What I learned in Denver

“Don’t look back ‘cause you know what you might see.” – Oasis, D’you know what I mean?

Allow me a moment to be sentimental and reflective, I’m less than 72 hours from leaving a city that has challenged everything I thought I knew about myself. I’m not even sure how to put my time here into words, my soul has aged so much the last eight and a half months that sometimes it feels more like eight and a half years. Other times things have happened so fast that it feels like a dream, those moments that you savor. The ones you play back in your mind over and over just because you have to remind yourself they were real and you don’t ever want to forget that and the rush that came with them.

Things like:

Your first night in your own apartment on your own 1000 miles from everyone you know.

Helping a friend film a movie all over the city.

Staying up 38 hours just because you don’t want the night to end.

Drinking coffee, lots and lots of coffee. Not because you like it, but because you love the people on the other side of the table.

Watching Brad get out of a parking ticket.

Parallel parking on a hill.

Poker nights with the guys.

The drive to and from the Men’s Advance. (As well as the event it’s self.)

The crisp cutting chill of the morning air as you watch the sun rise over Garden of the Gods.

The joy of having Spanish class cancelled by snow.

Helping Katelin hunt for a phone.

Learning you’re capable of doing more than you thought.

Understanding that being mature doesn’t mean you’ll ever stop being a kid at heart.

Friday mornings with Owen at the office.

Going site seeing with the Denver 2011 church planting team.

Spending New Years with people you didn’t even know the year before and loving every minute of it.

Wearing a wig and dress for history class.

Going to bed exhausted but thrilled about the idea of getting up in the morning.

Moving furniture with Brad, multiple times.

The site of the Front Range covered in fresh snow.

Getting signatures to start a student group.

Standing at Red Rocks and looking out over the entire city.

Being on 17th Street facing the TIAA-CREF building, my favorite view in the entire city.

Riding through downtown on the back of Mau’s scooter.

Riding RTD.

First Friday’s in the Santa Fe art district.

Driving to and from Colorado Springs at least once a week.

Every Sunday I spent at High View.

All these things impacted who I am, and left a permanent mark on my soul. I can’t explain how or to what extent, mostly because even I don’t know the full answer to that question, but I know they did and I know I’m a better person for it.

The trip home

I know I usually write things that somehow tie back in to a bigger reality in life but tonight I’m just writing because I want too. Or, as Oscar Wilde would say, “Art for the sake of art.”

We had our first snow fall of the season in the Metro area today, none of it stuck but it’s obvious that nature is serving notice that summer is on its way out and winter is fast approaching. In the mean time we’re stuck in that beautiful purgatory known as autumn where the world is momentarily suspended between the two stark contrasts of blazing heat, and freezing cold. Fall is probably my favorite time of year not because of the changing colors of the leaves but because of the unique feel in the air. There’s a certain chill in the breeze that only happens this time of year that makes me feel more alive and self aware. It seeps down deep into the marrow of my bones until I feel like I’ve ceased to exist and melted into the world around me, walking across campus with the granite mountains of the Rockies behind me and the concrete mountains of downtown before of me. The sounds of helicopters and airplanes flying overhead with only the flashing of their lights set against the night sky to alert you to their physical location. On the bus you can listen to the ebb and flow of conversation, the various accents from all over the world occasionally punctured by bursts of laughter reminding us of our common humanity regardless of where, or what, we call home. I get off at my stop and melt back into the chill of fall as I walk past Tommy’s Thai food, Enzo’s End pizzeria; with a bar strait out of Hopper’s “Nighthawks”, and the flower shop with gang signs carved into the grills of the air conditioner units hanging out of the windows. The white Christmas lights wrapped around Bastien’s wink at me from across the street welcoming me home after a long day of classes. I admire the tiny plants growing up between the cracks in the asphalt refusing to be choked out by the world around them not caring that the world considers them weeds that are simply a nuisance, bent on surviving in their adverse circumstances. As I turn the corner I look at the half burnt-out Monroe Liquor Store sign, with its chipped white paint and think that it looks like something from a grainy black and white photo that somehow got stuck in the wrong era. An artifact from the analog years comically cast in the digital age, a subtle reminder of where we came from. A time when typewriters, records, and Polaroid’s reigned supreme never dreaming that they’d be replaced by computers, MP3 players, and digital cameras. While all this is still tumbling through my mind I slowly climb the stairs to my apartment, turn the key in the lock, step into the warm air of my artificial environment, and hit the reset button on reality.

Markers along the way

I think it's important for people to have mementos from important moments in their life. Birth certificates, diplomas, wedding rings, these are all reminders of significant events in our lives. For Christians it's also important to have things that remind us of the times in our spiritual lives that God provided for us in unforeseen and amazing ways. We see this repeatedly throughout the Bible, especially the Old Testament. After their miraculous crossing of the Jordan river the Israelites set up a stone memorial to remind them of what God had done for them there. (Josh 4:20-24) In fact in the book of Joshua alone the Israelites set up seven memorials to remind them of important moments in their history. (Josh 4:20-24, 7:26, 8:28-29, 8:32, 10:27, 22:34, 24:26-27)

In my own life there are things that are markers of times God has worked, for, in, and through me. Anytime I see a Pizza Hut I'm reminded of my salvation and the joy and freedom I have in that. My charcoal and navy blue fleece is a reminder of my mission trip to Vietnam, what I saw God do there, and that I'm supposed to live as a missionary where I am. My newest marker (and the one that prompted this post) is the skyline of Denver and the Rockies. I was driving home last night from Buffalo Wild Wings and came over the crest of a hill and there below me was Denver. Between the street lights, the skyscrapers, and headlights, it looked like a giant living Christmas tree. I was reminded of everything God had done on my behalf for me to arrive here. An Air Guard recruiter so determined to fill slots that he looks through the IRR records to find people in those career fields, the only one in Colorado who does that. A new GI Bill that provides me with the income I need to live here. Putting me in touch with an Acts 29 church that's not even a year old yet, thus making it the perfect learning opportunity for me. Helping me find and sign for an apartment in less then a week that "just happens" to only be three and a half miles from where I go to school and church. Those are just some of the things I'm reminded of when I see the Qwest building, or The Flatirons. I smile, laugh, and thank God for providing for me far beyond what I deserve in spite of the fact that I never have, and never will, do anything to deserve it.

These are some of mine, I would encourage you to stop and take a few minutes to think about times God has moved mightily on your behalf and what some things are that remind you of that. Because there will be times that you'll feel forsaken and need those things to remind you that the God who was with you then is still with you now.

Boxes of light

Today was my first day of classes at Colorado University Denver. The campus is a very different place when school is in session. Between the three schools that make use of the Auraria facilities there are roughly 50,000 students. It makes you feel like you're part of a human ant colony. The classes I had today were the lecture and lab for Biological Anthropology and History of Immigration and Ethnicity. I don't think either of them are going to be easy but I do think I'm going to enjoy them.

Today was also the first time I rode Denver's transit system. As a C.U.D. student I can ride the bus for free and I live 2 minutes from a bus stop that goes strait to campus so it makes the most sense. I talked with a guy named John the whole way to school this morning. He's originally from Anchorage, Alaska but earned his bachelor's at Oxford and then lived in London for 2 years while earning his masters and then moved too Denver 4 years ago. Needless too say we had an interesting conversation.

My last class on Mondays doesn't get out until around 8:30 and tonight we got dismissed into a strong thunderstorm. It was beautiful. Pouring rain, giant fingers of lighting, and earth shaking rumbles of thunder all set against the backdrop of downtown Denver. Because the windows on the bus are tented when you look at the sky scrappers at night you can't really see the outline of the buildings you can only see the offices with their lights on. So from where I was sitting it looked like the whole of downtown was comprised of floating boxes of light, it was amazing.

There's more I like too say but it's late and I'm tired so I'll try to write some more here later.

Live from Denver

As of today I've lived in Denver for a week so it seems like a good time for new post. :)

The drive out was pretty uneventful until about 5 miles from our exit when we got stuck in a nasty hail storm. Chris took some pictures during the storm and there's so much hail on the ground that it looks like we drove through a blizzard. ( There was another storm that rolled through that had a little hail in it on Sunday, but nothing close to what we encountered.) After the four of us (Chris, Sara, Jimmy, and myself) got done lugging everything up to my apartment we spent the evening on the 16th street mall, including dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. Which I loved solely for the fact they had entire wall dedicated to The Clash, including one of Mick Jones' guitars.

Friday we all went to Denny's to celebrate Jimmy's 18th birthday and then Chris and Sara went to see the house Chris used to live in and the hospital where he was born. Jimmy and I ran some errands and drove around town so I could show him some things around town. (Parks, the campus, the room where High View meets, etc.) That afternoon the toilet overflowed so we had to run out and get a mop and some bleach. (It turned into an adventure that took longer then it should have, but it was great for making memories.) Not long after we got that all cleaned up Brad, the Lead Pastor at High View, came over to say hi and meet everybody. We tried to talk him into coming to the art district with us for "First Fridays" but didn't have any luck. The art district was awesome, I really wish we would have had more time too look around and really enjoy it but Jimmy and I had to get up at 3:30 a.m. so he could make his flight and Chris and Sara had to start the 1,000+ mile drive back too Indiana in the morning so we had to cut our time there short.

Saturday morning sucked. There's no two ways about it. The three previous days had essentially been a road trip with my three best friends but now reality was setting in and they were all headed back to Indiana and I wasn't. It took everything in me not too cry when I hugged them good-bye. I spent the rest of Saturday unpacking, grocery shopping, and enjoying the fact that for the first time in my life I have a kitchen, bathroom, and living room all to myself. (I've had my own bedroom since I was a kid, so that wasn't very exciting. Actually it's the only thing I wish I was sharing. lol ) :)

Sunday I went to High View and once again got "roped" into being the greeter. (For those of you who don't know, when I visited in July I ended being a greeter that day also.) I really love my new church home and can't wait to watch, and be a part of, what God does through us. The rest of Sunday was pretty uneventful. We had another storm blow through, with smaller hail this time but not much else happened until Tuesday.

On Tuesday I had dinner with Brad at Brothers BBQ, which may be my new favorite restaurant, mostly because they played three Oasis songs while we where there. Playing/knowing Oasis will always get you on my good side. (Not that it's hard too get on my good side, it just expedites the process.) :) Brad and talked and hung out for awhile and then I signed my membership covenant which makes me member family number 3 at High View. (The joys of attending a church plant.) After we were full and had talked theology, church planting, and sports to our hearts content (Okay, so that probably isn't possible for either of us) we drove to the other side of town for community group. We studied James 3:13-18 which was part of Brad's sermon on Sunday and worked our way through some discussion questions and hung out for awhile afterwords.

Wednesday, yesterday, I bought my books for the upcoming semester and attended the new comers orientation, where I learned some interesting facts about Denver, like that Colfax Ave. is the longest continuous street in the country, but didn't learn anything new about the school. I didn't really expect too get any new information but it never hurts too check.

All that brings me to today. I woke up this morning and decided that a week of sleeping on the floor was all my back could take so I drove to Wal-Mart and bought an air mattress. I also purchased a Verizon Wireless broadband internet plan so I can live in the 21st century again.

Tomorrow should be a day to rest and relax and then Saturday and Sunday I have my first drill weekend before starting classes on Monday.

Thank you all for your prayers, I'll try my best to post stuff here on a regular basis.

Denver: The trip out, and what I've learned in the (roughly) 24 hours since I got here.

The trip out was pretty interesting, you gain a whole new appretiation for America when you drive across it. I've flown all over the world and lived in different parts of the country but getting to see the gradual transition in sceanery from Indiana to Colorado gives me a new respect for how large and widely varied our nation is. You also learn alot about what makes us all the same. Standing in line at Subway in Hays Kansas is exactly the same as standing in line back in Anderson. There are people who wish the line would hurry up, other people crack jokes to kill time, and the people behind the counter look like they can't wait for the lunch rush to be over. I am increadably thankful for all of you who prayed for me, the weather on the way out was perfect, I only ran into a few small spots of rain. One in southern Illinois and another about 50 miles east of Denver, where the wind was blowing so hard that tumble weeds were blowing across I-70, which cracked me up. (Add that to the list of things you don't see in Indiana.)

I'm staying with Brad and Haley Hovis while I'm out here. Brad is the pastor/lead planter at High View Church. They've been great, and spending time with them has helped make the idea of living in Denver seem much more natural. Also, getting to be around Brad and talk to him is already giving better insight into the life of a church planter. All in one day yesterday he ripped his pants, had to take his Jeep to the shop because it died on him, and found out that as of right now High View has no place to meet this Sunday. (Pray about that please.)

As for what's currently going on with me, I'm signing my contract today or tomorrow, setting up my class schedule Thursday morning at 9:30 (11:30 EST), and my biggest prayer request for myself right now is that I'd find an apartment.

I need to get a move on now, thank you all for your prayers and support.