The hand of God

Driving to school today, I got behind a gentlemen who had a sticker on his window that really stood out to me. It was pretty depressing, because I thought of the mindset that would have to accompany this whole simplified idea. I edited the image a little bit, to get the sentence to stand out a bit more.In case your eyes will not let you focus in on what it says on the top of his back window. It says, LIFE SUCKS THEN YOU DIE. Now, could this guy have just thought it was a funny phrase, and slapped it on his car? Of course, but this phrase goes much deeper than that. I know people who live like that. And it's. . . well, sad. If that is all there is to life, meaningless existence, then death. Well, what would even be the point? Why exist at all? There HAS to be such a greater picture. If there isn't, then I might agree with that phrase posted on that guys car. But it is not true, and there is so much more to life than just mere existence. I will explain my hypothesis by explaining what a little 5 year old girl said to me today. I was outside playing on the play ground with the kids at work, and the clouds and sky were beautiful. I challenge the kids to use their imagination as much as I can. Often I will ask them, "What do you think that cloud looks like?" or "What do you see in the clouds today?" I will show you the cloud that was in question, then tell you what a little 5 year old girl named Jayla said to me about it. I was running and chasing after this little girl, when she paused and said, "Mr. Mikey, look at the hand!" I said, "what hand Jayla?" She pointed, and said, "look in the sky." She then said, "It must be the hand of God." It really made me think, and I thought about that darn sticker on that guys car. But, for a little girl, with childlike faith to say that a simple cloud looks like the hand of God, well that is pretty awesome to me. I said to her, "ya know what Jayla, I think that is more of a hand of God than you know." She just smiled and said, "bet you can't get me!"

I did of course get her. :o) Tonight was my photography class. This week's assignment was a specific food of our choice. I decided to do Pizza. I traveled all over the place seeking out pizza shops here and there. I got to talk to a lot of people, and smell a lot of great pizza. I'm going to share my contact sheets, then show you my picture that I edited a little bit in Photo Shop to turn in.And here she is, the pizza picture of all pizza pictures.It was taken at The Pizza Emporium right on Coliseum & Parnell. ~CLICK HERE~ to see the actual satellite photograph (It's right on the corner). I have not eaten here yet, but this place looks and smells wonderful. And the people, well the people are awesome, if not amazing. PRETTY ROCKIN COOL! God is soo good, even in confusion and hardships, God reins through in the most amazing ways possible.

CAR blues or oranges...

I went to Auburn once on Thursday to drop off my sisters car. Then again on Friday to bring it back. We took it to a trusted mechanic who ended up telling us that the catalytic converter was shot, and when he called the Chevy dealership to order a new one (which happens to be a California model, more expen$ive) and the lady on the phone told him that it was covered for 80,000 miles/5 years. Well, this was good news!!! We took it to the dealership, the tried and tried, but told my father and I that they could not get it to register on their machine. Hummmmm, the car had 79,765 miles on it when it left on Friday. They told us to give it back to my sister and let her drive it till the check engine light came back on. BUT wait a minute. Our trusted mechanic told us that the converter was all melted and totally messed up. Wasn't that reason enough? NOPE. So, back to the drive. The car came home Friday night, and my sister drove it that evening.....THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON!! Grrrr, but at the same time HORRAY!! My dad and I took it up there again this morning, and then picked it up this afternoon. I am really tired of driving up to, and back from Auburn. FOR REAL!The orange cavalier is my sisters car. And i'm just glad it got fixed for free. On Friday, when we went in I got a little bit short with one of the mechanic's. He was very rude and almost intimidating to me, but I still didn't have any reason to speak sarcastically to him. Sometimes sarcasm takes the place of anger for me. When my dad and I were dropping the car off, I apologized to him for being short/deliberately difficult with him. He looked surprised, but told me it was not necessary. We ended up not getting charged the $80 that they charge, even when a car is under warranty. I don't know if that has anything to do with the money. But, I don't know that it doesn't. Not saying that is why you should make things right with people or God. But.....well, i'm just sharing my life. That is what I do. I did remind myself quickly though on Friday, that God is in control of my sisters car. Even when it looks bad, that I just need to TRUST in him...and I did. That's not to say it will always turn out rosey posey, but that should not deminish my levels of trust either. God's plan does not equal Mikey's plan. THANK GOODNESS!!

LEVITICUS!!
That is what I have been studying all week. Let me tell you. I never thought I would be applying Truth's and Insight into my daily life from Leviticus. But I totally am, and realizing that I must take more concern with the specific things that make God HOLY. And, the things in which I must be a part of to create God's holiness in my life. My friend Liliana put it in a very neat way, "That is awesome when places U dont expect or underestimate reveal God to you (text message)." TRUE THAT Lili!!

Drive, Doctor, Bison, Sleep, GRACE, love

It is 12:02AM, I should probably be sleeping, but I have to bring these things to people, because if I don't....how else will you see them???? More importantly, how else will I remember them???So, here goes.My day started off with some driving. About 2 hours and 15 minutes of driving. My car doesn't have cruise control, and when you get up past 65, it is a little bit shaky. No big deal by any means, I am so thankful for that shaky car it isn't even funny. It just proves to be an interesting drive. It wasn't much of a pretty drive, and music just didn't have the appeal I thought it might have. So, I just talked with God most of the time. And, well thought. I think a lot when I drive. God is often in the fore front of those thoughts.

The whole reason I was driving was because I had a doctors appointment at the Indiana Center for Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunopathological Diseases. LOL. Right when I got there I said, to the sectretary/receptionist, "so how is The Indiana Center For Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunopathological Diseases treating you today?" She kind of chuckled, and said under her breath, "say that one again." So I did, and she gave me a smile. Then it was off to the waiting room. And waited.And waited. I actually waited in that little room for 63 minutes before anyone saw me. They didn't forget me, just went to lunch. LOL, acutally I dunno why it took so long, they are usually quick. The important thing is, the main doc. Dr. Kolar wants to keep me on the Tysabri, and said I looked good. Actually, they could tell I have been working out. The other Doc. who checked me out and did all the physical tests said my hearted sounded different. Like I had been working out. I said, in the MANLY MAN voice, "yea well I lift weights every now and then." (clears throat)I got there at 11:50 and didn't leave till 2:10, I was a little hungry to say the LEAST. I really wanted FISH, but set out on a search to find something unique and yummy. I found Ted's Montana Grill. And, holy diver was it good. They serve Bison meat there. It is actually a chain of stores owned by Ted Turner, yes the T.V. guy (CHECK THIS FOR MORE INFO.) started these aweome restaurants that serve Bison meat. It is sooo good too. This is a picture of a Bison Burger. It was amazing, and delicious. This place was so nice inside, and I am so glad I found it!!

Since I was in Indianapolis(which is a big city compared to Fort Wayne) I decided to take advantage of what it had to offer me in the food department. So I also stopped for Ice Cream at Maggie Moo's. It was good, and when I finished, I set back off for home. But let me tell you, all that food and the boring drive home started to make me super sleepy. I found myself dozing off, so I had to pull over into an empty parking lot and take a little nap. HA!! This is something I have never done before. But I wasn't going to fall asleep on the road and possibly hurt someone else, so I just took about a 30-45 minute nap. When I got home I went to Campus Crusades, something I had also never been to. It was on the IPFW campus, and it was cool. It was good, but while I was in it, I got a phone call from my cousin Matt. He felt as though he was in trouble, and in reality, probably was/is. It all came down to much phone calls, and my willingness to come get him if need be. Well, long story short, I prayed with him many times, asking God to just take over in the situation. There was one point when I was in my back yard, very late at night, in the dark, where Matt said some things that were directly God driven. Some thoughts and ideas that only Christ can implant in us stupid and sinful humans. I rejoyced, and now I am sharing it with anyone who chooses to read this, and myself of course, so I can come back on this moment and remember the joy and gloriousness of Christ!

G'Night!!!!!!!