This has been an awesome weekend. It all started off Thursday night with a really great speaker at cru, who we actually talked into coming to our mock-house party afterwards. He was actually a motivational speaker, Blaine I believe was his name. Gave a great talk about PEP (Passion, Enthusiasm, and Purpose) and how they all interact and give us our strength and drive to get anything done. Was pretty sweet to as I was reading in James today about faith and deeds, how because of faith we live our lives differently and that is represented by the deeds we do. Also how that is tied into salvation, kind of makes me wonder how many people are truly saved. Not that it is for me to know either way. I must only do the work the Lord places before me and keep the faith.
The rest of the weekend has gone by really fast. Had dinner and ballroom dancing in the cities on Friday night, so much fun. Learned a couple different, more basic dances. We could have used some more guys there, but it was a good time nonetheless. I only hope that everyone who went got to have some fun dancing. That had to be one of the best days I?ve had so far, possibly ever. I also found out earlier that day that the Eva the STINTERs in Toulouse had been writing about was the girl that Catherine and I had met just outside the courtyard under the trees at Arsanult. She went on the Agape France retreat this past weekend, and also went to church the Sunday before at the Evangelic-Eglese with her friend, who also brought a believing friend! It?s so amazing to see how my prayers for her are unfolding.
By the time Saturday morning rolled around I was thoroughly danced out, had dancing for like 6 hours in the previous two days, so it was time for some floor soccer. It was the first time I had every played soccer. Seriously, I had only kicked around a soccer ball one night and almost got hit by a police car because I chased the ball into the street (ok, so it was more me stepping onto the ball to stop it as it rolled off the curb into the street and me practically diving headlong into a squad car driving past). This summer, however, I really got the bug for soccer watching so much of the Euro Cup 2004 in Toulouse. I had a pretty good game all considering. Got to play some offence and some goally. It was 4v4, our team won.
Saw the movie ‘The Incredibles’ and highly recommend it to everyone. I actually wouldn’t mind seeing it again. So funny. I’ll agree with my brother when he says it’s the best pixar film to date. If you want to know more about it check out his journal, he did a really good review of it.
As for the rest of the day, we stopped at best buy in eau claire, and I got a new uv filter for my SLR since I broke the last one at fall retreat a couple weeks back. Went and chilled with some of the north hall cru gang. Also picked up a new mono-pod and the movie Elephant which is really well done. Little disturbing but at the same time the subject can’t be done without that. Gus van Sant did an amazing job with a very difficult subject. Some of the overlapping and perspectives are so beautifully rendered you barely notice that it wasn’t all filmed at the exact same time.
Not it’s Sunday and I’m avoiding more homework by writing this out listening to some franky blue eyes (kind of funny because it?s been about a year to the date since I listened to him last).
Praise the Lord for an amazing weekend! I feel as though the last couple weeks of mine have been so blessed, it’s unreal.
Keep seeking out God’s grace,
~paul