Spending a second summer in one of the most prominent tourist traps in the country has me reflecting and taking into great appreciation how much I really love this area. Here are some reasons why.
1.) Mountains, mountains, mountains! The Smokey's are gorgeous and only about 15 minutes from where I live. And! they live up to their name. It's amazing to see how smoke settles around them and gives them an incredibly majestic and mysterious feel. I grew up by the beach so I always considered myself a beach boy, but ever since coming here my persona is truly changing to love the mountains moreso than the ocean.
2.) Dollywood. As much as work there is difficult and annoying and hard..it's great. Dolly is our slavedriver, but she rules this town and it has bloomed into one of the most cheesy places ever. And it's amazing. I doubt though that I would love this place half as much as I do unless a chunk of my friends were here hanging out.
That's all for now. More reasons to love Pigeon Forge, to come. . . .
Friday, July 1, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Elenowen
I absolutely LOVE this band "Elenowen" I first heard about them last summer when I was in Tennessee. My friend Jacob introduced them to me because like EVERYONE in Murfreesboro, where he's from, knows about them. Josh and Nicole Johnson are a married couple who make up the band. They love Jesus and love each other. And it's SO evident. They were recently on the show the Voice. Check them out, because they are going places with their lovely harmonies and ambient/indie rock sounds.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
A Travelin' Ambition
Often lately i've been talking with my Dad about traveling. Why? Because it's is what I LONG do so much in my life and he, being a retired Navy Master Chief, knows so much about the world. I've taken to looking at a few different options for after school. I could teach english abroad. I could look for a basic job. I could simply save a lot in the mean time and just go explore. The options are endless. I really I want to spend time somewhere for a year and THEN come back to the States and go to graduate school. I have thought about Spain because I speak Spanish, but Im not going to let that restrict..I can seriously go wherever I want. Ultimately my dream job would be to work for the State Department of the U.S.!! But I need to definitely go to grad school and build my resume first! What's interesting for me...is that all this talk of the future and a career is becoming more and more natural. Great. I've become more of an adult.
Why do I have so much drive to travel and see the world? I was recently talking to my friend Janice ( pronounced Juh-niece ) and I was telling her how I desire to see the world, other places and cultures so, so much! And she told me how that's cool but stuff like that is totally not for her. She's scared to even leave Norfolk and come 20 minutes to Chesapeake! Hahaha, as funny as that may be it's Janice's personal preference. It's cool to see how people can be different. It caught me off guard because I guess I foolishly assume everyone has the same wants and ambitions as me. For myself, though, traveling has ALWAYS been apart of my life. I remember when my dad was on Navy Deployments we would track where in the world he was with stickers and thumb tacks on a huge map. Also due to the fact that i'm a Navy kid i've had the pleasure of living in five different states. And finally my freaking mom is from a whole different country! That brings into our house different and unique customs and traditions. Foreign things basically help make up who I am! I know I jokingly joke about being half asian and whatnot, but to be honest it's cool being apart of a different world and engaging it.
I really don't know what I was getting at in this blogpost, but I am going to see the world and i'll do whatever it takes! My mission starts now!
Why do I have so much drive to travel and see the world? I was recently talking to my friend Janice ( pronounced Juh-niece ) and I was telling her how I desire to see the world, other places and cultures so, so much! And she told me how that's cool but stuff like that is totally not for her. She's scared to even leave Norfolk and come 20 minutes to Chesapeake! Hahaha, as funny as that may be it's Janice's personal preference. It's cool to see how people can be different. It caught me off guard because I guess I foolishly assume everyone has the same wants and ambitions as me. For myself, though, traveling has ALWAYS been apart of my life. I remember when my dad was on Navy Deployments we would track where in the world he was with stickers and thumb tacks on a huge map. Also due to the fact that i'm a Navy kid i've had the pleasure of living in five different states. And finally my freaking mom is from a whole different country! That brings into our house different and unique customs and traditions. Foreign things basically help make up who I am! I know I jokingly joke about being half asian and whatnot, but to be honest it's cool being apart of a different world and engaging it.
I really don't know what I was getting at in this blogpost, but I am going to see the world and i'll do whatever it takes! My mission starts now!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Hooot! I am a Night Owl
Seriously it is just about 3am and I'm writing. My best deliberations come around this time though. What can I say? I don't hate it! haha.
So I hate to state the cliché statement, but YOU GUYS! I am a SENIOR!! And boy has time the time flown. I can distinctly remember the day I moved into my freshman dorm as a first year student. I remember the awkward first encounter of meeting my first roommate! Yall, I literally went to shake his hand "Hi, i'm Ke..." and I step on one of plastics bins carrying some of my books and I almost trip. Sorry, Corey, for making a fool of myself. What a first impression. So many moments! I can sharply recall going to the crowded club fair, going to the dining hall alone on numerous occasions, the difficulty of trying to shake off my shy temperament, the harsh reality that people my age cuss much more frequently than i'm used to, the day when there was tye dying on the Great lawn, the times i often left my vital CNU id in my room, the few times when we played speed scrabble in the hall York West 2b, the times when I went to and IV small group and didn't say a word. So many wonderful and honestly, rough, moments.
I love reminiscing. And i HAVE mentioned this before but it is ever so true. But I reminisce and reflect often because for me it allows for a great sense of appreciation and love. I turn to God and simply say "wow, Jesus" . Through tough times and amazing times you were there. And look at me now. Look at the change and growth. (i hope I have matured some ;) It gives me Hope too, for the future and all that is to come in my life. With my career, with friendships, with my family. I can look back and tell myself that HE always was and is and is to come. The Lord of everything is rooting for me.
I don't want to be sad. I'm kind of going into this summer a little sad. I feel like i've lost some opportunities and I have only a year to catch up on it all. It's going to be difficult but i'm going to try my hardest to go into senior year without any expectations. I want to take whatever I encounter and make the best out of it. This is my time to not waste chances and to not hesitate and put myself out there. I have a final year in college to live it up, to love, to grow, to enjoy time with people who are just trying to get through school and life. This is it and it's coming. Senior year is at my doorstep.
So I hate to state the cliché statement, but YOU GUYS! I am a SENIOR!! And boy has time the time flown. I can distinctly remember the day I moved into my freshman dorm as a first year student. I remember the awkward first encounter of meeting my first roommate! Yall, I literally went to shake his hand "Hi, i'm Ke..." and I step on one of plastics bins carrying some of my books and I almost trip. Sorry, Corey, for making a fool of myself. What a first impression. So many moments! I can sharply recall going to the crowded club fair, going to the dining hall alone on numerous occasions, the difficulty of trying to shake off my shy temperament, the harsh reality that people my age cuss much more frequently than i'm used to, the day when there was tye dying on the Great lawn, the times i often left my vital CNU id in my room, the few times when we played speed scrabble in the hall York West 2b, the times when I went to and IV small group and didn't say a word. So many wonderful and honestly, rough, moments.
I love reminiscing. And i HAVE mentioned this before but it is ever so true. But I reminisce and reflect often because for me it allows for a great sense of appreciation and love. I turn to God and simply say "wow, Jesus" . Through tough times and amazing times you were there. And look at me now. Look at the change and growth. (i hope I have matured some ;) It gives me Hope too, for the future and all that is to come in my life. With my career, with friendships, with my family. I can look back and tell myself that HE always was and is and is to come. The Lord of everything is rooting for me.
I don't want to be sad. I'm kind of going into this summer a little sad. I feel like i've lost some opportunities and I have only a year to catch up on it all. It's going to be difficult but i'm going to try my hardest to go into senior year without any expectations. I want to take whatever I encounter and make the best out of it. This is my time to not waste chances and to not hesitate and put myself out there. I have a final year in college to live it up, to love, to grow, to enjoy time with people who are just trying to get through school and life. This is it and it's coming. Senior year is at my doorstep.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Oh "community"
I find myself time and time again being let down by friends. Don't get me wrong, I love my friends and people in general so much! I love encouraging my friends, joking with my friends, and being silly and stupid with my friends. And that's all really good, but that could also possibly be my problem. If you're a christian and in a relationship with God, friends and that infamous word 'community' are SO vital to you. You need other christians/followers of christ/jesus lovers around you. They help you grow and learn and make your christian walk better. But for me and i'm sure for some others, Community can be an idol. And a hindrance. I often find myself angry and hurt and jealous and discontent. I long for something or someone that I don't have. I want to be in and not out. I want to be "tight" with so and so. All of these aspects have sprung out of my desire for community. Sometimes I want just want to scream from all the negativity I accumulate. I know some of this doesn't sound like me, but it's true.
This is something I am battling every single day. What others think of me. Who I can impress and make think that i'm really cool or funny. It's a huge stumbling block and I really wrestle hard with it.
I think God is trying to show me that He wants me to start loving him more. I need to make Him my idol. He created me and will love me more than ANY other single thing or person in this world. We absolutely as Christians need other christians for help and growth. BUT if I put my significance in others thinking im the shit (sorry haha), i'm missing the point completely. I must become less and he must become more. I want to be consumed with this saying and I want my life to reflect Jesus and not myself. I don't want to be selfish, but selfless.
That's all I have. I want to reiterate that I love my friends so much, BUT I need to NOT make impressing them, or making them laugh, or their friendships in general, an idol.
This is something I am battling every single day. What others think of me. Who I can impress and make think that i'm really cool or funny. It's a huge stumbling block and I really wrestle hard with it.
I think God is trying to show me that He wants me to start loving him more. I need to make Him my idol. He created me and will love me more than ANY other single thing or person in this world. We absolutely as Christians need other christians for help and growth. BUT if I put my significance in others thinking im the shit (sorry haha), i'm missing the point completely. I must become less and he must become more.
That's all I have. I want to reiterate that I love my friends so much, BUT I need to NOT make impressing them, or making them laugh, or their friendships in general, an idol.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
No Worry Summer
What to do? I love looking back at old posts and remembering things that went on. And how poor my writing was. *Sigh* But one post I distinctly remember is the post about me going to TENNESSEE last summer. I was so nervous and unsure and scared. That summer consisted of a full time job and full time christian fellowship and full time amazingness...and was the best set of three hot months that i've ever had. And I was worried. So here I am again a little worried about what's going to happen this summer. I have a lot of things in mind. I thought about doing Discipleship Focus (last summer) again but I feel God leading me away from it. It was the best summer ever, but I know I have more to experience before my final year in College. That FREAKS me out saying that. I am soo not ready to graduate and move on! Phew. Why does time have to fly so fast?
Options for this summer, could be one, none or all. HOPEFULLY all:
Rockbridge with IV for the last time perhaps? It's an amazing week and I want to go. $$'s always an issue. Also possibly Rockbridge for 2 weeks of working summer staff at the end of August.
Cadiz, Spain. SPAIN? what?! yep. I really want to do a study abroad program through CNU. 3 weeks. homestay. improved spanish. amazing experience. and 6, yes 6 CREDITS. I really pray I can make this possible.
NorthBay. like 5 days to go to camp with Wyldlife kids. Something that I know will be such a fun and good experience. hope I can make it!
AND FINALLY some form of employment that will be flexible with me going to these places and doing these things!!
Prayer please. for big stuff and exciting stuff. :) And for no worry. God is good, always.
Options for this summer, could be one, none or all. HOPEFULLY all:
Rockbridge with IV for the last time perhaps? It's an amazing week and I want to go. $$'s always an issue. Also possibly Rockbridge for 2 weeks of working summer staff at the end of August.
Cadiz, Spain. SPAIN? what?! yep. I really want to do a study abroad program through CNU. 3 weeks. homestay. improved spanish. amazing experience. and 6, yes 6 CREDITS. I really pray I can make this possible.
NorthBay. like 5 days to go to camp with Wyldlife kids. Something that I know will be such a fun and good experience. hope I can make it!
AND FINALLY some form of employment that will be flexible with me going to these places and doing these things!!
Prayer please. for big stuff and exciting stuff. :) And for no worry. God is good, always.
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