How can it be? Where did we go wrong? And most importantly...how can be correct it?
As I was checking my email today, the usual ten minute break, perhaps longer, between school phases that I use to check online business of various kinds, from email to forums...I caught a glimpse of a few news headlines. They were the usual thing I had become accustomed to seeing, things such as, "Economy loses another 85K jobs," "Homosexual marriage in a church in CA last night," "Pro-life gatherings protest to 20K abortions in on month..."
I grimly read through them, until I came across one in particular that caught my eye...
"Church in CO burned in a dispute over doctrine."
I froze. God help us, what evil was this? As I read through the horrid news in which a church and another supposedly 'Christian' cult had come to hostile actions against one another over the heresies involved, the church had been burned to the ground.
I was sickened, sitting back in my chair with a mixture of despair at the mess and a very, very strong, growing sense of wrath inside me.
This was just yet another failure of God's Church! In the Name of Creation, how much further still would we go!
People around me speak of evil issues of the culture today...the abortions, the homosexual rights, the criminal treatment of believers and injustice practiced to honest persons today...even the greed and lust for money that drives the prices of fuel higher and higher, month after month. So much evil, pain, lust and hatred...it was all failing.
Now, as far as social and cultural issues are concerned, I'm not angry. Saddened, yes, but not angry. The issues of fallen man dealing with himself is one thing...but the Church?! The Church of God!? It is each of our responsibility to keep our own Bride of Christ cleansed, just and pure, and...look!
For one thing, these abortions, the homosexuality, the other wretched evils of today...we have organizations, groups, and peaceful opposers who stand up before these problems and try to stop them. From silent protest to legislation, all of these painfully slow answers try to fix these problems, while our own innocent CHILDREN are slain by hundreds, and humans fall to even LOWER levels of corruption with their twisted lusts! It this going to FIX the problem? NO!
Why do I say that? Well, does anyone remember the "Health Care Bill?"
It failed. Twice, in each house, that piece of legislation that was a major thrust for the pro-choice party, a major evil, failed twice on the floor. But what happened? Was it victory for us? No, not at all. Rather, it was slightly edited, made a little less 'offensive' to the anti-choice movement, and behold! It passes, with flying colors!
Can one honestly think that all this legislation, these organizations and plans (with I'm sure very good intentions and beliefs), are really fighting the problem? If we pass a bill for good, they fail it. If we try to stop the cultural rights of a perverted party, they use force to quiet us, and even form their own so-called 'churches!' The sheer NERVE of it! We have the best governmental and cultural system on earth, but good government isn't possible without good people. We can stop them left and right, but to no avail...they just keep coming, in greater numbers and using more evil methods than Christians dare use to corrupt the nation even further...what good does it do? We cannot stop the country from its evil if the people themselves aren't interested! The lives of the children, the twisted minds of men (and women) in power...how do we expect to ever fully combat it why all the people, the very Church itself, is corrupted with such evils!
America is dying because its people turned from God. That is the true problem, the mother of all the other problems. The slaying of children would not be an issue if people valued life like they should, and neither would men in power cheat and steal, lie and sometimes kill if they feared God and knew His salvation. The people have turned from God, and thus...is it any wonder? Of course, naturally, they will go as low as they can! A good country is not possible without good people to fill it. As long as the very people themselves are lost, it will never end.
What then am I saying, you ask? Maybe this is true, what's your point Alex? Shall we go on a massive evangelizing mission and save all of America? Not necessarily. Here's the irony of it all:
82% of all Americans ARE Christian! That's right, by survey, 82 people out of a hundred in America CLAIM TO BE SAVED! That's the biggest lie of the decade! I would be surprised, humble though I may be, to see 10 out of a 100!
Do you see what I see, now? Perhaps America itself is corrupt for an even deeper reason...perhaps the people turned from God, yes, in part, but...perhaps the Church never showed them God to begin with. Do you see what I say? Shall we evangelize out own "Church," which supposedly is 82% of America anyway? Not in the least!
Thus, I have to come to the dark answer...the very Church itself is as corrupted as America is. No wonder the people turn from God, when the very Church they all look to for morality, spirituality, and reason has stopped teaching TRUTH. Partly, yes, men could hear truth all day long and STILL turn from God, but is that the case with so many? What is a frightening thing to think about is that the vast majority of this 82% that claims salvation isn't even saved! Yet they attend church! Listen to all manner of talk on God, Jesus, the Bible, and other issues...! Don't they?
They do not.
I am fast growing under the impression that America has fallen, because the church and teaching of God, which is the only true moral foundation anyway, has also fallen. Obviously the Bible and the Church are the only true foundations for morality and salvation...thus, without them, is it any wonder everyone turns from God? No wonder at all! Even though some may deny it, Christianity is the heart of our nation! Think of all the GOOD and saving GRACE we could spread and do, if we only taught truth once more to this vast majority who claims salvation anyway!
Allow me to look at it this way. What is the church? The buildings you see? The pulpit and sermon? Partly, yes, but not its heart...the people are its heart, of course. Why are they now fallen to, as far as any unbeliever? Because we have stopped teaching truth in our pulpits even in our own churches! We teach what we please, now, the church is merely a profession! Pastors preach on social issues, culture, elders discuss movements like anti-choice and anti-injustice movements, but we neglect the very heart of Scripture! Where is the Bible, the Word of God, the WHOLE Word of God, and ONLY the Word of God, taught today? SHOW ME!
It is gone.
Now, the church has sunk even further. "Same-sex marriage" churches grow, "Jehovah's Witness" and Mormon churches thrive, daring to call themselves "Christian," and worse...even now, political leaders are worshiped in the House of God! BLASPHEMY! What evil, what absolute NERVE, do our own "Christian brothers" have in DOING such a thing? God has KILLED men in the past for such blasphemy!
America is dead to God, to morals. Why? The church it looked to, spiritually and thus morally, has also stopped teaching the Bible, truth, and God, and now teaches anything but. It is just as corrupt as the nation.
However, there is one thing alone that angers me in the difference of the two...the nation is man's. The Church is God's. And we have let it grow corrupt. GOD'S OWN CHURCH! Think what He has done for us, and then LOOK at His Bride He loves!
What have we done?
Friday, January 8, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Royal Rulers, Winters, and Otherwise Un-Important Ramblings
"How about a brick for a wheat?"
I raised an eyebrow. That was a good deal, but I was going to need my wheat very soon now. It was either the knights, or the city walls.
I made my choice quickly, while someone rambled in the background and my opponent waited patiently for my answer. "I'm afraid not." I said at last, sitting back quietly and cancelling my end of the deal. My little white empire was in more need of food than bricks at the time.
The trade window closed, revealing the gameplay board underneath, the board for "Cities and Knights of Catan" on the computer screen. Four or five random persons of the usual Collegeplus! Skype network had that night, after several setbacks, been variously asked, invited, or dragged into playing the fantastic game with us. Naturally, however, by the time it got going well, it was nearly 11:30 PM. Time to seriously start worrying about calling it quits for the night, for a broke, humble CP! student who would have double school, college, and some off-brand work tomorrow.
As Hannah's turn finished and Chase's came up, I studied my hand more carefully. Either something would have to happen on this coming turn, or I was finished, win or lose, for the night. Hannah, who was also on Eastern Standard Time like me, was also seriously needing to finish up, as she commented several times quietly.
"Ore? Ore anyone?" Chase's voice came across the open Skype call, "Anyone at all for taking?"
It was a good deal, and again I could use what he had to offer, but I couldn't give up the highly valuable resource without a high price. Ore was var too valuable, on that particular ore-less gameboard, needed for building both cities AND the all-important knights.
"Nope." I said again, preparing my own hand. The clock hit 11:50. Time for a finish.
My turn rolled around, in spite of Chase' un-productivity and Hannah's gaining lead. With a sigh, I decided I was going to be disciplined tonight. Now or never.
"Here Hannah, I'm throwing in for the night." I said aloud, throwing her all my cards in the end, in spite of my talk of furiously stubborn Amaras refusal of defeat to all of them at some point or another. "Take it, good game."
It took her no time at all to reclaim her Longest Road card and build another city. Her score jumped from ten to thirteen. Game over.
The lively and laughing conversation earlier that chill winter's evening had died down over the hours of play to a quiet, comfortable group, and as we all good-naturedly finished with a little more late congratulations and talk, we let off for the night. As India, Hannah and myself said goodbye and headed off, I guessed that Chase would be up for awhile yet. But then, he had told chilling tales of late day and night roofing work before...perhaps not. With a shrug I turned off the computer and headed for bed, forgetting entirely to my disgust the next morning to read a passage of Scripture.
Bed at 1 AM. That wasn't good news.
I felt it in the morning alright, as the alarm blasted off at 8:30 AM and declaring yet another painfully cold winter's day. As I dragged myself grumbling out of bed and turned the wretched thing off, I yawned and cast a look out the window at the dead, frozen, brown landscape outside in the dead of winter in the far western edge of North Carolina.
"'All dead, All rotten.'" I couldn't help quoting Gollum as I headed out.
Indeed, the winters in North Carolina, and particularly in our part of the state, weren't very pretty or agreeable. It was interesting at least to hear from the other Collegeplus students across the map who complained of sixty degree weather on Christmas eve, or the far northern ones who felt the below zero temperatures even colder than I did, buried in snow and ice up north. The Carolinas sat somewhere in the middle, a deadly cold place in the sluggish winter but not quite wet or frozen enough to snow or ice. More freezing rain could be found here than snow, and in fact in our part of the state snow was considered a rare, every other year appearance.
Winter was grinding its way on, and sluggishly plowing its way over all of us in its own ways. The cold, and worse still, the deadness of the earth took its toll as it did every year, slowing down not only nature's cycle itself but the very mind and activities of the people in it. For example, even the chickens that huddled in the pens outside had more brains than to poke a goggling eye out of their homes, in the freezing, dry cold. Much less any human person who could even remotely feel cold.
So, as always, people lock themselves almost entirely way in their houses, their half-warm homes and under their roofs to wait out the chill breath of the cold.
I sighed as I glared outside at the blasted cold. It was no secret that I, of all people, had no use whatsoever for the winter or cold, end of story. But I still, as did everyone else hiding in their homes and dens, to wait at least two more months.
I turned my glare over at the clock. 9 AM already.
"Blast." I muttered, and strode out.
I raised an eyebrow. That was a good deal, but I was going to need my wheat very soon now. It was either the knights, or the city walls.
I made my choice quickly, while someone rambled in the background and my opponent waited patiently for my answer. "I'm afraid not." I said at last, sitting back quietly and cancelling my end of the deal. My little white empire was in more need of food than bricks at the time.
The trade window closed, revealing the gameplay board underneath, the board for "Cities and Knights of Catan" on the computer screen. Four or five random persons of the usual Collegeplus! Skype network had that night, after several setbacks, been variously asked, invited, or dragged into playing the fantastic game with us. Naturally, however, by the time it got going well, it was nearly 11:30 PM. Time to seriously start worrying about calling it quits for the night, for a broke, humble CP! student who would have double school, college, and some off-brand work tomorrow.
As Hannah's turn finished and Chase's came up, I studied my hand more carefully. Either something would have to happen on this coming turn, or I was finished, win or lose, for the night. Hannah, who was also on Eastern Standard Time like me, was also seriously needing to finish up, as she commented several times quietly.
"Ore? Ore anyone?" Chase's voice came across the open Skype call, "Anyone at all for taking?"
It was a good deal, and again I could use what he had to offer, but I couldn't give up the highly valuable resource without a high price. Ore was var too valuable, on that particular ore-less gameboard, needed for building both cities AND the all-important knights.
"Nope." I said again, preparing my own hand. The clock hit 11:50. Time for a finish.
My turn rolled around, in spite of Chase' un-productivity and Hannah's gaining lead. With a sigh, I decided I was going to be disciplined tonight. Now or never.
"Here Hannah, I'm throwing in for the night." I said aloud, throwing her all my cards in the end, in spite of my talk of furiously stubborn Amaras refusal of defeat to all of them at some point or another. "Take it, good game."
It took her no time at all to reclaim her Longest Road card and build another city. Her score jumped from ten to thirteen. Game over.
The lively and laughing conversation earlier that chill winter's evening had died down over the hours of play to a quiet, comfortable group, and as we all good-naturedly finished with a little more late congratulations and talk, we let off for the night. As India, Hannah and myself said goodbye and headed off, I guessed that Chase would be up for awhile yet. But then, he had told chilling tales of late day and night roofing work before...perhaps not. With a shrug I turned off the computer and headed for bed, forgetting entirely to my disgust the next morning to read a passage of Scripture.
Bed at 1 AM. That wasn't good news.
I felt it in the morning alright, as the alarm blasted off at 8:30 AM and declaring yet another painfully cold winter's day. As I dragged myself grumbling out of bed and turned the wretched thing off, I yawned and cast a look out the window at the dead, frozen, brown landscape outside in the dead of winter in the far western edge of North Carolina.
"'All dead, All rotten.'" I couldn't help quoting Gollum as I headed out.
Indeed, the winters in North Carolina, and particularly in our part of the state, weren't very pretty or agreeable. It was interesting at least to hear from the other Collegeplus students across the map who complained of sixty degree weather on Christmas eve, or the far northern ones who felt the below zero temperatures even colder than I did, buried in snow and ice up north. The Carolinas sat somewhere in the middle, a deadly cold place in the sluggish winter but not quite wet or frozen enough to snow or ice. More freezing rain could be found here than snow, and in fact in our part of the state snow was considered a rare, every other year appearance.
Winter was grinding its way on, and sluggishly plowing its way over all of us in its own ways. The cold, and worse still, the deadness of the earth took its toll as it did every year, slowing down not only nature's cycle itself but the very mind and activities of the people in it. For example, even the chickens that huddled in the pens outside had more brains than to poke a goggling eye out of their homes, in the freezing, dry cold. Much less any human person who could even remotely feel cold.
So, as always, people lock themselves almost entirely way in their houses, their half-warm homes and under their roofs to wait out the chill breath of the cold.
I sighed as I glared outside at the blasted cold. It was no secret that I, of all people, had no use whatsoever for the winter or cold, end of story. But I still, as did everyone else hiding in their homes and dens, to wait at least two more months.
I turned my glare over at the clock. 9 AM already.
"Blast." I muttered, and strode out.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The Pain of Death
It's a strange fate, a strange feeling entirely, to hear about a friend, someone you know who turns from the faith. You don't even have to know them well, just have said hello, talked with them once or twice...to look at someone face to face with a friendly smile, and know that the person before you is going to go to Hell...at the rate they're going. Its ironic, almost.
Later that night, as the lot of us arrived at the before mentioned friend's house, the night went on with all the usual late night hanging out...we went from playing a few sheets of music, to watching various movies, getting out a few board games, all the usual.
The music didn't go as well. Piano, electric guitar, classic acoustic guitar, and a half-trained violin(yeah, our own little makeshift music group) don't exactly mix. After a few rounds of "Loch Lomond," "Croatian Rhapsody Remix" and other such infamous titles...we gave it up at about 1 AM, totally satisfied with our scratchings of music.
And naturally, for four insane guys at 1 AM, a late night, after-midnight snack is necessary. A given, in fact, after all the hard talent put into the music band show.
All four of us sat around the table, Sam and me eating while John and Matthew still cooked behind the counter, snacking occasionally. The conversation drifted from church music preformance on Sunday, to those coming or not coming, and finally yes...to our friend Stephen.
I sighed and listened grimly as Matthew, who of all the four of us most knew and stayed in touch with him, related what he knew as he leaned on the table.
"We always differed a little on beliefs, and he always had a little more unusual views on things." Matthew was usually an outgoing, easy going type of guy, but he did take his beliefs fairly seriously. "Finally it just got to the point where I outright disagreeed, and you guessed it...finally he just left the Christian sphere altogether." He shrugged.
John, the quieter one, nodded understandingly. "I saw some posts on Facebook, he claims..." He paused, sighing uneasily. "He's found 'other ways to God'...and has questions that he can't answer in the Bible."
This got my attention, as usual. As always, I was the one who liked to hear any kind of argument anyone could bring against the Bible and Scripture, or any of the many 'questions' people asked about the faith.
I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of questions?"
John turned to look at me and laid down his plate. "Thanks Matthew." Matthew nodded, and the other went on. "I don't know, that's what I asked...he hasn't responded."
I grunted. Wasn't too rare these days.
This time it was Matthew who spoke up, sadly, but with a little wisdom. "I don't talk with him much on the subject, unless he brings it up...its become a little bit of a sore subject for us." He laughed a little, we joined him.
"I can imagine." I replied, and Sam nodded, his mouth still crammed with food as he ate faster than the other three of us put together.
"But still, we should keep trying. Try to help." I offered, a little awkwardly. It was a delicate subject, but someone's soul was in the balance there.
Matthew took our plates and placed them back in the kitchen, somewhere. "Yes, I know...we certainly aren't just going to give up and forget it. But I've been with a lot of different people before, Alex." He was right there, I gave him that. He probably knew more about evangelizing than I did, having been to many places and with many people for that reason.
"And if there's one thing I've learned in the past, its that you can't control people." He finished, grimly. "Nobody can make up his mind for him, if he decides he doesn't want to be a believer...he won't be. We won't be able to change him, no matter how much truth we throw in his face."
I sat back and pondered this. "Yes, true enough." He was right, I knew, but it was a different light I hadn't really considered carefully enough before in my too-few attempts to evangelize. When all was said and done, we could only plant a seed in his or her heart, and stand back to hope it sprouts. And pray for His Spirit. No amount of truth telling, preaching, even well-intentioned urging would help at all...when all was said and done, you really couldn't control but the slightest details in such things. People will make up their own minds...or rather, God's will reigns supreme over all minds, saved or not.
Just tonight, at Bible Study, as the prayer list was set up as usual before the study itself in Romans began, John mentioned aloud Stephen's name and situation. Having been fairly well known, we all prayed. I dearly hope his dark path is not real or set in that direction, and so I prayed. I do believe that God has 'predestined,' if you will, who is saved and who is not...so rather than pray he be saved, and make up his mind for truth, I prayed that God would give him the light and truth he needed, and only God could put there. I fervently hope it is in His Will.
I used to believe it was hard to trust God with my own soul, my own life. Now I find it is many times harder to trust Him with the souls and lives of others in my own heart...especially when I know the fate of so many has already been decided.
But still, God has brought worse wretches back from the brink and darkness before...exmaple, look at me.
I'm too lazy tonight to upload and add on the song I wanted to go with this post(usually up in the player), so tonight you merely get a Youtube link. I warn you though...its hard rock. But if you do care to listen, pay close attention to the lyrics...and enjoy, naturally.
The video has a grim, but true meaning too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkFrGS5CklM
Later that night, as the lot of us arrived at the before mentioned friend's house, the night went on with all the usual late night hanging out...we went from playing a few sheets of music, to watching various movies, getting out a few board games, all the usual.
The music didn't go as well. Piano, electric guitar, classic acoustic guitar, and a half-trained violin(yeah, our own little makeshift music group) don't exactly mix. After a few rounds of "Loch Lomond," "Croatian Rhapsody Remix" and other such infamous titles...we gave it up at about 1 AM, totally satisfied with our scratchings of music.
And naturally, for four insane guys at 1 AM, a late night, after-midnight snack is necessary. A given, in fact, after all the hard talent put into the music band show.
All four of us sat around the table, Sam and me eating while John and Matthew still cooked behind the counter, snacking occasionally. The conversation drifted from church music preformance on Sunday, to those coming or not coming, and finally yes...to our friend Stephen.
I sighed and listened grimly as Matthew, who of all the four of us most knew and stayed in touch with him, related what he knew as he leaned on the table.
"We always differed a little on beliefs, and he always had a little more unusual views on things." Matthew was usually an outgoing, easy going type of guy, but he did take his beliefs fairly seriously. "Finally it just got to the point where I outright disagreeed, and you guessed it...finally he just left the Christian sphere altogether." He shrugged.
John, the quieter one, nodded understandingly. "I saw some posts on Facebook, he claims..." He paused, sighing uneasily. "He's found 'other ways to God'...and has questions that he can't answer in the Bible."
This got my attention, as usual. As always, I was the one who liked to hear any kind of argument anyone could bring against the Bible and Scripture, or any of the many 'questions' people asked about the faith.
I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of questions?"
John turned to look at me and laid down his plate. "Thanks Matthew." Matthew nodded, and the other went on. "I don't know, that's what I asked...he hasn't responded."
I grunted. Wasn't too rare these days.
This time it was Matthew who spoke up, sadly, but with a little wisdom. "I don't talk with him much on the subject, unless he brings it up...its become a little bit of a sore subject for us." He laughed a little, we joined him.
"I can imagine." I replied, and Sam nodded, his mouth still crammed with food as he ate faster than the other three of us put together.
"But still, we should keep trying. Try to help." I offered, a little awkwardly. It was a delicate subject, but someone's soul was in the balance there.
Matthew took our plates and placed them back in the kitchen, somewhere. "Yes, I know...we certainly aren't just going to give up and forget it. But I've been with a lot of different people before, Alex." He was right there, I gave him that. He probably knew more about evangelizing than I did, having been to many places and with many people for that reason.
"And if there's one thing I've learned in the past, its that you can't control people." He finished, grimly. "Nobody can make up his mind for him, if he decides he doesn't want to be a believer...he won't be. We won't be able to change him, no matter how much truth we throw in his face."
I sat back and pondered this. "Yes, true enough." He was right, I knew, but it was a different light I hadn't really considered carefully enough before in my too-few attempts to evangelize. When all was said and done, we could only plant a seed in his or her heart, and stand back to hope it sprouts. And pray for His Spirit. No amount of truth telling, preaching, even well-intentioned urging would help at all...when all was said and done, you really couldn't control but the slightest details in such things. People will make up their own minds...or rather, God's will reigns supreme over all minds, saved or not.
Just tonight, at Bible Study, as the prayer list was set up as usual before the study itself in Romans began, John mentioned aloud Stephen's name and situation. Having been fairly well known, we all prayed. I dearly hope his dark path is not real or set in that direction, and so I prayed. I do believe that God has 'predestined,' if you will, who is saved and who is not...so rather than pray he be saved, and make up his mind for truth, I prayed that God would give him the light and truth he needed, and only God could put there. I fervently hope it is in His Will.
I used to believe it was hard to trust God with my own soul, my own life. Now I find it is many times harder to trust Him with the souls and lives of others in my own heart...especially when I know the fate of so many has already been decided.
But still, God has brought worse wretches back from the brink and darkness before...exmaple, look at me.
I'm too lazy tonight to upload and add on the song I wanted to go with this post(usually up in the player), so tonight you merely get a Youtube link. I warn you though...its hard rock. But if you do care to listen, pay close attention to the lyrics...and enjoy, naturally.
The video has a grim, but true meaning too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkFrGS5CklM
Monday, January 4, 2010
A Taste of New York...and other things.
As the three of us stepped into the odd little restaurant, I had to agree...the place was new and different. The warm place was bright and colored, a pretty little cafe type pizza parlor. It certainly looked like any one of those New York sidestreet cafes you see in the movies.
As we stepped into the line (which was pretty much non-existant, the place was empty) and ordered our stuff, me and Sam moved over to fill up our drinks while John took care of the ordering. As the guy with most of the money(the only one of us three that had a decent job), it was his unofficial position to be our main buyer...his expense for us was paid back in various fives and tens we gave him later.
"Get me a Pepsi!" He called out over his shoulder as he ordered with the fast-talking Yankee fellow behind the counter. These dudes were authentic all right.
I grinned and nudged Sam. "Maybe he wants tea instead." I suggested. I was half tempted to do it too.
He grinned too, the idea a good one, but shook his head. "Nah, he might get mad." Was all he replied with, and I sighed. Sam usually could care less about pranking his older brother, he did it himself plenty, but it was true John was kind of painfully sensitive and over-conscious...about everything. He was a great guy, don't get me wrong, and he was an excellent, godly man, but...the guy's typical response for any kind of mischievous joke was almost funny, something like a five-year-olds, "I'm not your friend anymore!" pout that lasted about three hours. I sighed disgustedly. Pepsi then.
While the classic Frank Sinatra music played over the speakers, we sat down to enjoy our meal, we watched the cars go by outside on the highway. It was already almost 7:30, so definitely a late meal. About halfway through it we got the call, or rather John did, and it was decided. That night we would spend at another church guy's house, all three of us, to play board games, watch movies, and hang out. Matthew's place. A twenty-year old, he had his own bachelor place, which was a common hanging out location for us church youth guys.
Listening to Brandon Heath and Tal & Acacia all the way there, we drove for twenty minutes through the irritating traffic of upper town Hickory, drew up in the lit driveway of Matthew's house, and unloaded all of our equipment. Tonight would not be an early bed night either, I was pretty sure.
As we stepped into the line (which was pretty much non-existant, the place was empty) and ordered our stuff, me and Sam moved over to fill up our drinks while John took care of the ordering. As the guy with most of the money(the only one of us three that had a decent job), it was his unofficial position to be our main buyer...his expense for us was paid back in various fives and tens we gave him later.
"Get me a Pepsi!" He called out over his shoulder as he ordered with the fast-talking Yankee fellow behind the counter. These dudes were authentic all right.
I grinned and nudged Sam. "Maybe he wants tea instead." I suggested. I was half tempted to do it too.
He grinned too, the idea a good one, but shook his head. "Nah, he might get mad." Was all he replied with, and I sighed. Sam usually could care less about pranking his older brother, he did it himself plenty, but it was true John was kind of painfully sensitive and over-conscious...about everything. He was a great guy, don't get me wrong, and he was an excellent, godly man, but...the guy's typical response for any kind of mischievous joke was almost funny, something like a five-year-olds, "I'm not your friend anymore!" pout that lasted about three hours. I sighed disgustedly. Pepsi then.
While the classic Frank Sinatra music played over the speakers, we sat down to enjoy our meal, we watched the cars go by outside on the highway. It was already almost 7:30, so definitely a late meal. About halfway through it we got the call, or rather John did, and it was decided. That night we would spend at another church guy's house, all three of us, to play board games, watch movies, and hang out. Matthew's place. A twenty-year old, he had his own bachelor place, which was a common hanging out location for us church youth guys.
Listening to Brandon Heath and Tal & Acacia all the way there, we drove for twenty minutes through the irritating traffic of upper town Hickory, drew up in the lit driveway of Matthew's house, and unloaded all of our equipment. Tonight would not be an early bed night either, I was pretty sure.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)