the 31st week

a bad-ass theater in my hometown!

Monday. For some, celibacy is a choice. For others, it's a fate. I believe I fall in the latter column. I thought a lot about Kristen today, but I know that one day I'll be over her, that I'll forget her, just as I forgot Amanda C., and Rikki, and Ashley from Anna. Ams went to Kentucky with Aunt Teri & Uncle Bill, and Mom & I ate at China Garden. She's really concerned about how Chris & Pat D. have been. "What kind of friends are they?" she asked, and I said, "The question, I think, is what kind of friend am I?" She dropped me off at Grandma Barnhart's in New Carlisle. Ams is already teary-eyed about me going off to college at Cedarville. Grandpa Barnhart & I hiked around Charleston Falls, and then Grandma joined us for some down-home cooking at a small-town diner. This is a place of thick woods, country roads, vast farms. Matthew stopped by back at their house; he and his family live next door with their two dogs Pepper & Midnight, and they have a pond full of frogs, lilly-pads and snapping turtles. Oh! I saw a giant snapping turtle in Cedar Pond at the falls, along with two deer. Matthew headed home and I watched some TV with Grandma before falling asleep to the sounds of crickets outside.

Tuesday. I dreamt I was locked inside the dry cleaner's beside DLM during a zombie outbreak, just like it would've been like in my short story 12 Hours. Grandpa & I went to pick up Addison after Grandma made me a healthy breakfast of french toast and bacon. We went back to their place, and Matthew and Grandma joined us for lunch at a place called "Caffe Caffe". Grandma fixed an awesome, healthy dinner, and we finished off the night playing board-games. Simplicity & Relaxation: key things to be remembered.

Wednesday. Today we went to COSI in Columbus. It was pretty awesome. Matthew left early, had to go to Wednesday night service. The rest of us ate dinner at Bob Evans, I got peach cobble a la mode. Dad picked me up from the Best Buy in Fairfield around 10:00. I had to poop really bad, we had to stop at an Olive Garden along the way or it was going to be all up in his car. 

Thursday. Dylan & I ran to the Montgomery Library, then I got my glasses tuned-up at the Mall, and then we went to Applebee's for lunch. U-Turn was really good: Shelby, Jackie, Ams, Zach, Al, Lyndsey, and Dylan & Tyler all showed up. It was a really good U-Turn, a good fostering of community. When Tyler left I rode on the hood of his car all the way down to the stop-sign, it felt like a roller coaster! The rest of us went to the Danbarry Dollar Saver theater and saw Dodgeball, and Dylan & Zach spent the night.

Friday. Dylan & I have become really close friends, just like we used to be in junior high. It's so amazing how God has brought us back together, he really is like a brother to me. Dad bought me a purity ring to remind me of my call to purity. I worked 3-8:00, was invited to see The Bourne Supremacy, declined: way too tired. I cleaned the kitchen with Dad & Ams, who returned from Kentucky yesterday (Mom's still down there). After the sun set I sat out on the back deck, the stars so bright and deep, and read 2 Thessalonians. I love these quiet, peaceful nights when it's just me and God his Word. 

Saturday. Today felt like fall, the weather nice and cool. Dylan has been sending my phone ringing off the hook, he's a really cool guy. This afternoon the Barnhart family went to the LaComedia Dinner Theater. It was a good show, and I managed not to stuff myself at the sweet potato casserole buffet. After the show there was a little girl crying alone in the parking lot, and it broke my heart. I have been praying for the mind of Christ, for the fruit of the Spirit. 

Sunday. I dreamt Dad fell off a ladder in a tunnel and was killed, woke up in a panic. I hate dreams like that. You may have noticed I didn't see Chris, Pat D., Hank, or Lee all week: they were in Maryland, playing worship music with Jeff for some camp out there. But they got back today. Chris & Pat D. were being weird at church, nothing new. Lee, Ash, Ams & I went to the Nix's house for pizza. Ricky & I went to Borders; he's gone from atheism to believing in a god, and now he's open to some words on Jesus. I took him home and then Ashlie came over, and her Mom & Dad followed and we all ate supper together. We watched Along Came A Spider, the sequel to SE7EN.