"The Piano"

Since I had no music segment in my last post, here's a post completely about music!

I found this video on YouTube, and it sums up a quality of freeform piano playing that I often struggle to express in words.



When I play, It's very rare that I think completely about the notes I'm playing, the melody, or any of that jazz. (hah, Jazz...) My thoughts have a tendency to wander from subject to subject, and my playing fluctuates with them.


-Wes

The Fields Are White For Harvest, But The Berries Need More Time

I love the outdoors. God in his mercy gave us plants, animals, water, air, and open sky. This is an amazing time of year out here... Nature is completely alive. The fields of hay and Timothy are golden and ready to be cut, the grass is green, Goslings are learning to fly, the blackberries are ripening, and the lightning bugs are coming out. It feels almost magical.

I have a good feeling about this summer... More than a good feeling, I'm absolutely twitterpated with it all.

No matter how many times I tend to think otherwise, this farm is a blessing. No matter how many times when I feel too far away. No matter how often our neighbors thunder their fuel trucks in and out. This farm is still a blessing. It's taught me so many things. Thanks to these past few years, I know how to garden, how to build a free-standing wooden structure, how to tear out and re-build walls, weld metal, how to improvise when lacking the right tools and/or supplies, install 3/4 inch hardwood, not to meantion gained somewhat of a knowledge of a VERY broad expanse of topics regarding a country household. I can't even begin to comprehend the advantages this knowledge.

God has given me so much, and asks for so little.

Lovin' my Country Home,

-Wes

Swept Away

Eyeyeyeye, what a memorial day weekend. Way too crazy to compile into one post, but I still want to make a post, so, I'll talk about Sunday.

Well, almost everyone was gone at NA, but that's alright, there were still tons of cool people to hand with, awesome worship and inspiring word to be taught from. Worship, was different from usual. Usually I can get right into sort of a worshipful mode(which tends to last into the next day. :-P) But yesterday was different: I was having a hard time. But, as we were worshipping, I prayed for a song to come along and help me forget myself and really worship. Immediately, I thought of the song "Grace Like Rain." by Todd Agnew. It's a variation on Amazing Grace with an added chorus. Lo and behold, it was the next song. God is so good isn't He.

Joel preached the final sermon of the Genesis series, and subsequently covered the life and times of Joseph. Towards the end of the sermon, Joel addressed the fact that Joseph not only forgave his brothers for their betrayal, but he invited them to live in Egypt under his personal care. This awakened the memory of one of my favorite verses, John 15:9, which says "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love." It's such a simple and small verse, but it speaks volumes of the love of Jesus, and therefore also the love of God. Jesus is not just saying, "I love you, each and every one, and I always want you to know that." It's SO MUCH MORE than that. He is expressing that we, as Christians are to abide(live, exist, stay) within his love. So, not only does Joseph mirror Christ in his mercy on his brothers, but he also mirrors Him as showing a desire to have his loved ones dwell or abide in his bountiful love. This concept isn't just a concept that Jesus presents, it's not just how Joseph lived his life, it's an over-arcing vision on the Bible. This is how the Holy Spirit reaches us, it's how we live in Christ and walk in his love: He abides in us, and we abide in his love and blessing.

So, Jesus just isn't your co-pilot, he isn't a far off wise-man who tells you to ask WWJD, and he is most certainly not the little angel that sits on your right shoulder. He is with you always, not overshadowing you, not tailing you making sure you're doing good, but abiding in you, and sanctifying you.

In utterly unrelated life news, I'm planning the first (as Dan aptly put it)"Sames's 'Come out to the farm and use all our cool stuff' Day". I'm thinking the second week in June. Look for a date in your inbox soon!

Also, it would be cool to get a group of PCOPers to go to Kennywood this summer, because SOME of us have never been there, and/or been there very rarely.


Well, with normal live done, on to music.

Today's song! Sweep Me Away, by Charlie Hall. It's a worship song with very few words, but it was presented VERY exceptionally. Charlie's Baritone voice is electronically sustained and reverbed in almost the same fashion a piano note is sustained by the sustain pedal and reverberated by the other strings. The product is a captivating and almost visual song. A hidden gem.

Uhg, the Sonata. I'm sure everyone is wondering where it is. It's here, but I had some pretty bad recording problems. First time through, I went too fast, then I messed up I don't know how many times, finally, I did the song perfectly, but the recorder stopped itself at 23 seconds (that one was really frustrating.) and at the end of my attempts I messed up the final movement. So, it's coming, give me some more time.

-Wes

My Creed

Well, in working on my portfolio, I came across an assignment that I had earlier in the year. I was instructed to construct my own Creed of what I believed in the pattern of the Apostles', and Nicene creeds as well as the "Definition if Chalcedon". Here it is! I hope you enjoy it.

I believe in the one God the Father almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth, and of all things visible and invisible, and in the one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten son of God, begotten of his father before all the worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the father, by whom all things were made, Who for us men, and our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnated by the Holy Ghost of the virgin Mary, full in his Godhead and divinity and full in his manhood, possessing a human body and soul, was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried, his human soul descended triumphantly into hell in order that he may pay the invisible and incomprehensible judgment that we deserve, his body, soul and divine nature were re-united on this earth on the third day, alive, he appeared before his disciples and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again in glory to judge all his creation; Whose kingdom shall never end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the third person of the Triune God, the Lord and giver of Life, who proceeds from the father and the son, who with the father and the son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the prophets, and performs miracles by the saints and those who would believe. Amen.

Projects!

Yeah, I'm still here. I havn't abandoned you all yet. Although I'm really busy right now, and it's some crazy and good stuff that some of you may be interested in.

• I'm writing my first Sonata! (three movements, a main theme, etc) I have a framework for the whole piece and a unique melody. It's in C# Minor, which has 4 sharps (same key as moonlight sonata). There are some allusions to moonlight, although it's very different. I hope to record a rough version tonight.
• School is crazy. I'm getting Evaluated this coming monday, and just started working on a finalized profolio this week. (>.<) Yikes.
• I'm reading Shakespeare like it's going out of style. I just finished A Midsummer night's Dream and Macbeth, I'm moving on to Henry V and Richard III. I absolutely loved A Midsummer night's dream, and if anyone wants to actually go see the play sometime, please please let me know.
• Wrapping up loose ends of the school year is becoming a HUGE task.
• We will have Vents in our house soon! It's amazing! I've never been so happy about chunks of aluminum in my life.
• The wood for all the trim in the house has arrived.
• My sister is home from college, for good! She's gradjimakated! Which is oh so awesome.
• For those of you who know that I'm actually in my room now, it's not really a room. It's a place with four walls, a 3/4 inch hardwood floor, and a bed in the center, nothing else. :-P But I'm happy with it.

That's the major points of my life now.

Today's music is: "Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BMV582" J.S. Bach and "Time" by John Behrens

On a more personal note, I just wanted all of you guys to know something.

I love you all. :-)

Life is crazy for me right now, and I really miss my church family. I've been a part of Providence's family for nearly 4 years now, and this is the longest I've been apart from everyone. I'll be back soon, and I want you all to know I think about you often. Yes, YOU.

Love,

Wes

A Hobbit Weekend

"...But where our hearts truly lie is in peace and quiet, and good tilled earth. For all Hobbits share a love of things that grow. And yes, no doubt, to others our ways seem quaint. But today, of all days, it is brought home to me, it is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life."
-Bilbo Baggins

Today's music is: "Concerning Hobbits" by Howard Shore.

Yeah, call me silly, but I spent a weekend living a very Hobbit-like lifestyle this weekend. Yesterday, I did soooo much garden work, and enjoyed it greatly. I even did it in sandals/bare feet. Today, I did sooooo much more gardening, although today's work included more rocks and mulch, not so much fun. But still, I was outside, so I was happy. :-)

God gave Adam creation, man, what an amazing gift. I can't even begin to imagine the thank you note that Adam could have written. In the recent months, I've been discovering the joys of being outside. Peace and quiet, (to some degree) and good tilled earth really are what they're cracked up to be. These past few weeks have helped me realise that I love the country. Give me a bible, a family, a piano and some land, and I would be happy.

God created everything and said that it was good. That says to me that God was happy with this new dwelling place. In a parable, Jesus talks about two servants who were given sums of money and made more of them. The Master in the story says to the good servants, "'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" This rings true with all responsibilities. The Master(God) desires man to share with his happiness. He places us in charge of small things (daily devotions, modesty, respect, other daily activities) and if we do well with what he gives, he places us in charge of great things (Marriage, a home, children, land). God gives us responsibility, so therefore he challenges us, but he gives us the greatest Helper(The Holy Spirit). So, not only does he want us to be happy, and share in his happiness, but he HELPS US THERE! WOW. That just blows my mind. For a amazing God to even want to make a sinful, decrepit race happy, is an amazing, wonderful, and almost unbelievable concept.

But he slew his own son, and secured happiness for all of us.

Wow.

-Wes

From The Ashes

Welcome back. Or maybe simply welcome. This is a very old blog of mine that I'm going to attempt to revive. Feel free to peruse the archives, but I want the real life of this Blog to be what's new.

This, of course, begs the question: "What's new?"

Yikes, maybe that's too big of a question for the moment, so I'll start with something simpler: "What's with the new Blog name and Title?"

Well, I've fallen in love with music since I last posted in this blog, and I thought it would be a stupendous new name for a blog. My soul, when I sit at a piano, sings through the keys. God has given me a wonderful gift in the form of piano, and an ability to sit and play what's on my mind. Some people have journals to write out their thoughts, I have the keys on a piano and a memo recorder. (That I just started using recently)

Coincidentally, what I play often reflects my circumstances in life; thus it equates well with an online journal.

Again, Welcome! and I hope you enjoy the ride. :-)

-Wes

I... Had A Dream

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
-M.L.K. Jr.

A few nights ago, I had a dream. I was dead, I had died shortly before my 17th birthday. I was walking in between two angels. I was explaining them the idea of dieing young, and how as a human, we experience a sad feeling in disappointing the other humans we love. (Hey, they're angels, not humans.) They had six wings, folded in various ways. The angels were walking, not flying, but our feet made no noise in the soft grass. I wasn't sad, I was happy. The angels comforted me and said that Christ had saved me and that my war against sin had been won. But still, I thought of everyone I knew. Everyone I loved back on Earth, how they would be sad for my early(in their eyes) departure. The angels led me to the far side of the field, and told me to behold the ones I loved. Standing before me, was my sister, flanked by two young men and a woman who I knew to be her children, behind them, their children, and future generations. My parents were also there. In the crowd, there were people of mixed race: some black, mostly white, some asian. all standing there, staring into my eyes and smiling. I looked up, everything dissolved, I closed my eyes and I praised God for his glory. I opened my eyes to see, my alarm clock... and my dark blue sheets cascading softly on my bed.

This dream is running off of the concept that if time is nothing to God, then the elect are already in heaven because heaven is not on a timeline, it just exists.

-Wes
Blessed Dreams.

First post in forever

Hello blog, man, It's been so long... Youth Camp has come and gone, along with many other happenings that warrant a placement in your HTML halls. Sadly, I think I'll just go back to the Russian party and go up from there, I can't recount the past few months and do them justice you know.

Ahh, anyway. So, the Russians. First, a little back story: My Russian tutors son is a VERY active member of Rotary International, which sponsors business trips and whatnot for people to go to other countries and LEARN SOMETHING! For the past 3 years, my tutor' son (Vitalie)has been taking groups of Russians around Pittsburgh so they can learn from local economics and other areas of interest. For example, last year he had a group who really wanted to learn about the functioning of Non-profit organizations, this year it had to do with generating enough energy for such a large area. Now, formalities aside, these people were so funny and so different, I hope I can name them all, lets see...
Leonid: a man of unknown profession who hails from Lenin's home town, and he was the picture of the generalized socialist Russian. Funny guy though, he gave me tons of pins, most of which had lenin's bust somewhere on it. There were alot of jokes made that he was a spy and former member of the KGB, although it was all done in good humor. Couldn't speak English, but I talked with him alot anyway(tried to, in Russian that is)
Nikolai: I never got to talk much with him, but he always had some kind of camera or video recorder in his hand. didn't speak English.
Andrew: same as Nikolai, only minus the video camera.
I believe there was another Nikolai, who is a composer, who also didn't speak English, but played the piano beautifully.
Gresha: the translator of the group, aka the only one that could speak english. Gresha as an amazing soon-to-be professor of Russian-American relations at a local university. It was so wonderful to talk with him, he wanted to know so much, and I wanted to know so much too, so we basically exchanged knowledge for what seemed like hours.

There were two meetings, a welcome meeting and a farewell meeting. I'll see if I can accurately separate these two meetings into two narratives.

Well, we arrived just in time to join in the meal, although we were unfortunatly late. I indulged in Pickled herring with onion in vegitable oil, all of which was raw, but good, along with caviar and butter on wheat bread. Pork was the only "Normal" thing served, but there was also this great pockets of eggroll of some sort, along with some kind of cabbage dish and a beet and horseradish dish that I didn't sample. While I was eating, I met everyone, including a young lady named Jenna who is 20, soon to be 21. I'm still not sure exactly how she and her family are involved in all this, but it all worked out for the better. For the remainder of the night I mingled and had leangthy conversations with Gresha and Jenna about the policial structure of America.
Food and talk gave way to entertainment, Jenna sang, I played piano a bit, but the real highlight came when Nikolai played a beutiful russian waltz. I began to dance with an invisible partner, and Jenna asked me "Do you dance?" and so, I took off my boots and got a quick lesson in waltzing and voila! Jenna and I were dancing in the middle of the living room. Jenna, who is/was a ballroom dancer gave me the basic steps of the waltz. Kinda funny how life can lead so such things as dancing with a girl I had only met that night.

Ok, well, that's enough for now, check back soon to read more on the russians.

Simple(ton) thought of the day: "Orange Bandanas only look good on blond haired girls."
Someone interesting I met today: Barbra Haggardy

-Wes

A dream

Black, all Black, but suddenly a rush of sound and feeling, suddenly, like a silk blanket being ripped out from under me, I feel a harsh grit. My wet body feels all the aches and pains of extreme exertion. Where am I? It would seem to be a beach. I stagger up, trying to recall what happened. Did I fall? It sure feels like it, but I’m not on the coast, I’m on an island. I can’t see too well, it’s like looking through a haze. Before me lies a mass of vegetation, the air lightly brushes through the branches of the palm trees as I notice that the sun sinking on the horizon, it must be about 6 o’clock. The world seems as though it’s winding down, shadows are long and there’s a twinge of orange in the light. Quickly I notice my shoes are almost totally destroyed. I toss them into the expanse of turquoise without a second thought… My clothes begin to dry as I walk eastward with no particular will or reason: Like walking while asleep. I robotically walk along trying to make sense of my exhaustion and despair, for I can’t seem to find why I’m here. The sun creeps lower in the sky as I continue my mindless trek, I’ve rounded the island and I’m walking back west again. There’s a figure on the beach lying prone an motionless as I could imagine I was not but a few hours ago. Slowly, almost with an extreme apathy I approach the form. I find I’m at a loss to call out. But, like a cat, I stoop down and shyly inspect the figure lying face down in the sand. None of it’s features seem to be discernible, neither due to decay, nor to mutilation, simply a deficit, an inability to discern. I shyly grasp the pale clammy arm, and feel for a pulse. Nothing… slowly, and without expression, I gently pick up the ragged frame that had lain before me. The sun is halfway down. I cling to the body in my arms, as if my simple perseverance in walking on would make it come back to life. Slowly, and cautiously, I hope. Have you ever experienced a raw feeling or attribute of the mind, without a predicate, without an object or target? If you haven’t I can’t express the raw unfailing hope I felt. Still, without emotion, I trudge on in the wet, cold sand. The sun is disappearing. I look down and recognise the face on the body I carry. My head leans back and my eyes close. Then I awoke.

Wishing you pleasent dreams
-Wes

My bottom ten

Inspired by Strongbad WARNING, EXTREMELY PESSIMISTIC

10. trying to clean milk off of glass countertops... it just leaves a white residue.
9. The Jibblies
8. Pops(sodas) that have super long meaningless names or flavors. TRY NEW DIET "ONE" BLACK CHERRY VANILLA LEMON LIME DR. PEPPER! if it takes more than 3 seconds just to say the name, its gone too far.
7. Mountain Dew has minimal effects on me... which isn't fun at all.
6. being sick for extended periods of time (like right now)
5. Canned green beans....*jibblies*
4. that intersection on 51 near castle shannon off library road that's like a 9 way.
3. People who think they're working hard at something and think they're good enough when in the meantime they're not trying hard, they're hardly trying.
2. That awful feeling of missing the last step on a stairwell in the dark. like your stomach drops out from under you.
1. Makeup, in any shape or form that's not deodorant or a hair product such as gel or hairspray. Especially when applied to the face. eye shadow...*jibblies*

There you have it, Wes Sames' bottom 10, subject to change.

mostly meant to be hurmorous, except number 3... that's one that really gets me

-Wes

Un-minorness! Woohoo!

Woohoo! Dan's 18! Party at his house! literally.

Yep, Saturday was just that. I packed up my stuff and headed over to "the Behrens farm" decked in John Deere, flannel, and jeans. Country music was the order of the day through Dan's new "iPod Hi_Fi", a mini stereo that he got from his uncle. We feated on a magificant ham as well as chicken and Mac n' cheese, along with cheerful conversation about Dan and everyone's future. After dinner, Mr. Behrens decided that we should all have some time to share some stuff about Dan, sentiments bounced around the room akin to stuff you would most likely hear when someone is appresheated at a funeral, but not glummly, but happily. It's a sentiment that I've always had that it's a shame that no one is ever able to attend their own funeral, because most people just don't know how much they mean to the others in their life. I think that this practice the Behren's have introduced to me will carry over into my own parenting. As the night continued, the country gave way to other forms of music, talking gave way to games, skits, and a jello slurping contest. Slowly but steadily The party felt very much like a theme party, which it was, but for a while, it almost seemed natural for everyone to be wearing old timey sort of weird stuff. Then Katie walked in sporting a red hoodie (before changing into flannel) and brought home how odd the scene must have looked. :-P

Later on, there was much guitar playing, talking, and the like. Finally, we all hit the hay at like 1 AM.

Some party, sorry for the short post, more to come

-Wes

A new rockin' year.

Well, its here, a year that some have awaited restlessly, and a year that others have dreamed into, still others have prayed that it may never come, and the last have prayed that it were to come sooner. This tangle of emotion is all brought to fruition in the one defining moment of 1/1/06 00:00.01 military time. some stand in times square staring up to the sky in hopes of a bright new year, some sit down in their houses with empty bottles by their side, some weep in an empty house, and yet, there are those who stand in Times Square passionately embracing their loved one. somehow, I looked through the screen of our TV at the crowd, and I saw none of these things, I didn't see the divas, the idiots, crazy people, or even the normal people. I saw the grace of God. All that has been given me in the past year. It's all become unbearably real. I was slightly dreaping midnight, knowing that at 12:00.01 I'd be seeing couples all across Times Square osculating. But, as it happened, I wasn't troubled at all. Somehow my finite mind for once was able to look past the here and now and see God's future. Instead of cursing God for my position now, I thank him endlessly for the position he's going to put me in in the future. Without God, we are dust incarnate, we are smoke in a gail, and our amorous affection is just simple squabble without knowing the pure sacred love (PlatonEcheskye) from God. To humanity, God's silence is like death, but on New Years 2006, God roared. God roared like Aslan rising from the stone table. A cry calling us to his side and for us to trust in him; at least for me.

I love this awful beautiful life.

-Wes

Tis' the season to spread the love! (or is it?)

This is when you should be taking that grain of salt by the way.


Well, I've been doing some thinking on the subject of the season and it's tendency toward romantic thought; this is in conjunction with quite a few discussions with someone who I can call a voice of moral conscience. It appears to me that within the church, we all seem to create this shell around ourselves, due to the importance of modesty in the Christian faith. Now, I'm a firm believer in "if you 'ain't sellin' don't advertise" so don't get me wrong. I just think that we, as a community do not express the kind of love we have for eachother well enough. I am well aware of the fact that modesty leans us away from temptation and sin. However, a fear of physical contact is almost ranging on un-needed separation. Christmas is a time when we all seem to realize how much we all mean to eachother. Its opened my eyes to quite a few things. For one, not all physical contact is tempting. I can honestly say that I have received more hugs in the past several days than I have in the past year, and not a single one was tempting to me. (At this point I'm just throwing opinions around like paint to splatter in the walls in some hopefully comprehensive way) Maybe, its not the action of physical contact, maybe its the state of mind of separation itself. Maybe, if you think it is going to be tempting, then the actual act WILL be tempting. But, if you brush it off as an act of appreciation and brotherly/sisterly love, then it can be (in my humble 15 year old opinion) an edifying and encouraging experience.

Well, you've heard my argument, and anyone who reads this should be well informed that I'm a hopeless romantic. I do see that I may be a bit bias, but for a hopeless romantic such as myself, to say that every single display of affection I have received over these Christmas celebrations has not temped me in the slightest should say quite a bit on how I feel on the matter.

(A note to John Behrens: I did really want to provide quotes for such a matter, I even had them on hand in a Word document. However, decency inclined me not to incriminate anyone’s opinion the matter. Rest assured though that I have sufficient proof on the situation for me to form some strong opinions on it.)

Yours, forever in the Christmas spirit,
Wes

"The Post"

The holidays are uppon us and I'm sitting her frantically typing in what free time I have. I wish I could report on al my journeys thus far in the Christmas Season. Sadly, you're going to have to suffer my meger rambelings on the main events in my life. A few days ago, Sunday actually, I attended church and immediately there after my dad and I embarked on a journey into the heart of the steel city with hopes of giving our eardrums a racking at the Trans Siberian Orcestra concert. Now, for those who don't know the TSO, they are a band who plays almost exclusively Christmas music; Their fashion of approach to this cleche genre is very different though. The band consists of three main players, guitar, keyboard and drummer. It doesn't stop there though. The rest of the band is another guitar, a bass, another keyboardist, an electric violinist(who makes his own violins) and a string ensomble of about 12 or 15 various string players. This is not counting their wonderful vocal section. So, these guys get pretty rockin. (samples available at http://www.trans-siberian.com/multimedia/index.shtml -- I reccomend A Mad Russian's Christmas and Wizards In Winter)

Long story short, we didn't get tickets for the early show. But, the 7:30 had some nice seats. So, my dad and I had a couple hours (6 I think) to blow in the burg. We went over to the Heinz Sports Museum, luckily it was open and we spent a whole 4.5 hours there. Monsterous fun. After touring the museum we roamed around the strip looking for an eatery, without much trouble we found the Harp and Fiddle pub. This place was crazy, it screamed Ireland. I'll have to go there with Laedelas some time, she'd love it. Our server even had this heavy irish accent. After consuming half of my Shepperd's pie we had to leave to get to the show, so, I wrapped up the remainder and we bolted off (as much as one can bolt in pittsburgh at any given moment) to the concert. It was phanominal. The lights, the music, the action, I couldn't have expected more. Fog everywhere, fake snow, fire, sparks, EVERYTHING. All the classics and some variations on multiple songs. Something freaky though, I saw two people that I could have sworn were two other people. One from the front, another from the back. really crazy, if not for subtle differences like hair length and minor differences in the face I would never have known the differences. Thats it for my historical recounts, I've got more to ramble about though.

Recently, I could swear I've lost all wit I possess. I've just drifted and drifted from my spiritual life and it shows. I've been amazed at how I've almost totally lost my gift to encourage people as much as I have in the past. I only just realised it a little while ago though. Its so sad that most of the time we need the sense "knocked" into us. We drift so far than come running back. Thankfully I can at least run back, and I have. So, I've been feeling more and more of God's spirit, which has been great.

More to come, after I sort some stuff out.

Feeling slightly insane
-Wes

What do your eyes say about you? by Buzzy2232
Name
Eye Color
Your Personality is	Happy
Your Smile is	Jaw dropping
Your friends are	Important
Your kiss is	Soft
Your life is	Beautiful
Your passion is	Your friends
You are	Amazing
Quiz created with MemeGen!

Yes, I fell to the dark side and did one of these. I was suprised to see that it was right on several counts. but I don't think my smile is jaw dropping or my life is so beautiful.

And yeah, a quiz with random generated answers is not like the shaper of my destiny, but its still pretty cool!

J-town with NWCC

Mood: calm, contemplative and slightly sad

And so, the chronicles of my life continue. First thing I think I'll recount for the world to see is my trip to Jumonville.

It was a dark night of the 18th when I arrived to the refuge at Wesley hall on the grassy clear skied campus of J-town. I was greeted by the sound of an Airsoft gun firing, thankfully not at me... I had arrived about 30 or so minutes before the rest of the kids, so all the hyper college interns were having fun. This was accomplished by one of them chasing the other two with a semi-automatic airsoft gun. After the arrival and subsequent unpacking in of the High School students from NorthWay Christian Community, the mass of students migrated from the cabins to the music filled Wesley hall. I entered the doors with "Be My Escape" blasting in my eardrums, I was pleased to discover that this was no recording but a successfully played imitation by the band that was there. It was pretty awesome to see a good friend of mine and my sister's in the lead position of the band. After a few minutes of looking around and observing the crowd and listening to the speaker for the weekend, I say immediately that there wasn't much to be gained spiritually from this experience besides some good practice in tolerance and evangelism.

After the message, there was pretty much just free time for 30 minutes. Most (like myself) decided to congregate around Wesley hall. After meeting up with the few members of northway that I can consider good friends, I observed a group of about 5 girls chattering all at the same time to one of the girls. A few of the comment I caught was "come on!", "just do it!" and "GO!" after the latter comment, three of them shoved the one girl (whos back was turned to me) quite violently into ME... After making sure she wasn't going to fall, and trying to contain my surprise, I saw that the girl I had just caught was an old friend of mine from about two years before. I decided to ignore the storm of giggles and talk to her. Funny stuff, she was all frantic and embarrassed. :-P

The rest of the weekend.... For the most part was... Interesting. Lets just say it really tried my moral standards and my tolerance of blatant sin. There was this cool part when I started playing the piano after dinner once. I was playing Coldplay and various well known piano songs. at one point, I had about 15 people all around the piano. some pretty sweet stuff.

until next post. Which should be tomorrow or the next day.

-Wes

Memories

I lapse into the past. Encapsulated in ruminitions of times that tend to be so consumed in dark mists. Oh but it is not sorrow which my mind dwells on, but joy, pure euphoric joy of what can be so grasped by my human mind. I lament on day that I was saved by grace. I see also they days that I can recount of a love that did not hold true. But clearest of all, I see those who surround me now. An ever growing bastion of joy that I can call my church family. I can see those who God has blessed me with, and times when I have joined them and been with them in their lives. I bless the name of the God who created me that he has GIVEN me through divine providence these people who I hold so dear.

(end of sophisticated writing)

Some of you may think I don't care about you, and if I do its not much. I want to make a list of all of you who I hold in a special place. Although the names and all the reasons would fill a book the size of a dictionary. I treasure you all like brothers and sisters. God his given me a great gift in you all. Thank you for being in my life.

Love,
Wes


sorry for the mushy post. :-)

A very interesting day.

Yeah, its Monday and I'm going to post about Saturday because it was the most interesting day I've had in a while.

The day began with a bit of a "suiting up" of sorts. I got on some ripped jeans and a cruddy old whit t-shirt along with some heavy-duty goggle and black gardening gloves. I marched down to the basement where I was to confront the exterior wall in a battle of man vs. 20 layers of paint from various time periods. We had tried all known solvents on this paint and nothing seemed to work. So, my mom called in the big guns (aka, my arms). I used a miniature pickaxe to chip away at the paint to reveal that the ancient rock beneath had been turned back into a fine sand because of moisture. After removing a few square feet of paint, I would take a wire brush mounted on a drill and grind all the loose rock and clinging sand away. After a few hours, this left me covered in sand and dust and rock. After washing the copious amounts of dirt and sand out of my stiff hair, I joined my sister in going out and visiting the horses. After some substantial rubbing and scratching, I decided to se how horses react to music. More specifically, Coldplay. My sisters horse paid attention for a few seconds then walked away. Where-as my horse stayed and listened to the song for about two minutes or so. As Dan said, "Smart horse!"

However, dumb rider. On my way out, I decided to forego the gate and go through the fence I assumed to be off. Now, for those who don't know my house, I have an electric fence around the fields that has two wires, one chest height, and one thigh height. I crouched down and stepped inbetween the wires.
ZAP
extreme pain... I got shocked somewhere I hope I will never get shocked in again. After limping around for a few minutes I decided to go jogging. While making a final lap around the upper field, a deer that was laying down in the high grass got up and ran along beside me about 20 feet away. After keeping up with me for about 5 seconds, it bounded off into the other field and the woods beyond.

So, pretty sweet day.

until next time.
-Wes


I am the crisis
I am the bitter end
I'm gonna gun this town
I am divided
I am the razor edge

there is no easy now

I'm Symphonic!

I woke up this morning to discover that I was going to the symphony today! Although overjoyed, I had wished I had gotten more sleep. Last night was awful, I couldn't get comfortable in bed. So after a few hours of tumbling around I finally got up in search of a better place to sleep. Upon finding the dogs had taken my favorite spots, I resigned to the couch, where I woke up just 7 hours later.

After getting everything sorted that I need to get so, we set out for the Symphony. After completing the various tasks encountered on the way there, and the insane difficulty of Pittsburgh parking, we took our seats above the orchestra. There were a few simple pieces that could be considered a bit of a "warm up" but then there was the main piece which contained the performance of a world famous violin soloist: Leo Kavakos. I was enthralled by his performance. More than I have been with anyone before. I became so locked on to this guy who was standing center stage that as I continued to stare, I became increasingly aware of my contact lenses. As time wore on, I found that I had not blinked for more than a minute! After resting my eyes, and using my ears, the music became all the more personal. Every stroke of the bow was like it was being executed on my very eardrum, each physical pluck of the string became my pulse, the rising and falling of the bow became the blood in my veins. It was musical Nirvana.

What is music though? It is vibrations in the air produced by an instrument at a certain frequency to produce real-time positive or negative effects from the brain. What is the power that God has given music over us? What gave David the ability to sooth Saul? It's a profound gift that few tend to appreciate. Music is part of who we are, and it is a gift from God, we should treat it as such.

Let my Life's song sing to you O Lord.
-Wes