A Hostel in the Forest

Earlier this year a group of us went to Georgia on a road trip. One of our overnight stops was a little hard to find. A Hostel in the Forest. It could have easily been passed having gone unnoticed. In fact, we did just that. We had to drive past a couple of times before we found the place.

(The following is taken from earlier journaling.) Each night we had a mostly homegrown vegan meal. A young couple started cooking at 4 and by the time 7 rolled around, the food was prepared and all were hungry. Beautiful lettuce and kale and spinach for salad. Topped with a homemade creamy vinigarette.
Spicy vegetable soup with a bulyon based broth. Plenty of vegetables.
Mac and yeast. The yeast was an ingredient in a cheese substitute for vegan food. Orzo. I have no idea what it was--maybe something between pasta and rice.

Following the good eats is an unscientific, non-reproducable time of laughter and storytelling. I enjoyed my tea. All were entranced by the fire and the anecdotal conversation. When someone was tired, they went off to bed unannounced. The white sand paths lead them to their house and sleeping bag to await the morning's cock crow. As the night continued, the conversations shifted, becoming more mystic. Half-hour stories, hour stories, and holistic conversation till the coals glowed with no flame.

Morning was announced by a cock's crow. And people emerged from their respecitce tree houses to fix tea or coffee, tend the almost-dead fire, cook a breakfast, or busy themselves with morning chores to maintain the beauty of the living spaces and common areas.

Work was interwoven with play and many chores turned into either games or meditation. Of course there was no griping. If you were tired, you took some time to eat fruit or drink tea.

An update about school

The coming warm weather marks the end of another school year. I found out that I'll be here till the spring of 2011. That means I will have been here 5 years instead of 4. It's not what was planned, but I think it will be alright. Half of the final year will be spent as a part-time student. The other half will be spent as a student teacher. I'm really quite excited about trying my hand at teaching. But I won't have to wait until 2011. I'll be getting a chance to teach in a public classroom in just a few weeks.

When this semester ends two weeks from now, a May semester will start. During May I'll be at a school in town participating in a practicum. I'll work alongside a senior teacher to gain a little experience in an actual classroom. (This experience probably should have come long ago...but whatever.) I'll get to observe and teach some lessons. The part I am looking forward to the most is being critiqued after teaching a lesson. This class is expected to the be the final test before committing to the Teacher Education Program. I'll let you know how it goes.

Another excitement, with regards to teaching, is the prospect of doing part of my student teaching in China. There is an international school with several branches that I could work and live at. I would be there for 8 weeks--the second half of student teaching. The first 8 weeks would be spent somewhere in Indiana. Can you imagine?? The idea of living in China for 8 weeks is adventurous and livening. One of Alyssa's friends, Emily aka Gangster, was part of this idea entering my head. She has spent the last few weeks at one of international branches in China. Her blog, containsing some of her experiences and stories , has certainly perked my interest. I understand that student teaching is a long way off, but I'm still excited about it. One day at a time, I suppose. Wherever a career takes me, I only hope that I can be of service to the people around me, and that I can minister to them.

I think the heat is getting to me.

Yes, I think the heat is beginning to get to me. My computer has developed a tendency to over heat. Thus is life with no air conditioning. On the real, I'm not really annoyed by it.

I've been getting acquainted with the AA and Christian community around here, and they have both been very welcoming to me. Sometimes it's weird being a Christian in AA. AA has been nothing but a help to me, and it's a place I can always find service work, not to mention a place to practice virtues. In a way I feel like church and AA are such big parts of my life, but neither quite understands the other.

Today I went out on an excursion in an attempt to escape the heat. Some parts of the day are hotter inside than outside. I just kind of wandered around a little bit, found a box turtle, and took it to the creek. When I found the box turtle it was quite a way away from where I thought it should be (the creek), but I wondered whether or not I should relocate it. I reasoned that it would eventually make it's way back to the creek and that it might like a ride, so I took it back.

The water at the creek was cool and wonderful to wade into for a minute. I sat down and observed the passing leaves. The creek is a good spot to pray. I also think I might try fishing there.

P.S.
Here are some pictures from some of the camps I've been at this summer.

Pretty Woman

The past two weeks or so I’ve been living in a foreign place. Horses graze in the backyard. The horses are much larger than the rabbits I’m use to seeing in my backyard. They are much more intimidating, too.

Who ever thought horses were domesticated?! It’s only been recently that I’ve felt comfortable around them. After observing their behavior a little I think I can tell when one is displaying its playfulness or its annoyance.

One of the horses is named Pretty Woman, or Pretty for short. Pretty has never been fully broke, but it’s been decided she needs to be. One of my tasks for these days is to work with her, getting her use to being handled and ridden. Pretty doesn’t have a problem with me getting on her back—in fact, she’ll let me swing up on her like a novice cowboy (barely making it up). Currently Pretty is learning to listen to “turn” and “stop” commands and shift between walking and trotting. All this is bareback, so while I’m teaching her the commands, she is teaching me balance. She is gracious teacher; I am a slow learner. I hope she will take a saddle and a bit soon—I have a vision of us charging down the pasture that makes my heart pound a little faster.

Aside from the horse business, I’ve been taking a calculus class. A piece of advice to all who plan on taking calculus II: It’s a good idea to take it during the summer as transfer credit! This way my grade does not affect my GPA…what a wonderful system. And on top of that it’s only 4 weeks long.

I’ll be ranchero Dave for couple more weeks. My last day of class is August 7. I’ll be out of here shortly after. I think a road trip will be in order.

P.S.
A couple of things I’ve been thinking a lot about: Intimacy is a product of commitment just as joy is a product of service. No true commitment, no true intimacy. No true service, no true joy.

Making Repairs

Well sophomore year is done and summer has come. One of the big projects of the summer has been, and will continue to be, making repairs on the house. We will be selling the house in Marion and that means lots of work getting it ready. It's really weird how this house has been neglected until the owner has decided to sell it. Why should we live in a house that's going the pot and then fix it up right before we leave?

Regardless, this mega-project has provided many micro-projects. I really do like fixing things...maybe I've mentioned that before. I try not to have expectations for the progress of this project, because the projects like to take longer than expected. Projects always try my patients and devotion. And there is always a vision that I must keep of the finished product--in this case a flood-proof basement.

There is something profound in taking on a project and bringing it through to completion. Above all, one must have a desire to fix the thing in need of repair. One must be prepared to commit sometimes vast supplies of time and energy--much more than expected. This is the only way things work. It seems to be built into the foundation of the universe.

What is God's mega-project? In His eyes and heart, what needs repaired--what needs to be redeemed?

For those that still read this

For anyone who still reads my blog after such a long time of no new posts: There is much happening--so much to catch up with that I don't have time tonight for it all.

I just wanted to say hi and let you know I'm still alive and kickin it.

Hold out just a little longer...

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