Oh My Sweet Carolina

Feels Good, Dang Good

2006-03-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

I love life right now. I don't know what it was, but a week ago i was just really down all the time for no reason. I'm so happy to "be back in the saddle" so-to-speak in regards to my attitude. I think the weather might have had something to do with to be quite honest with you, but it's also just helped that i realized how much of an idiot i have been and that i realize all the good things i have to be happy for.
I always love it when i really realize all the things that God has done for me, and i step back to appreciate them. I know it doesn't happen nearly enough, but it's just amazing to see how much God has done for me. So thanks to anyone out there who was putting up with all of my crap like a week ago, i don't even know what that was.
Lastly, i know the weather is beautiful outside but try and appreciate even more than that. I love just look at all the fun that people are having, thinking about what a great country we live in, the abilities God has given me (even as simple as smell, and the ability to run). Just a few things for you out there to chew on, enjoy.

P.S. That picture of me and Josh is pretty much amazing, i just thought the world should know. I love him, by the way.

Peace up, A-town Down

Weekend Summary

2006-02-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

Well, as my last post indicates I went to Wintefest this past weekend. I went with Harding admissions to represent my school and to tell kids all about it. I've got to say this was one of the best weekends i've had since i've been at school for a number of reasons:

1. Amazing People- I went with such a great group of people (literally everyone that went was awesome)which made the trip so awesome. I loved getting to hang out and talk with all these different people and just make new friends.
2. My Friends- Another plus of going this weekend was getting to see my home youthgroup (which includes my siblings) and my best friend and his family the Wallings. I got to hang out with my sisters one afternoon and just catch up, which was great. Also i got to give hugs to Taylor and his family, which is almost as good as my family.
3. Free Food- I didn't pay a cent for food the entire weekend i was there, all i bought was two bottle of water. I was such a pig, but in a good way i think. I was saving up food in my belly for when i got back to school and had to eat sick Caf food.

So, yes all in all the weekend was awesome and i would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to attend to do so. It was an amazingly rejuvinating (spelling?) weekend where i really got my "stuff together" so to speak.

Lastly my theme song for the weekend. It was really crazy because on the way down to Gatlinburg i feel asleep listening to Damien Rice's CD "O". I love the CD and it really relaxes me so i thought it to be a good choice. Well i ended up waking up right at the start of the song "I Remember." This song is seriously amazinng, especially the ending. I would highly recommened listening to it if you want to get pumped up.

Peace up, A-town Down

Winterfest Time Baby

2006-02-16T13:03:00.000-08:00

This weekend is Wintefest and i've got to tell you i'm pretty pumped. I'm leaving today at 4 with about 20-30 other people (i think that count is right) and we'll be in Gatlinburg, TN for the entire weekend. And you want to know the best part about the whole thing? This entire weekend is on Harding's tab. I love getting to reap the benefits of paying an arm and a leg to go here.

I know about half of the people that i'm going with, but not all of them well. I'm really excited about getting to hang out with some new really awesome people (my thinking on that is why would admissions ask them to go if they weren't cool right?) for an entrie weekend.

Another awesome part of this trip is getting to see a lot of people that i love a lot. First of all, and most important, i get to see both of my sisters who i've not seen since Christmas break. Secondly my best friend Taylor Walling who i've also not seen since winter break. Lastly Mr. Jeff (AKA Jeff Walling) who is my second dad and definatly the biggest spiritual influence in my life. I love all of these people so much, so it will be great getting to see all of them in the same weekend.

Prayers would be greatly appreciated as we will be doing a lot of travelling, and i will have to talk to a ton of kids about Harding. Thanks everybody and i hope you all have killer weekends.

Peace up, A-town Down

Happy Valentine's Day

2006-02-13T22:43:00.000-08:00

"Random thoughts for Valentine's Day 2004; Today is a holiday invented by greeting card companies to make people feel like crap."
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Valetine's day has never been very special for me. I always feel like everyone pretends to be happy and goes around telling everyone that they love them and stuff when it's not necessarily how they feel. It wasn't even intended to be a day of love, but became distorted when the media found out they could make a quick buck off of it.

Although i have to admit that i do enjoy getting cards in the mail. Not that i'm expecting any, just that it makes me feel appreciated. So i guess i can't really bash too hardly on the holiday, there are definatly good things about it.

Lastly, i think that this blog thing is going pretty good. Sorry if this entry kinda sucks, i'll try and put up a better post next time. So Happy Valentine's Day everybody, and I LOVE YOU.

Peace up, A-town Dizzown

You've Got a Friend in Me

2006-02-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

When i came to Harding University this year i was followed by 6 people from my church. These people are really awesome, and i still really enjoy their company, but i wanted to try and spread my wings. I knew the easy way out would be to keep hanging out with them and stay in my Providence Road group all through high school and college.
At first it was horrible and i hated school. I would some days sit in my dorm from the time i got out of class until dinner and then come back to my room until i went to bed. I wanted very badly sometimes to just call up my friends from back home and hang out with them, but instead i'd do homework, watch tv, or play some video games.
Fastforward to the present...i just got back from an awesome night with some of my great new friends. God has richly, richly blessed me with new incredible people in my life. I really feel like God is rewarding me for trying to grow. I know i can call up any of my "new friends" and they'd come to help me in a heart beat.
Moral of the story? Stretch yourself. God wants us to grow and to be the best person for him we can possibly be. I love how God shows this stuff to me all the time, and how great He is for even caring about stupid Austin Bryan at Harding University.

Peace up, A-town Down

The Definition of Dating

2006-02-09T22:11:00.000-08:00

I thought i knew something about dating. Not that i'm some stud or something that's taken out 1000 girls, but just as a guy who had been on a good handful of dates i thought i had some experience coming to Harding. The entire game changes once you start dating here, everything is way more serious. I found out very quickly after i got here that talking to a girl alone is pretty much a "date." Since then i've wised up and actually waited to ask girls out for lunch or coffee when i actually may want something to happen.

I wish that there wasn't so much pressure on dating and marriage here. I feel like a lot of times we lose focus of the important things like God, school, and friends. We put way too much emphasis on the opposite sex, not to say i don't do this everyonce in while, but some people let it run their lives. I hope we can all try and seperate Harding from the "marriage factory" image that has been created here and try to focus on the more important things in life.

Peace up, A-town Down

Blog Me...

2006-02-08T20:41:00.000-08:00

I guess the blogging has begun. I find myself constantly looking for online activities to keep me occupied, and this is going to be my newest venture; we'll see how it goes. I've never been much of a writer, but i'm hoping maybe this will help "spark a fire."

First of all i need to give credit where credit is due. I want to start with James Arbuckle for being a strong blogger for a while and therefore introducing the rest of us guys to it. Secondly my roomie and friend Hodges, he just started doing it about a week or two ago and has since inspired me to try it out. I'm just putting that out there becuase i always hate it when i start doing something, and then everyone else starts doing it...so thanks guys.

I now want to explain my title; "Oh My Sweet Carolina" is a song by one of my top three favorite artists of all time Ryan Adams. I choose this title first of all because I am a North Carolinian (a Charlottean to be exact) who is very proud of his roots and therefore i'm compelled to promote my state in this way. Secondly I love Ryan Adams, so for me to be able to tie in a song title of his makes me very happy.

This concludes my first entry, hope you enjoyed.

Peace up, A-town down.