past week. For one, I got the pins taken out of my finger. Originally, I was going to get them out on Thursday, but when I went to the therapist on Tuesday, my finger was infected from the movement of the pins where they stuck out against the skin. I was given an antibiotic and now my finger is feeling much better. I’m able to bend it a fair amount, but extending it is more difficult. About half of each day, I have to wear a special splint intended to help my finger extend.

Well, I’m going to focus my attention on the movie…have a good day.

I know it’s been a few days since posting and a lot has gone on that I’d like to write about, but I just wanted to get on here real quickly to tell all my fans (yeah right, like I have fans) that I’m heading out to Ohio. My sister is at Oberlin College for Credo and has a concert this evening and another tomorrow. We’re going to go to both and then bring her back home.

Have a nice weekend…I should be back Saturday evening – probably pretty late.

What is it that the experts say…most auto accidents occur within something like 5 miles of your home? I wonder if that includes accidents on your own property. When my dad and I were (basically) finished fixing my muffler, I drove down off the ramps, backed up my car real close to dad’s truck and moved the ramps to the front of my car. I attempted to ride up the ramps but failed. My car went flying down the ramps, right into the open doors of dad’s truck. Fortunately, only my rear driver’s side tail light was damage. Fixing it will require purchasing a “new” one, popping off four bolts and unattaching a few light bulbs, then putting everything back together.

I spent several hours yesterday working on a web site for Creative Change, an organization of psychologists and social workers run by a lady for whom I’ve been doing a lot of computer work this summer. The web site is nearly complete, needing just a few small additions. Check it out if you’re interested, or need some sort of assistance and live in the Chicago area.

Last night, Hans and talked about a number of things, but especially our mutual desire to see Christians orient themselves around God’s Word more faithfully, especially when in the presence of other Believers. Hans pointed out Hebrews 3:12-13:

It really struck me that encouraging others in the Word is not just a good thing to do now and then, but is essential to everyday living. Paul doesn’t just say encourage one another now and then, but “day after day, as long is it is called ‘today’.” What will you do Today to encourage fellow believers?

A few nights ago, I finished reading Frank Peretti’s Visitation. I made it out to the library yesterday and found a book by Christian author Jake Thoene called Firefly Blue. I’ve yet to start reading it, but not only is the subject matter, relating to an FBI agent on a case, intriguing, but it sounds like Thoene will bring the Christian elements so many interesting stories lack these days.

I woke up this morning at 6:15 or so and after eating a little breakfast, I hopped in the car with my parents and sister and headed out to Highland Park, where my sister would be playing with the Elgin Youth Symphony in a concert held at Ravinia. Though our directions said it would take an hour and 10 minutes to get there, I got us there in an hour flat. I was fortunate to not get pulled over by the cop I passed going 80 mph. My parents and I dropped off Jill and then hung out around Highland Park for a bit until the concert. We checked out a nice beach in neighboring Glencoe and walked around for a while for exercise. Then, we went to the library and I read some of Frank Peretti’s book, The Visitation.

After the concert which was very good (as usual), we mingled a little bit and then headed back home. I ate a quick lunch consisting of leftover pizza and apple juice and then headed out to fix my mom’s piano tuner’s computer. Four hours and a computer with working burner and mouse later, I arrived at home, only to head back out to hang out with Ross Huntley and Gabe Gorsline, friends from MSOE IVCF. If I leave in a few minutes, I should get there about the same time as Gabe.

I would have expected to be bored these next few days with Stan in St. Louis but I’m keeping myself busy with my web site, driving people every which way, hanging out with other friends, and working. Tomorrow I wake up bright and early once again to drive my sister to Ohio for Credo.