All About Me, by Philipp Keel

I purchased a book the other day. "All About Me," by Philipp Keel, is a question-answer book where Keel asks you questions about yourself, and you write them down in the book. You could also answer the questions aloud or in your mind, or you could simply ponder them for the next day...and even journal, write, or blog about them.

I purchased the book for a few reasons. One reason is because I love the practice of intraspection. I love answering questions about myself, to myself, and figuring out why I feel the way I do, why I am the way I am, etc. It's a process that gets me thinking, and I want to learn how I can improve myself and my life and current situations and even future situations.

There are 82 pages of questions, some of them silly and some of them serious. The range of topics goes from personal, to family and friends, to love, to fears, etc.

It's a recommended purchase and activity. I think it would behoove everyone if we took a little more time to learn about ourselves....

Marginalized

First off, it was wonderful to see a fellow Creeksider when I went to work this afternoon. More and more, I am feeling encouraged and inspired. I'm feeling like I might actually go on a long-term (or, to some organizations, a medium-term) mission trip. GAH!

I discovered a new blog this morning...EARLY. It has got me thinking about myself and marginalized people (those that, for some reason, have been pushed to the sidelines of society by a larger and/or more powerful group of people and are not given the same access to rights and priveleges as the larger and/or more powerful group). When I really get to thinking about it, I have been concerned for the marginalized for some time now. My heart hurts for those that have been given the shaft. There are certain demographics that I feel more concerned about than others, such as those that find themselves in the midst of addiction, or those who suffer from depression, overweight people, etc..................

When I was taking Intro to Sociology at Reinhardt College a few years ago, I didn't really think that the professor was accurate on a number of issues. I heard him, and even one of the religion professors, talk about marginalized people and how it happens and why and who and when and where and what, etc. Now, though, I am realizing that these professors, and others, were not as incorrect as I once thought. They knew what they were talking about.

Personally, I am a marginalized individual...in some respects. I mean...if you've seen me in person or if you look closely (but...don't look too closely) at a photo of me, you'll see that I'm a fat kid. Whatever. I need to lose weight. More than half of America is fat, so I'm in the majority in that sense. However, our society still favors thin, tight, toned, and tan. I'm none of those things (but, SO HELP ME FATHER GOD, I will fit into society's cookie cutter one day). Clothes don't fit me, and I can't wear just anything, and I have to do extra things to keep things in check (though I fail miserably). The fashion world is a powerful force in our culture, and even though thin or healthy people are the minority in this country, they are still the most powerful.

Maybe the above paragraph doesn't make any sense. Maybe it makes perfect sense. Maybe it sort of makes sense, and where I totally lose you, you're still able to get the main jist of what in the world I'm trying to say.

There's more to me, though, than just a funny guy in a fat suit and fat clothes.... How do I say what is on my mind and my heart, and what has been there for years...only unacknowledged by me?

What I'm really trying to say is that I feel pain for addicts, and overweight people, and those with depression, and those with eatting disorders. I hurt for those who are hurting, and those that the church has actively hated...or simply not loved. The church, at least from my limited point of view, has done a terrible job loving on people. I'm tired of the sickness that plagues our congregations and leads Christians to do and say and feel unChrist-like things. Christ's message to us was one of love. I see love as being grace, mercy, and justice. There is a lot more to loving others in the name of God (the Triune God) than simply grace, mercy, and justice, but these are the three that I'm really thinking about right now.

Ah. My head is swimming again. That's what happens when I blog. I start typing about something and then I get led down another path and another subject and another thought. I also want to make sure that I don't offend anyone or whatever, and I want to make sure that my thoughts are clear and consice and understood.

My heart has been hurting for a few days now. I want to do what I can to serve others, and to show that I care for people whom the church has forgotten about or has shunned. I can't do a lot, but whatever is done in love...well...I guess that's good enough.

Don't think that I'm a radical liberal who wants to put daisies in rifles...though that would be cool. I'm not abandoning my somewhat conservative-to-moderate faith; I'm expanding it.

There goes my head again: swimming.

Digestives are Delicious!!

Let me begin this post by making a quick vent:

Bill O'Reilly makes me want to vomit green goo from my ears. That man makes me cringe, LITERALLY. My skin crawls when I think about how much I dislike that man and the way he hosts his show. Would someone PLEASE shove a soccer player's pair of unwashed lucky socks in his mouth?

Onward.

This past week, I got together with two of my friends and we went grocery shopping. We found a British food section in two different grocery stores! How exciting is that?!

Julie (one o' th' friends I was with) told me that our friend, Jamos (he's Scottish, and he went to Reiny-Land last year) said that he loved Digestives, some sort of cookie-thing that the British like. We found then, we ate them, and they were SO GOOD.
If you can manage to get your hands on some of these fine English biscuits, DO SO!

Oh, and I got a British Tea Blend from PG Tips. It smells delightful. I'm extatic about trying this tea!
After Creekside deposits the check that I wrote today, a total of $1,610 will have been contributed!! That means that I am ALMOST half way there!!
I'm pretty close finalizing the Health Insurance shtuff. That should be done some time this week. After that, I'm left with paying Time For God for the gracious support that they will be providing for me. Whooooot!!

That's right...you folks don't know that I got my plane ticket!!

I managed to get a direct flight on British Airways from Atlanta to Heathrow that departs at 9:15 and arrives in the UK at 10:20. This is the very flight that I have been looking for since I started looking for flights! I didn't think it would be possible to find something as good as this, but I found out about it when I went to MTS Travel. I found out about MTS when I contacted the International Mission Board, and they graciously gave me a list of the different travel agencies that they use when they send missionaries.

My flight is BA0226. I'm sitting on 29K...which is a window seat.... :-D

HOO-FREAKING-RAY!!

Now, I continue to pray for the remaining $3,000. I'm still nervous, and I'm still not sure if this will all work out. I certain pray so.

My Heavens the things that have happened.

Sorry I haven't updated in a bit.

Here's the scoop:

I purchased a plane ticket through a travel agency that I found out about when I called the International Mission Board. They've been of GREAT help to me!! The oneway ticket was less than $400...and it's a direct flight...and it departs from Atlanta late in the evening (which is what I wanted) AND I am allowed to take with me THREE (that is, 3) checked bags. It couldn't be more perfect if it were lined in platinum and encrusted with diamonds.

Let's see.... Mom and I went shopping for luggage. We found some great bags, but we have not purchased yet. The incredibly kind gentleman at the store told us that some bags that we were looking at would be going on sale in the next week, and that we ought to wait until then. He was nice. I liked him.

FINALLY, the amount that has been raised thus far is $1,410! After purchasing the plane ticket...and the Visa for the UK (which I hate that I had to tap into the donations to get...), I have $823.48, which ought to be more than enough to get some sort of a smart health insurance plan. I'm still shopping around for that, though, so I might find something even better than what I've got my eyes on. There's a thermometer at the top of this post.

Soo...things are turning out. I shouldn't lose hope or faith. This is an incredibly long and difficult journey, and I'm being taught some really important lessons. I know that if all of the money that I need came in at once, I wouldn't appreciate it nearly as much as I am going to appreciate it once it does come in.

I have to check the facebook. TTYL!!

Things I'm Realizing

I'm going to be on another continent in a few weeks.

I'm poor.

I'm not where I need to be...financially, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically....

I'm scared I won't get everything I need.

I'm scared I won't get the money I need.

I don't have the faith I need; I have very conditional faith.

I need to fund raise more aggressively.

I need to be more self reliant.

I need to start journaling...because this is a part of my mission experience and one of the lessons from God.

I need to stop worrying.

I need to stop worrying about what other people think about me.

I need to do a lot of things, but my head is absolutely swimming and I can't think of anything else to do except blog...even though I don't have anything worthwhile to say.

Student Loans

Student loans are DUMB.

Being an adult is DUMB.

Do do either.

I vote we skip the whole "get a job" thing and we just have fun all day.

Either that or I create my own nation...an island....

Applications to join me on my new island nation will be available soon.

Please provide references.

No mean people allowed.