It's Kinda Corny

I'm sure that all of you have been waiting on the edge of your seats for the outcome of our sweet corn festival activities! Ben was the most successful in fasting and then eating nearly six cans of corn! Likewise, Blake consumed a number of cans of the tasty fruit (yes, corn is a fruit). Under the pressure, I cracked and could not stand eating only corn. The Grad IV picnic didn't serve to encourage me any, either. So much good and free food distracted me from the task at hand, eatin' only corn. Thus, my experiment was botched. Ben, however did have some conclusive results regarding corn-filled excriment, but I'll save the details for those who really want to know.

The Grad IV large group on Friday evening was fun and really helped in introducing everyone. We gathered in smaller groups defined by our home regions and then again by our field of study. We had two answer two questions: what are two values and two truths from your region or field. After Alan and Heidi (vice pres and pres) overviewed IV's small group studies and events, we had an ice cream social. Similar to what may happen at Washburn, we were kicked out of the Union for serving a large group of people with food that was not purchased at the school's facilities. Cara B, you would have enjoyed talking with a first-year history student I met, Janine. She was encouraged and challenged at the call to be ambassadors of Christ in our departments - both personally, as well as professionally. Janine also loved the idea that history is inherently political - don't ask, you'll have to talk with her if you come and visit.

I spect Sat. morning trying to learn SAS, a statistics software. Following this I spent about three hours in Illini Grove at the IV picnic. It was here that I splurged on free food - burgers, salad, pasta, brownies, chilli, and much more! Sand volleyball helped to ward off the lethargic feeling that comes after a big meal. After the picnic, the guys and headed to the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival!

For nearly an hour we worked at the Tapestry booth trying to hand out literature and talk with "neighbors" about the new church. After picking up the booth, we made a bee-line for the sweetcorn! The butter -covered fruit was like candy to a young child. Coupled with the live funk music, you couldn't have asked for a better evening. I take that back, if Jesus' parousia had occured the evening would have been perfect! Upon returning home, the four of us sat around reading Farside books. Once someone found a really funny one we would pass it around for a good group laugh! The evening ended late as we exchanged stories with some girls from church while lounging on the porch.

Hessel Park Reformed Chruch was quite an experience. They love Christ and make His mercy and love known through a beautifully liturgic service. After a call to worship we sang two hymns. This was followed by Scripture reading - both old and new testament excerpts. A much needed prayer and song of repentance was next, followed again by another hymn. Sunday's sermon was over Romans 6:15-23 - what it means to be slaves to sin and slaves to God. Verse 22: "But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life." Slaves of sin in the sense that we think that the will we have created for ourselves will be to our best and for our good. This is wrong, putting the creature on the pedastool, dishonoring God. But we're now slaves of God - made for Him and his benefit, but the analagy breaks down because unlike slaves, our Master's good doesn't result in our oppression. Rather it works toward our utmost good.

I've got to head to the library before it closes!!!

Ill'n Noise

Did I tell all of you that I have an office? Yes, indeed. It's a large renovated lab with privacy desks. Total there are around 8 students that share the space. I've got a nice PC, too!

The rest of classes went well yesterday. My aquatic ecosystems class will be quite a bit of work, but I'm sure that we'll learn quite a bit. Our prof just defended his PhD under my same advisor. So, his and my interests are similar. Because my undergrad didn't include much biology or ecology I have extra reading to do. This is what I'm paid for, is it not? Watershed hydrology had much fewer students and, praise be to God, will quantitatively focused!

Ben and I lifted weights again last evening. My abs are more soar than anything. Poor Ben's wrist is taking a long time to heal and so he is quite limited on what his routine can include. He's wonderful company and a big help in learning how to lift.

After exercising, Ben and I met Blake at one of the undergrad Intervarsity chapters (we attended the one for Champaign, others are available for Urbana and the Greek system students). It's was quite exciting to be a spectator, seeing all of the freshman and upper class-folk interact. They are quite passionate about serving and being changed by God. I was praying during worship and while listening to the speaker that God would get ahold of those students and change their lives. Tonight I'll attended Grad I.V.'s large group.

Tommorrow is the Sweet Corn festival in Urbana. There is a big celebration, and in honor of it us four guys have decided to fast from food today and eat only corn all day on Saturday. Ben, Blake and I are working a church booth at the festival in the evening. Grad IV also is having a picnic in the afternoon, to which I will bring my canned corn. I'll let all of you know how my body responds to our one-day corn diet!

Check out these websites to learn more about Grad IV.
www.uiuc-gradiv.com

The director's personal website is
www.gfmuiuc.org

The website of the chruch I'm attending this Sunday is
www.hpcrc.org

And an interesting website for a Christian-Environemental Science Institute. It's definantly worth checking out.
www.ausable.org/au.main.cfm

Methane ignitions

Yesterday was the first day of classes at U of I. It was a monday schedule, thus I did not have any classes to attend. Regular class schedules start today. I've attended applied stats this morning, which was quite boring. The software they use seems like it will be quite a bit of fun, though. I had taken applied stats at WU last semester, but it didn't feel like an upper division class. So, I've decided to take it again.

Just so you know here is the breakdown of my class schedule:

Tuesday / Thursday:
Stats 8-9:20
Orientation 12-12:50 (Tuesday only)
Aquatic Ecosystem Conservation 1-2:15
Watershed Hydrology 3 - 4:15

Wednesday:
Stats Lab 1 - 2:15

**I'll also be taking a special problems lab with my advisor. This will require me to complete a small research project during the semester. Should be a lot of fun!

Last evening the three guys and I attended a prayer meeting at Tapestry (their Church). Pastor Steve led and we all enjoyed praising God, confessing sin, praying for direction and wisdom regarding church growth, and then we interceeded for individuals we know. Nine were in attendance and all had genuine sincere hearts to cry Abba, Father! It was wonderful. The four of us also decided to start praying in the mornings together, and today's supplication time was needed and felt amazing!

Please pray for purity regarding our struggles with lust. I also am trying pray through the arrogance and pride in my life. Finally, I want to tell people about Jesus, so I need honesty and grace. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers! I know that God is pleased with them!

P.S. Yesterday evening Blake demonstrated how to ignite "natural" methane emissions, something I never thought was possible!

Rat ta tat tat

Blake had asked me Sunday evening if I had noticed any cultural differences between Illinois and Kansas. I've heard that the suburbians are quite a bit different; seeing how I have yet to meet any, I couldn't think of any differences. Early this morning, however, I told Blake of an obvious difference...

We had gotten to bed about 12:30 am. At around 2:15 I was awakened with what I initially thought were two raps upon my window. Startled, I looked out, but saw only the apartment complex behind the house. I heard the sound again, but this time the discordant raps seemed a little further away... and maybe like gun shots. I ran into Blakes room and woke him up. The sound was more intense toward the front of the house, but this time the sound didn't bear the resemblance of a firearm, probably more like firecrackers or a loud paintball gun. Settled with the fact that our house wasn't in the middle of a Bruce Willis type shoot out (like those in Last Man Standing), we had ourselves an early morning glass of water. At this point I turned to Blake and said that this was an obvious cultural difference: I'm not used to hearing "shots" at 2 o'clock in the morning. We then headed to back to sleep.

Also, Quad day is today. A thousands booths are set up all over the main quad (a long retangle area in the middle of campus) promoting various clubs and organizations. I stopped by the Graduate Intervarsity booth and spoke with Alan the club Pres. It seems as though many events are planned for the upcoming two weeks. I'll keep you posted regarding my attendance.

Pics of the House in Champaign

Done been doin' alot

The drive to Illinois was fairly exciting, believe it or not. God decided that I needed an ample break from the taxing drive, so while I was in St. Louis He brought events to pass in order that I needed to change a bad tire! It was a good break and once on the road I was well rested from driving to continue the rest of the way.

I've sent some pics of my house to a few of you. It's an old two story house that needs quite a bit of work. The upstairs has one room and is fairly warm, even with the a.c. on. My room and two other bedrooms are located on the first floor. We have a small living room and kitchen, as well as a moist, moldy, cool downstairs. The part of our basement that is unfinished has a partial dort floor that we can use burying treasure and dead bodies or makin' tunnels. Our place has two window a.c. units that, bless their mechanical hearts, are working as hard as possible to keep things cool. To say the least, we're all thinkin' about going in together on another unit. Praise God, however, for my Dad's visit. It was great to see him and he also brought an oscillating fan!

I've spent much of my time with the other guys unpacking. We attended their church yesterday, a new congregation with alot of zeal, compassion, and humility. I look forward to going back. Today I met with my advisor, Mark David. He is a tall fella and seems to have a constant excitement about him. He was helpful in getting my classes together and informing me of what will happen over the next two years. My classes include pedalogy (study of soils), watershed hydrology, applied statistics, an orientation class, and a guided reasearch project - twelve hours total.

Please pray for me regarding: desire and commitment to pray and meditate on the Scripture; commitment to showing Christ to my roommates and classmates; persistance and drive to do well in school; commitment to excercise; and, finding joy in Christ alone.

Hold fast to what God has taught us through His son!