Beach Blog- days 6 & 7

The end is near.....

The week is coming to a close as I am writing this blog; we are headed home in the morning. It had been a great week to relax, rejuvenate, and rest( like the alliteration..?). It really has been a great week; this is the first year that I felt that I actually NEEDED a vacation. Every other year it was just a fun time.. but this year it seemed like more of a luxury. 

Here is a list of thing that happened this week... I will try to sum it up for all of you.

- Tennis is much harder when you take almost a year off: I had to give all I had just to get close to beating David. He beat me about 65% of the week( and he won the Eaton open, A great honor...)

- Sailing on the ocean is waaaay better: Over the last few years I have come to love sailing( I was not excited when I was a junior and my dad said he was going to buy a sailboat). But now I love it, and sailing on the ocean is amazing. We were able to rent the boat 2 days during the week. Today was a good day( except that we kept getting to close to the surf and I have to jump off the boat and move it around the other way.. and then try to crawl up the boat( which is not an easy task). It just made it that much more exciting. 

- I do love food: I feel like I have eaten a ton this week. We went to some great restaurants. The fav would have to be The Sea Shack. It is a local place that has great food and some pretty fare prices. We went there twice this week. Tonight I got the buffalo shrimp Po Boy( which was amazing!). If anyone is ever on Hilton Head, you need to visit The Sea Shack.

- It feels I little like home: to be in SC, since I have spent the last 8 months of my life in Greenville, it just feels a little different than in other years. 

- It is strange: to  not know how many more vacations I will be able to have like this. I have no idea what will happen in the year to come, or where I will be in the summer. I want to cherish these times, since they may not always be around.  

I am so glad that I have been able to get away for a fews day, but now I am ready to get back to real life and back into the swing of things. 

stay tuned... 

( I did not make this, but I thought it was really neat) 

beach Blog- days 4 & 5

Here is a short synopses of the last two days at the  beach 

- Yesterday was good. We went to the beach( there was no sailing, because there was not much wind :( 

- We went to a NYC pizza place for dinner yesterday, where I ended up eating WAY to much pizza( it was so good.... but also very filling) 

- I am so sore from tennis( I have not played this much in over a year)

- I am sun burt all over my back and neck. I was sitting out at the beach yesterday reading and ended up getting all burt.

- Today we went to The Sea Shack for lunch( which is one of our favorite places to go). Their theme at the restaurant is " not fancy, just good", and that is exactly what it is. The place can only seat about 35 people( maybe), there is a neat cook that has dreads and wears a big rasta hat. They have a very eclectic menu; there are all sorts of dishes and sides from cheese grits to Alligator bites to shrimp burgers. The prices are fare, and you get A LOT of food. It just may be my favorite place to eat on the island.

- We also at Mexican tonight ... I am so full. The two meals today were great. I will need to do a few more laps in the pool to work off those extra calories. 

- I am enjoying vacation so much, but there are a few things that I am missing as we move past the half-way point of the trip. I am missing 

1. Kami- I miss seeing her smiling face each day. She just makes my day, and being away from her has made me see just how much I miss her.

2. My Job at Church- Believe it or not, I really really miss being at my job. I love working at ISBC, and I cannot wait to get back there. I think God is doing great things there, and I really believe that even greater things are about to explode, and I can't wait to be a part of it. 

3. My bed- I have not been in my bed much the last year of my life, so I appreciate every time I get to sleep in it.

4. Good water- the water on the island is not bad.... but it is no where near great. All of the drinks taste a funny. Good water and drinks are something you do not miss until they are gone.

5. My car- I love driving, and we just brought the van. It is no where near as fun to drive, plus my mom seems to get a little uncomfortable when I am driving the van. 

I am having  a great time on vacation, it may be turning out to be one of the best vacations of all time... everything has just been great. 

( this is a pic with King Neptune.. we usually take a picture here every year) 

stay tuned...

Beach Blog- day 3

Finally in the water....

Today was full of tennis and beach. We had the annual dad/ granddad vs. brothers tennis challenge( David and I win every year..). It was about the same story this year as David and I took them 6-1( or 6-2 if you ask them). 

I was so pumped about sailing this afternoon at the beach. I did not take my book or iPod since I figured that there was going to be about 2 hours of sailing..... I was wrong.  When we arrived at the beach, I went over to the lifeguard station to rent the boat.... and it had just been rented for the next two hours!!!! I was frustrated to say the least. The people rented the boat from 2-4, and if they made it back before 4 then we could rent it for one hour( which would be better than no hours). To my joyous surprise, they made it back just in time to take it out. My dad, Brian, and myself took the aquacat for a spin. It was a great day for sailing. Brian was a little nervous at the beginning, but by the end he was loving it. We are ready to take it out again tomorrow

Tonight was putt-putt( Brian's favorite). There are a few courses on the island that are very difficult; They are set up more like an actual golf course. Dad took a late lead on the back 9 and ended up winning. 

It turned out to be a great day... The weather is supposed to be good all week, so hopefully there will be more days like today

( here is a pic from sailing today)

stay tuned....

Beach Blog- day 2

I am a little crabby....(not the mad kind, but the crab kind)

Tonight we went to The Crazy Crab for dinner. It is a great seafood restaurant, and they have my favorite meal on the island. It is called the steamed pot, and it contains( see above for a real picture)

- Half a lobster

- Crab Legs 

- Oysters( still in their shell)

- Shrimp 

- Corn and a baked potato 

It is such a tasty meal.... a lot of work, but it is worth every ounce of effort it takes to pry and pull my way to seafood paradise.

The beach was crowded today with the Memorial Day crowd( hopefully some of them will be gone as the week progresses). It was so nice outside; you could sit and read on the beach and not even break a sweat. I think it may have been one of the most pleasant days that I can remember at the beach. 

I am so excited about tomorrow.... It is time for SAILING!  I have been waiting all year to get back out on the ocean in the sailboat. Hopefully we will be able to rent it for a few hours so we can get some good sailing in.

I hope you enjoy the pic of the bucket. I will try to have some more funny pic as they show up 

stay tuned...

Beach Blog- day 1

We made it! 

It is good to be back at Hilton Head... 

I am ready for a great week of sun, sailing, and salty air( I tried hard on that alliteration..)

I just hope that I do not gain to much weight this week due to all of the food that will be consumed...I will need to do a great deal of bike riding to burn off all of those calories.

I will try to keep everyone updated on funny events that happen throughout the week. 

stay tuned...

Such a Sweetheart

Last night Kami surprised me...

I am leaving for the beach in the morning, so last night she planned a whole night of sweet things( literally).

I went to pick her up at her house and we went to the park. She had a basket full of all kinds of goodies and coffee. There were pies, cakes, and even cinnamon rolls( which I really liked). She even brought creamer and  sugar for the coffee. It was so thoughtful and sweet. I 

really appreciated it. After that, we just sat at the park as the sun was setting and then went back to her house to watch a movie. It was just such a nice time..... I am going to miss sitting and talking with her while I am gone. 

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to kami; you did a great job last night. It will be such a sweet memory. 

Almost time

On Saturday I am leaving to go to the beach! 

I am ready for a vacation from everything. It has been a long year and I am ready for 

a break. 

We go to Hilton Head almost every year; it is such a great place. We stay in a sweet  time share house inside one of the plantation, play loooooots of tennis, eat a lot of seafood, and spend most mornings on the beach. 

I am ready to have some time just to sit, relax, and read a little bit( not to much... this is vacation).   I will try to blog some while I am there and share some funny experiences that happen along the way as well as some pictures.

here are some things I am really looking forward to:

1. Sailing- Sailing on the ocean is AMAZING! I have been waiting all year for this( The photo above was taken last summer while we were sailing) 

2. Crab legs- I love crab legs, they are my weakness as I could eat my weight in them 

3. The ocean- I really just like sitting on the beach, it is quite relaxing 

4. Tennis- There are numerous family tennis tournaments that take place at the beach. There are no prizes, just a years worth of bragging rights

5. Riding bikes- Hilton Head is a great place to ride bikes. There are so many paths all around the island 

6. Reading- I am ready to read things that I want to read... not what my professor tells me to read. I like reading, if I can choose the topic, book, and time frame to finish it.

7. Sitting- I have a pretty busy life, and I am ready just to sit and be a little lazy

8. Grandparents- My grandparents almost always go with us to the beach. They are super-fun to have around. I am really looking forward to this since I do not get to see them as often as I used to.

I'm Trying...

To read some books this summer to increase my knowledge( and because I do not have much time in college just to sit and read) 

Here are a few books that I would like to read this summer. Some of these I have started and other are just on the reading wish list. 

1. UnChristian- I have read the introduction and I think this looks like a great book. I think it is from an interesting perspective and will give insight to how the world views Christianity 

2. __Insert good novel- I am not sure what novel.. That is where I need help. I do not know what to read for this category. I just want a good and gripping novel that I can enjoy

3. Velvet Elvis- I have started this one.. it is interesting. Rob Bell has a fresh way of looking at things. While I do not agree with everything he says... he has some amazing things to say.

4. Simple Church- I have heard good things about this one and think it would be worth my time

5. _Maybe a mystery- This is also a category I am not good with, but I am open to suggestions

6. Faith of my Fathers- also a book I started in the fall.... I am almost done. This will be the first one on the list to get checked off.

If anyone has any suggestions for a novel or just a good book, feel free to comment. I would love to hear( or I should say read what you think).  My goal is to get more than half of this list finished...... which should not be to hard. 

stay tuned.......

(Oh yes, A note on the last blog..... In my imagination, Prince Caspian did not have that kind of accent. Maybe it is just me, but that is not how I imagined him to talk) 

I am.... Prince Caspian

SO, Last night I went to see Prince Caspian.... and it was AWESOME!!! 

I read all of the Narnia books when I was in about 5th grade( so I do not remember much about them..... except about one scene from each book). However, I was super impressed with the movie. They did a wonderful job of making it; I feel that C.S. Lewis would be proud to see this movie. The acting was great, the characters were great, and the filming was amazing; but that is not what makes this movie so amazing.

C.S. Lewis is an amazing writer and theologian; there are few books that have influenced me more than his. His book Mere Christianity is an amazing portrayal of the Christian faith( If anyone is looking for a book that takes on big questions of faith in a way that normal people can understand... this is the book for you). I have read some of his shorter writings as well, and I also enjoyed The Screwtape Letters. 

But back to the movie. I just love that these movies have become so popular. Because under all of the interesting story-lines about another world, there are real world truths of the Christian faith. One of my favorite parts in the movie is when Lucy is talking with Aslan after she goes to find Him. Lucy sees his earlier in the movie, but do not go looking for him( for her brothers and sisters think she is just being silly)... So, she finds Aslan and is asking him if she had come earlier if less people would have died in the battle. Aslan looks at her and says something to the effect of, " The question is not about what would have happened in the past, but it is about what we will do in the future." 

I feel like so many times as Christians, we( including myself) become consumed with the past and the 'what if' question. God wants us to press forward to win the prize. Satan wants to bring us down by reminding us of our past, but God is calling us to a brighter future. We must deal with our past, asking God to forgive us where we have failed Him. But that is not where we are to stay. We must look ahead and keep moving; Christianity is not stagnant. We must press on for the goal set before us; there is much to be done while we are on this earth. 

I just wanted to share that thought with you, I hope everyone will go and see Prince Caspian and support movies like this.

stay tuned..... 

I'm Lion-O.....?

So last Saturday I was helping out at the Appalachian Fair Grounds with Kid Power. The youth group was helping out WCQR, and the opportunity came up for me to dress up as Danny the Lion( the radio station's mascot). I accepted the challenge and suited up for battle..... or at least to wave, give children high fives and hugs, and even to make some cry and run away( but not on purpose). 

It was an experience to say the least; I was hotter than a tamale in that suit. And it only took me about 30 minutes to figure out that no one could tell if I was smiling at them( I still ended up smiling the whole time..)  It was a neat opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and do silly things like dance to children's music. 

This summer intern job is turning out to be quite an experience... and this was only the first week 

stay tuned.....

For a special Lady

I just wanted to take a minute and be the first person to wish my mom a happy Mother's day. 

This Mother's Day means so much more because this was the first year on my life that I did not see my mom on a daily basis. Now that I have been in college, everything has changed, except that fact that I know my mom will love me and be there for me no matter what.  I am so thankful for my family, and especially my mom.

So Happy Mother's Day...... you are loved.

Some good old southern thunder

Tonight I went with the youth group to see Decemberadio in concert. I had heard them on the radio and enjoyed their music, but I had never really seen them perform. I came into the night only knowing 2 of their songs, so everything else was new to me. I was so impressed with their passion and skill. There were many obstacles they had to conquer tonight.

1. Their lead guitar player had to have emergency surgery and was out for the show

2. 30 seconds into their set, the power on the stage went out. Their equipment must have blown a fuse. They had to fix this by running an extension cord out the hallway into another outlet. 

3. They started later than scheduled, and had to keep the audience awake( which they most certainly did) 

Their music and stage presence was a melting pot of southern rock, Classic rock( their lead singer played the bass), southern metal( like The Showdown), and some piano/ organ driven sounds as well. Each song possessed a unique quality and feel. The music was great and the lyrics were catchy, but meaningful. You could see their passion on their sleeves. 

I was so glad that I was able to see them in concert. If Decemberadio is ever near you; then you are in for a treat of pure and untainted rock and roll.( I think you could sum them up by saying that they are "jamming for the Lamb") 

Freshman year in review

It is hard to believe that I am no longer a freshman in college. I have 40 hours behind me........ and many more hours in front of me( but that is for later). This is the time when I try to give everyone a recap of the first year of college. I will try to make it quick( it will be like watching a movie on fast-foreword 8x). I think it is best to use bulleted information.... hopefully you will gain some insight into the last 8 months of my life by reading this. 

- Late movies- Before college, Kami and I had never been to a late movie( one that started after about 8:30). The second week we were at school, we decided to go on an adventure to see a movie that did not start until 10:00. This was one of the first realizations that we were in college.

- Waffle House- sticky tables, greasy food, and the most interesting staff of characters. I am not sure how college students end up at waffle house( I had never even been to one except once last summer). I did some of my best studying there; Waffle House helped me make a 98 on my NT exam last semester. 

-Driving- I really like to drive and being in college game me a good reason to go exploring. kami and I have been all over the upstate. There have been parks, lakes, waterfalls, and we even drove over a mountain. We also made a few trips to Atlanta; where there I had many interesting driving experiences( I was honked at many times the 1st day, and one day I almost ran into a pedestrian........ driving there could make a man crazy). I have put quite a few thousand miles on my car this year.

- Dorm Life- I found out that I own much more clothes than other males my age. My closets at school were overflowing with clothes, and I still had a whole closet full of clothes at home( I also have to many shoes.... I had to leave most of them at home). I also learned that there are many interesting people out there. Living in the dorm means making new friends that you may not made if you did not have to live around them. I am thankful for the new friends I have made this year. 

-Church-I had a chance to get my feet into ministry this year. Tigerville was a great place to work. I gained so much experience and insight during my time there. Being away from home also gave me an opportunity to go and visit other churches. I feel like I have been able to branch out and visit other churches; I think this experience will help in the future.

- Naps- I learned the value of a good night... or afternoon's sleep. I remember not wanting to take naps in Kindergarden, but in college a nap was like a little present that made your day better. Even though I usually got 8 hours of sleep, there seemed to always be room for some R&R. 

-Homework- I had to do that this year. In high school, I could finish my work in class and study for 20 minutes before a test and make an A. That is not happening anymore. I have done more studying this year than I have done my whole life. 

- Exams- they may be the most stressful time in the world..... I have many more gray hairs now than when I started college. Even if your exams are not bad, you are still stressed. The last two weeks of school felt like two months. I am just glad they are over. Now I can read books I want to, and not have to write a paper or give a presentation on them. 

- Friends- I have made some great friendships this year. I am so glad to have new friends; it has been great to make new friendships this year. That will be what I miss this summer; I will not miss homework or papers, but I will miss the people from school.

- College- it has been a great experience. I do not think there is anything like college, and I am not sure I can even begin to explain it in one sitting( or 5). But for your eyes sake of reading this, I will finish up.

I have had a great semester. It has not always been easy, but it has been worth it. I am ready for summer, but I think that by the end of the summer I will be ready to go back to Tigerville to start another year of school. But until then, I am going to enjoy my time off.