The Uprising (continued)

The Uprising

So much for the logic

...of my last post. Ocean's 12 it was. I hadn't seen #11, so it was a hit confusing. Plot lacking. Decent character development. Mildly amusing. Wait to rent it. Only plus for me was so many star-studded characters on one screen having so much fun and the cinematography combined with rich European sites was a feast for the eyes, at times. 5/10

Anyhow, tomorrow at 7 a.m. I'm leaving to drive over to Patrick's house. From there I will ride in his car from Mandeville, Louisiana up to Little Rock, Arkansas for The Uprising. I'll be there Wednesday through Saturday. A good way to close off a year and begin a new one: gathering together to seek God. It should be amazing. The "conference," if you will, is in the Peabody Hotel. However, I'd rather just call it a time of allowing the Holy Spirit to move. Oh sure, we always have our itineraries. But the Holy Spirit has a marvelous way of suddenly bringing, for example, a wave of repentance over a congregation of His people and doing something wonderfully unexpected. Be sure I'll do a lengthy blog post about this experience when I return.

Have a happy new year, folks.

Almost 2005

Nothing much new to report. I'm in mezzamorphish place, ready to leave 2004 behind, not quite to 2005.

Never mind the melodrama, I need to figure out which movie I'm going to see. When mom gets back I'm going to take my car for a spin...somewhere, anywhere. I can't think of anywhere to go, so I guess I'll go to the cinema, although the choices don't look very promising.

Fat Albert - Oh I'm sure it's got its funny moments but I'd rather not spend a couple hours of my day focusing on blubber.
Flight of the Phoenix - Yawn. I'm sure they totally screwed up the original version from the 60s with Jimmy Stewart.
Ocean's 12 - Looks pretty good actually but I haven't seen #11, so I'll wait to watch them both later on...DVD style.
Meet the Fockers - Same as above
Lemony Snickett's Series of Unfortunate Events - I'm not sure what on earth this is but it looks like I may end up seeing it.

Maybe I'll just go to Wendy's and get a Frostie.

Oh the weighty decisions I am faced with.

Meet the Claytons

You already know more than you want to about me, so look at the pictures below...

...to take a look at my adorable family...

...whom I am spending quality time with this holiday season.

Jessica (4) and John (6 going on 7)

Gosh, aren't Jess and John cute?! These are my rays of sunshine. You should see them playing together. Jessica is sweet. John is nothing nice. He and I "fight" all the time, Matrix-style. It sometimes feels both strange and wonderful being the eldest of 5.

Hannah (10)

My little...er uh big!...sister, Hannah, who is growing up so fast! Looks like I'll have to fend all the boys off...

Dad (wise), Matt (14), Mom (almost as wise as Dad)

Dad, Matt and Mom. Centered is my rocking bro., who's tearing up the high school scene. At his side are the most loving parents in the world. (Speaking of tearing up things...my dad knows how to dish it out in a court of law...)

Merry Christ-mas

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

The awesome thing about God's plan of redemption for mankind is the coming of God in human flesh. The birth of Jesus Christ was the putting into practice of a truth he would later utter, that whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12). Christ choosing to come as a helpless baby child was the epitome of abasement. He came meek and lowly. One would expect the King who would save humanity from death and sin to come riding triumphantly on a stallion with an army behind him. And yet, the Savior of mankind came as a baby. I believe He did this just to leave us an example to follow. If the Son of God humbled Himself so, how much more are we to remain nameless and faceless, not making a name for ourselves, but giving God all the glory? Of course, because he came so humbly, Jesus established the road to His exaltation of having a Name above all others (Philippians 2:9). Now that He has gained the victory, we can expect the 2nd coming of Christ to be much different from the first.

This time, expect some fireworks...and expect a King on a white horse, the sight of His appearing being nothing short of blinding...and a once-in-an-eternity event. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns: and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16

I don't know about you, but I get chills reading that. I'm glad I'm on the right side. Times like these are great times to be alive if you are mindful of the kingdom to which you are heading (and which you are already a part of)...

Before I end my Christmas sermon, I must share with you a God-moment that just occurred. I'm sitting listening to internet radio...secular songs had been playing. All the sudden a song jumped into my spirit...it goes "He (Jesus) is the answer to the question, the cure to the infection," etc. Three seconds later the song was on. Moments like these strengthen my faith. And it's like I can feel God smiling.

The following poem was written by a marine and forwarded to me. Forgive the format, I copied and pasted it. All readers are invited to read the poem, but it is directed specifically to Americans. You'll see why.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE, IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE. I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE. I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE. NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS. WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND. FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY. THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME. THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED? I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT. SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY. THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE. I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME. THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY. THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, "SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE; I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS." THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP. I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT. THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

With that to chew on, have another bite: Jesus was born, yet Jesus is eternal. That's something.

a post with no name

Which is ironic, because the post does in fact have a name.

The trip to the rustic cabin in Percy Quinn State Park, Mississippi, was quite pleasant.

Dad and I and my younger brother John headed up a day early (Monday). John is a trip. This little 6-year old brother of mine is hilarious. The most enjoyable thing about being home from college with family for the holidays is...being beat up by John. He and I "fight" all the time. I mean, it gets rough, too. People go airborne when we fight. Oh yes. Sometimes when Matt (14 year old younger bro.) joins in, I'll pickup John and pull a Matrix-Neo thing and use him as a battering weapon to swing against Matt! It's classic world wrestling.

Back on topic, so there's not much to the trip, a lot of relaxation, eating out, journeying over for several trips to my dear Aunt Missy and Uncle Dewitt's farm to hang out. Matt and I went hiking the nature trail...lovely bit of land. I usually hate the Louisiana/south Mississippi swampland...but it can be breathtaking in winter-time.

I got to drive my MXB many miles. Oh, yeah you don't know about the MXB. The new license plate for my Buick says "MXB 298," so my mom said "m.x.b." stands for "Most X-cellent Buick." Thus my car is the MXB.

Okay, well it's been a long day.

Happy Christmas.

The Straight Scoop

Welcome to The Straight Scoop, with your host Joshua Clayton. Here's your scoop of ice cream. Mmm, delicious.

The inside scoop is this: tomorrow through Wednesday I'll be at Percy Quinn State Park in Mississippi in a cabin on a little getaway with my family.

To my surprise, the South could have a white Christmas this year! They're saying that where I live it could get as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit Friday night (I think), which hasn't happened in my LIFETIME I don't think. Yes, I am "graced" with living in a stiflingly hot climate. It'd be nice to see snow as I've only seen snow once in my life...and only an inch at that...

Don't forget about that ice cream now.

Open Road Here I Come

Got a driver's license and the title deed to the Buick and insurance. Ready to drive across the land, etc.

Driving test was incredibly simple...basically a 5-minute drive around the block! Good thing too as I was nervous. Oh I acted cool talking to the lady and all but my hands were s-s-shaking.

I'm so happy, so very happy!....

My Buick

it's got leather seats...it's got a CD PLAAAYER.

Lyrics from some song I heard...but ironically, my 1989 Buick LeSabre has neither of those features. But what matters is...it's mine! And I'm taking it with me to LSU this January! It sat around in collision shops getting a new radiator, paint job, etc. this semester...now it's ready to go! I'm so blessed/excited!

It really is a dandy little car though. I love it! I think I have a nickname picked out for it...time will tell...

Today I got insurance.
Tonight I've got the butterflies in my stomach over taking the driving test tomorrow. I must confess...I haven't parallel parked since Driver's Ed. :-S I'm going to brush up on that in the street some tomorrow before I go take the test.

The thrill of soon being on the open road...Lord Jesus help me not do anything stupid during the test tomorrow...

Beauty

I gave this song a listen again today and it’s breathtaking.

“Creation Calls,” Brian Doerksen

I have felt the wind blow
Whispering your name
I have seen your tears fall
When I watch the rain

How could I say there is no God
When all around creation calls
A singing bird, a mighty tree
The vast expanse of open sea

Gazing at a bird in flight
Soaring through the air
Lying down beneath the stars
I feel your presence there

I love to stand at ocean’s shore
And feel the thundering breakers roar
To walk through golden fields of grain
‘Neath endless blue horizon’s frame

Listening to a river run
Watering the earth
Fragrance of a rose in bloom
A newborn’s cry at birth

I believe, I believe
I believe

Water flowing over the edge of a rock precipice
Turning misty white as it falls into the pool below

Tall evergreens at the river’s edge, standing on guard
While a deer and fawn drink from the stream

The smell of tilled earth just after the rain
A rainbow, dazzling natural colors

The sight of a hawk as it circles in the thermal drafts of summer
A flock of Canada geese flying in perfect formation

Rising from the valley floor, rolling hills covered with trees
Birch, maple, elm, beech turning fiery red, yellow and gold in the autumn air

A leaf on its brief journey, twisting, turning, dancing its way to the ground
Lifting our eyes, the mountains rise, trees giving way

Giving way to rock, cliffs, ice glaciers and majestic jagged peaks
As the sun slips behind the horizon and night falls
The mountains become silent fortresses silhouetted against the night sky
The countless stars shining in silent testimony

Snowflakes, gently falling, falling, each unique, whispering,
“Remember the mercy of God…remember the mercy…”
Covering all the world in white and then
The quiet, quiet, quiet of creation at rest

I'm so "es-ited"!

2 bits of great news!

First of all, my car's got a new paint job, radiator...and ready for me to bring to college in January!

Secondly, I got a 4.0-average for my first semester! My dad was so happy he yelled so loud I was temporarily deaf! :-D happy happy happy! Psalm 107!! etc.!

"There's no place like home...

...for the holidays..."

I've been home since Saturday. My family met me in Baton Rouge and ate a bunch of meals off my meal plan to use up my remaining meals.

Today I visited Pearl River High School, my Alma Mater. I showed up a couple minutes into lunch in Coach Bowman's room to see how PRHS' P4P club is doing. Matt had told me they were meeting today, so I decided to surprise them. They were a bit surprised!

It was such a blessing to see how much this Christian group has grown on campus. It's good to know that one's efforts were not in vain. I remember when we could hardly get people to show up when we offered free pizza...and yet this small room was filled with kids who were there for More than some natural benefit. However, as a treat, an unexpected shipment of free pizza showed up later in the meeting.

Ms. Cindy Collins arrived and spoke and she had me speak for a couple minutes briefly, along with Bryan. They're planning another Campus Jam! Exciting things are happening...

After that I went and visited some teachers from high school: Ms. D., Ms. Schroeder, Ms. Beaushaw, Ms. Cashion, Mr. Ballantyne, Mr. Hobson, Ms. Treese, Mr. Grush (not in), Mr. Ledet, Ms. Enmon. That kept me busy for an hour.

In general, I'm just taking it easy. I feel like I'm still recovering from exams last week! Since I've got all this spare time on my hands, maybe I'll blog even more. How'd you guys like the links on this blog post? Hey, I had extra time on my hands...and Isaac always does it!

During my time off I want to start running again, read John Maxwell's Developing the Leader Within You (under Patrick's admonition), draw closer to God spiritually/prepare for The Uprising, and...learn to play piano! My parents just left to get an instructional book for me! I'm so excited about that! Oh yeah, I also want to work some in my dad's law office and make some dough...and oh yes, I want to sleep...a lot. And watch The Passion of the Christ again...

A prayer

Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist
Take this mouth
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss

From the song "Yahweh," U2

A Dramatization

• 32+ hours studying
• 24 hours of sleeping since Sunday morning (it's now noon, Thursday)
• 2 Red Bulls
• 10 coffees
• 4 bowls of candy
• 2 all-nighters in the Catholic center
• 4 exams
• 2.5 healthy meals
• 6 hours taking tests
• 1 gallon of adrenaline

And this morning, after studying from 1 am til 7 am came the grand finale. My exam was at 7:30 am. At 7:05 I dashed outside to hop onto my bike. The seat was wet. I covered it quickly with a towel in my booksack and biked into Tigertown to stop at the gas station for a Red Bull. On the way in a guy beseeched me for $2. I didn't even hesitate to give him money since I was in a rush so I handed it to him and said "God bless you have a nice day," and before long I was clutching the energy drink in hand, riding with it across campus toward CEBA. Just as I got there at 7:25, I realized I'd forgotten...the stinking scantron sheet. I hopped off my bike and downed the Red Bull in 20 seconds. Then I hopped back on, weaving in and out of pedestrians, burping from the carbonation all the way, back to my dorm room, threw the bike on the ground, dashed inside and procured a scantron answer sheet. Back on the bike. It's 7:28. Of course, spontaneously, the clouds opened up and soaked me to the skin. I blinked to see through the rain as I dashed high speed on my bike. 7:31 am. Off the bike, dash to the testing room. They must've thought, "Look at this bum." Not only was I late for the test, I was also soaked to the skin, I smelled like a wet dog, I was panting, and I had a skater punk look with my bright yellow/purple striped beanie. I sat down to realize my scantron was...wet. Rain. The professor announced to the class he had extras. I traded him. I took the test and got the heck out.

One thing I've learned about college grades. The final exam is NOT a chance to bring your grade up. It will, invariably, bring your grade down, unless your grade just, well...sucks anyhow. I mean, with 6 hours of studying for an exam I felt well-prepared for (also my "easiest"), I couldn't pull of any higher than an 82%. Therefore, one works hard all semester to try and maintain a decent average....only to work MUCH harder during exams to have that original average drop even more. Therefore, if it wasn't for my Jesus pushing me on, I would definitely become an academic nihilist!

My first semester over. What a way to finish! I'm so tired now, I don't know what to think...except after I've rested up, I'll probably look back on this week as...memorable!

Yahweh speaks.

Is God trying to talk to me about my being stressed out about my test earlier today?

• One of my favorite songs comes on LaunchCast earlier. "Never underestimate my Jesus," it says, "when the world around yo crumbles, He will be strong."
• A half-hour later, I eat supper with John and his friend from work. This girl shares Phillippians 4:6 with me: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
• Not 5 minutes after she tells me this, my dad calls on my cellphone and says: "Look, just wanted to let you know God told me to drop what I was doing and pray for you against stress and anxiety." He knew nothing...other than what God told him.

I believe. I believe God loves me. I believe I am having trouble requiting such mysterious love. Help me, Lord. I want to love You so much more. Why am I so selfish?...

"Yahweh," U2
From the album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist
Take this mouth
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn?

Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break

Strung out like strings on a Washburn

I'm slowly coming down of the high (low?) of being stressed out beyond belief.

How ironic. I went to start typing this post and Relient K's "For the Moments I Feel Faint" came on Launch.

I studied from 6 pm til 1 am for Economics last night. Which really equated to 4.5 hours of actual focused studying. Then I studied 3.5 hours today to give a total of 8 hours studying for this final. Not quite as much as I studied for the other 2 exams so far, but I thought it would be sufficient.

When I looked at the exam, I realized differently. I knew the material! But this was a multiple choice test, i.e. Beelzebub. I HATE multiple choice tests. I'm a humanities person. I could argue for all four answer choices to a question on a test. I swear that this test was a bit too subjective. Anyway, I had an "A" in the class...and still might...but if I maintain my "A" it won't be by much.

I'm going to eat, shower, sleep till midnight. Then I'll wake up, study till 7 am, drink some red bull, attend my 7:30 ISDS final. Then work, then prayer/dinner with Zach, then CRASH and go into a Rip-Van-Winkle-ish state.

Did I hear that exam week is almost over? EH?

Going Nocturnal

Studied from 11:30 pm last night til 8:30 am this morning and slept for 1.5 hours and then took my Business Calc final. Though I stressed out like nuts taking it and took the entire 2 hours, I pulled off a 95.83! (Computer-graded test) That stupid Maple TA thing they use for testing is pure caca if you ask me...well it might be of use if the thing wouldn't suffer network problems on huge exam days when the whole computer lab is full of people taking tests! Now here I am at work. I'll be gone in 20 minutes. Then I'll shower, eat, and meet in the union where I'm supposed to study econ with some other folks. Funny thing is they asked me to help them study since they knew I got A's on my other exams this semester...

...except I'm so exhausted I'll probably fall asleep on a couch in the union while they're studying. Then I'll probably wake up in the middle of the night in the union, start studying around 2 am, and stay awake for an interminable length of time till my econ exam in the afternoon...and then repeat the same process for my final ISDS exam...

Track: Grace Like a River
Album: World Service, one year old and still the greatest Christian music album of all time
Artist: Delirious?
Track significance: The grace of God keeping me and helping me excel this week

Wonderful Night

Sigh of Relief

A half-hour ago I finished my first and toughest final, Honors Western Civilization, a 6-hour course. Even though it wasn't cumulative, it was tough enough, believe me.

Other than the events described in "Drive-Thru Madness I-III" blog posts, last night here's how I studied for this killer exam:

ecause of recommendations from friends I went to Christ the King Catholic Center to study. Great choice. Beautiful place, nice and quiet library for intensive study. And usually I hate libraries; they freak me out. Why? I dunno. Too darn quiet...just like the beginning of Ghostbusters...

But this was a nice little library. Ok, so I cut up and harassed the girl across the room and mouthed stuff at her (she came at me first!) and talked a little too loud toward the end...

But seriously. That's the longest I've ever studied at once for any test...ever. I studied from 6 pm till almost 3 am, with a 1.5 hour break in between. Overall this weekend, I've studied over 10 hours for this final.

And it was worth it.

I mean, I don't know how I disciplined myself to read over those notes that thoroughly for that many hours. I mean, from 6-11, that was like a 5 hour almost uninterrupted stretch. All I can say is: THE GRACE OF GOD. Then Michael Carney showed up and we quizzed each other...
I wrapped it up at 3 and was in bed by 4 am, only to toss and turn (and maybe never actually get to sleep) until 7 am, when I woke up, ate, crammed, and headed for the 7:30 final.

9 essays I had to write...basically. Granted most were just under a page in length, but that's still psycho...1.5 hours of solid writing. I'm sorry to rant on and on about a mere examination, but this has really been the most effort I've ever put into a single test I think.

I think I kicked some West. Civ. butt.

Now I'm...exhausted. Get some breakfast, shower, take Katie to lunch (her meal plan's spent) at noon, can't work out Micah's off campus (I'm too tired, forget working out during finals anyway)...then I'll sleep the afternoon away and repeat last night's process again tonight studying for Business Calc...

Drive-Thru Madness III

This is just an addendum to the two audio posts before this. Please folks don't skip listening to those 2 posts. They'll enrich your life.

The reason for this post is to make it plain that no one should feel sorry for me. What a silly thing to say...as if anyone would feel sorry for me. Ahem, what I mean is that I have apparently cultivated such a dry sense of humour that sometimes I apparently dramatize things so much that people take me seriously. Let me make it plain: taking me seriously was your first mistake.

In short, Mike and I were not actually starving (many other food establishments were open). You should come out of these audio posts not with sorrow in your soul, but having fallen out of your chair in laughter, or some variation of that sentiment.

Thanks for the clarification.

Study hard for finals, college folk.

Drive-Thru Madness II

Drive-Thru Madness I

An Evening at St. Alban's

Everything was ready. The night was young. Quite.

I had used Google's search results for "how to tie a tie" to help me find that one wrong step as I stood in front of the mirror. I pulled my coat on and ran out the door, strolling briskly toward St. Alban's Episcopal Church...I dunno, "activity hall," "fellowship hall," whatever. I would later realize I had forgotten my wrapped $5 Christmas present for a needy child (remind me I still need to give that to Zach). I walked in to this antiquated, grandiose ballroom where I helped clean and decorate some tables.

The guests began to arrive, by ones, twos, and even fives. I was given the charge of greeting/collecting money and presents. Ah. The thrill of"formal occasions." That being, everyone just looking in general, lovely. I'll admit for my entire gender, there's something about that suit and tie that makes a guy walk straight and tall, something that puts a pep in his step. And, !ay-ay-ay! There's something breathtaking about ladies, in general...but even more so when they are glittering in formal attire. Many beautiful ladies there tonight, a few whom I danced with (or so attempted to).

The room was looking great, the fine folks were looking...well, fine...everyone was socializing. Then pops up Mr. Zach Mitchell, my dear friend, to warm up the crowd. Zach. What a man of God. He worked so hard to organize tonight's festivities...for weeks. I love that brother in Christ.

Everyone began to be seated and so I sat toward the back, where I intended to remain. But I wandered to the kitchen and someone said they needed help serving. So Casey and I filled up glasses of punch--12 to a tray--and I walked out with Lionel. Wow--I never realized how nerve-racking carrying food trays was! Several rounds of that and I was enjoying the whole waiter role. Then I got to carry trays of salad, then the main course out. More and more. More and more trays. More and more requests for more beverage. More and more this and that...before I knew it nigh a half-hour had passed. And we were out of food. So several of us guys who'd been waiting tables just looked at each other and smiled, as if to say, "Oh, well, no sweat."

Pastor Nick spoke...Zach and B.A. Holloway (the dude, not the band) did a comedy routine of sorts: The Year in Review. They were the "reporters," with a full stinking awesome multimedia display on an overhead accompanying them. A few "words of wisdom" from my this blog even made it in!

Derrick Brumley and Lisa King led us in some beautiful Christmas singing, followed by Kristen's beautiful solo.

Possibly the highlight of the night was Timothee Bateman's violin solos. His "O Come, All Ye Faithful" nearly sent chills up my spine and literally forced me to close my eyes involuntarily twice. I think that above all instruments, there is the most depth of soudn to stringed instruments...but specifically the violin. Good grief, it was downright...upright, rather...amazing.

Before long we were clearing the area for the dance floor. The music went back and forth between upbeat and soft. I took turns waltzing and cha-cha-ing with several lovely ladies. Good for getting over that shy guy mentality. Something enchanting about asking a lady to dance...and her saying, "Yes!" of course! I found it mildly amusing that one (I refuse to offer names here as not to incriminate myself ;;--)) argued she couldn't waltz. "I can't either! That's what makes it fun. We'll make it up as we go along." And with the waltz that's partially what I did!

Now the cha-cha is a different story, folks. That's my game, there, since I really learned Thursday night. With some more practice, I daresay I could "tear up" some cha-cha. Oh yeah. I mean it. 3...4...5,6,7, and 1,2 cha cha cha, 1,2, cha cha cha, 1,2 cha cha cha, TURN 2 cha cha cha, TURN 2 cha cha cha, SPIN! 2 cha cha cha, 1, 2, cha cha cha, 1, 2 cha cha cha, into "the chase"...cha cha cha.... Strange that I can dance a faster dance better than a slower one...I respond to a beat though, yeah. I live life in the fast lane, baby. Okay, enough of that.

As we were cleaning up later, Latitia and I posed for camera shots of us air guitar rockin' with mops and brooms. But then I turned Jedi knight on her and we had a light sabre battle until I put a move on her with the broom and then went karate and tried to kick the mop out of her hand...but also succeeded in weirdly kicking the loop thing off her cellphone. I felt horrible about that one.

By midnight we'd finished cleaning. Zach looked as exhausted as I felt. Josh Harvey had to leave with Rachel and so Zach, J.Barreca and I went to Raising Cane's. Zach paid for it!

Zach dropped me off at Common Grounds, so I could pick up my bike, which I rode back in suit and tie to my dorm. Ran into Matt from work and his frat buddies and chatted with him. Then hung out with J.P. and Co. in ELH at the front desk. Of course, two lovebirds happened to be strolling through the lobby...at the time...

...*ahem*. Announcment now about these two lovebirds.:

I didn't mention THE highlight of the night.

My dear friend Mr. Patrick Holly proposed to Ms. Mica Spence this evening (I didn't see the proposal though). I didn't know anything had happened until the two strolled up to me and stood picturesquely before me. Smiling. Now Patrick laughs a lot...but he had this huge grin on his face tonight. I was like, "okay..." "nice tie, man!" I kind of scratched my head when he belted, "what the heck do you mean, 'tie'?!" Mica held up her finger and there it twinkled. The ring. I stepped back and took another look. Yes, that was what was magical about the two.

I think that there is nothing in the realm of human glory more splendid than the energy and life emanating from two lovers who have made their love permanent and public. I mean, Pat and Mica always have looked good together...but this was a site to behold. I supposed I shall liken it to pregnant women with unnaturally healthy-looking hair. There was something infectious about their smiles, something glowing from their souls. Something very real and complete. Something that makes you think, "there go the two happiest souls in the world." Something that makes you think, "gosh, I wonder when it's my turn. Hopefully not too long."

Congratulations Patrick and Mica Holly! You have left a high standard to follow for Christian couples on campus. The peace and favor of God be with you! Remind me (somebody) to post a picture of the two on this site soon.

(Everyone: you are now clear to, if you haven't already, say, "aaaaawwwww!")

Hitting Bottom

Picture a man getting beat up...slowly...to a bloody pulp, and laughing about it. Sadism? Masochism? ... a certain movie character would refer to it as the liberating process of "hitting bottom."

"The first rule of Fight Club is . . . you do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is . . . you do not talk about Fight Club! Third rule of Fight Club: someone yells "stop," goes limp, taps out, the fight is over. Fourth rule: only two guys to a fight. Fifth rule: one fight at a time, fellas. Sixth rule: no shirts, no shoes. Seventh rule: fights will go on as long as they have to. And, the eighth and final rule: if this is your first night at Fight Club . . . you have to fight." ~Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt

I remember when Mark Bennett I believe it was...yes it was him, my freshman year of high school...he suggested I watchFight Club. Several people in the room thought it was a cruddy movie, but he said, "No, I think Josh would like Fight Club. It's not really about just a bunch of guys fighting." And he was certainly right.

I know, as always, I'm only...like...5 years late, but that's always the case with cinematic releases.

In any case, this is by far one of the:

• Grossest
• Most enlightening
• Most Profanity-laden
• Beautiful
• Disgusting
• Frightening
• Ironically, Sarcastically Funny
• Rough
• Philosophical

movies that I have ever seen. As I watched the Narrator (who remains unnamed) desert his white-collar job, his condo, his luxurious furniture, and any semblance of normalcy to live in a hole in the wall crumbhole with no material possessions, ... and to proceed simultaneously to fight in a "club" of guys disillusioned with corporate America ... all the while musing on such subjects as the consequence of a generation of males raised without fathers ...

...I realized just why this very eccentric film has become a bit of a cult classic. I leave you with a few quotes from Tyler Durden, to ponder. I agree with some of it...I disagree with quite a bit of it...but cleverly placed in such a film, these words keep echoing in my memory.

"You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fu**ing khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing c**p of the world.

This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time.

It's only after we've lost everything, that we're free to do anything

Who you were in Fight Club was not who you were in the rest of the world. A guy came to Fight Club for the first time, his a** was a wad of cookie dough. After a few weeks, he was carved out of wood.

[I] see in Fight Club, the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential. And, I see squandering. God d*** it! An entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables: slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing car and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy sh** we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man--no purpose or place. We have no great war. No great depression. Our great war's a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires and movie gods and rock stars . . . but we won't. We're slowly learning that fact and we're very, very pi**ed off.

We just had a near-life experience.

We're a generation of men raised by women. I'm wondering if another woman is really the answer we need.

For six months I couldn't sleep. With insomnia, nothing's real. Everything is far away. Everything is a copy of a copy of a copy.

The things you own end up owning you."

As promised...

...in my last audio blog post, I did sleep. From 2 pm till just now, 9 pm, I did. Wow. A night's sleep in an afternoon.

What you get when you cross staying up all night, Josh Clayton, and his vain attempts at humor (and Aristophanes' philosophy)