Back to School, and Starbucks

Last year in IMT, I was required to write monthly newsletters to chronicle my adventures in Tulsa. I would describe my experiences, discuss things I was learning, share prayer requests, and occasionally I would ask for money. Ideally, this blog will serve a similar purpose. Although I probably won't ask for money. But enough with the introduction.

Since I've been home from camp, life has gotten crazy, and fast. I had 2 weeks between Deerfoot and school, and I didn't want to waste them. I flew to Florida, bought my granny's Buick, and drove it home. I only ran out of gas once. Florence, SC wasn't on my list of planned pit stops. But visiting friends at UNC and UVA was well worth the trip. I also applied for a job at Starbucks, where I am now employed as a Barista. No, I will not give you free coffee. The hardest part about those 2 weeks was knowing that my IMT family was going full steam in their second year of the program, and knowing that I wasn't with them. I spent way too much time sitting at home playing the hypothetical game.

But once classes began, I had no time to play games of any sort. 8am classes have taken their toll on my sleep schedule. I'm studying Mechanical Engineering, which I attempted once, and failed. This time will be different. If not, I'm out of excuses. Fortunately, I'm convinced that if I keep my priorities straight, and my focus on God, then it will be a lot harder to fail. At anything. Speaking of priorities, it has been great to be back at CFC. Crunk fo' Christ is a guys' small group/Bible study that was conceived my freshman year with a group of buddies. Now, a lot of the guys are seniors, eager to make a difference on the campus of UMD before taking the dreaded step into the real world. When I think about the guys in CFC, I can't help but get excited. They are some of the most gifted, passionate guys you will ever meet. Sure, we all have our fair share of struggles, but I can't wait to see how God uses us to change the world.


Other notable uses of my time have been intramural soccer, doing homework, taking naps in my car in various parking lots on campus, and trying to win as many fantasy football leagues as possible. Balancing everything has been a tough act, but it's a challenge that I'm eager to overcome. I've wasted enough time at UMD, so this time I'm determined to make the most of it.