As 2017 Ends, I Reflect.

Twenty-seven years. Twenty-seven trips around the sun. That's how long I've been breathing. And in a matter of hours, the year that marks this will come to a close and another will begin. With each year comes many things. Highs. Lows. Joys. Pains. New experiences. Familiar themes. And so much more. They all make up this crazy thing we call life. Even though I would like to erase some of those things, I'm slightly grateful that I can't. Being in my late 20s (yes that sounded weird typing that), I think about things like this more often than not. Each experience, every moment shapes who we are and what we will become. Some experiences, though cruel when they happen, teach us things about life and help us grow. 2017 was filled with both.

Once 2016 came to a close, I had mixed feelings entering 2017. I was looking forward to the new year after all the traveling I did, the weddings I attended, graduating college, the memories, you get the picture. But on the other hand, I still didn't have a full time job, the outcome of the 2016 election divided this country even further, and the outlook of 2017 was unclear. However, as I look back on what 2017 was and what it brought, would I say it was my favorite year or even top 5? Probably not, but through all the muck and mire that came, a lot of good came out of it too. So journey with me as I look back on 2017.

As every new year begins here in Cleveland, winter is always there to welcome you with it's bone chilling fury, and heavy doses of cabin fever. One way to beat the winter blues was going to a Cavs game with a bunch of awesome people. Good friends of mine, Ben and Natalie Wong, who are in the medical field in Las Vegas, came into town and treated us to a Cavs game with amazing seats. We were basically 7ish rows from the court. The Cavs won, adding to the amazing night it already was. We ended up hanging out late into the night, laughing, talking, and making memories. I'm very grateful to have these two people in my life.

As winter gave way to spring, the new season brought both joy and sorrow. This year marked the first year I went to Opening Day for Cleveland Indians baseball. If you're reading this from facebook, you know how passionate I am about it. Josh Malek and I got to witness a walk-off winner and little did we know it then, but this season was going to have something magical. Then, not long after that day, the sorrow set because my grandmother (Lois Andrewson) on my Mom's side had passed. We all knew her time was coming, but that doesn't erase the fact that someone you love is no longer here. Yet, I believe I will see her again one day and am at peace which comes from the love of God and my faith in Christ.

The month of May kicked off with a wedding and if you read my end-of-the-year post last year, you know how much I love weddings. Who were the wonderful couple? Why Philip Tsao and Phoebe Cheng! Philip had come from Ann Arbor and spent a year in Cleveland so I got to know him a whole lot better. I'm glad he came because it was a blessing to have him around. Their wedding took place outdoors on a beautiful farm-like setting. You could see green for miles and when the sun set off the rolling hills, it was breath-taking.

Along with June came summer, the season I love the most. I was still looking for work, but being able to enjoy another summer as freely as I wanted was fine with me. The highlights for this month were as follows: Some of you know that I picked up the hobby called geocaching back in 2015. If you don't know what that it is, well I 'll briefly explain. It involves using billion dollar satellites to find tupperware containers in the woods. Well that's the cooler description anyway. Basically people hide containers all over the world ranging from the size of thumbtack to the size of a shed. The more common ones are tupperware containers, ammo cans, and pill bottles. You then either use a gps device or your phone's gps to find them. It also puts you in contact with some super awesome and crazy people who share the same joy you get from this hobby. Here in Northern Ohio, the geocachers here like to give recognition to those who reach 1000 finds. There's a big picnic with lots of food and fun and those who have reached that 1000 find milestone are given an ammo can painted gold and packed with goodies. I was a recipient of one this year.And in 2018, I'll have the privilege of honoring a new 1k milestone for someone else.

Photo Credit: Diane Rust

June didn't end on just that note. Wedding #2 occurred in this month as well. My cousin on my mom's side, Aaron Hoefs, was getting married. They're located in northern Wisconsin and the nearest airport was in Minneapolis. I had to wait for my other cousin, Jeff, to fly in from San Francisco so we could make the 2 hour drive to the farm. That made for the perfect opportunity to visit the Mall of America. Sure it cost $14 in Uber fees, but it was well worth it. After my escapade in MOA, I returned to the airport, met up with Jeff, and made it to Wisconsin. The wedding was awesome and had that country feel to it. The groomsmen were fishing in between pictures. They all wore jeans with a vest top (it was way to hot for a suit). And the ceremony was beautiful but quick as it had to beat a rainstorm and did so by minutes. It was a joy to attend, see the family and guess what, they're expecting in May!

I've always loved July and it has shown me a lot of love back. In past posts, I've mentioned my annual retreat to a friend's cabin on Lake Erie that consists of me and two of my best buds (Jeremiah Johnson and Mark Greenwood) at minimum. I've spent so many summers there and have so many memories to last a lifetime. With our lives becoming so busy and adulthood being so real, there aren't many times we are together anymore. But each year we make time for this. Well this July may have marked the last one ever because at the end of 2018, the property will have new owners. Therefore, we made the most of it. It was a blast. Here's a scene from that time.

Our youth event known as Mountain Top occurred in this month and in Cleveland. Every summer 300ish youth come from all over to experience God in a new way. I wasn't able to attend all over out, but from what I did attend, I saw many young lives touched and changed in great ways.

After a year of searching, July yielded another gift.  I got a job offer from General Electric. A contract job sure, but It's nearly everything I was looking for and came just in time. And before I even started, they approved my two weeks off to go to Austraila...

...which brings us to August and one of the greatest experiences of my life. Im not going to go into a lot of detail because i did that all in daily posts on this blog. So if you're interested in my experience, I highly suggest you go back and read them. God is so good.

As the fall crept in, I had one more wedding to attend. A good friend from college, Scott Ruebensaal and his now wife Nina Nager tied the knot at The 9 in downtown Cleveland. The ceremony was held on the rooftop and the reception in the old bank vaults downstairs. It was a ton of fun and a great day.

Another major change occurred when I finally had to say goodbye to my first baby, my 2004 Dodge Intrepid. With 214,000 miles, 13 years old, and needing over $2000 worth of work, it was time to say goodbye. She always got me where i needed to go, in some cases hundreda of miles, and even if there was a hiccup (flat tire) it was correctable and i always made my destination. Rust in peace. And so, I welcomed my second baby, a 2008 Chevy Malibu. She passed her first test and got me to PA over Christmas and back. Here's to hoping I have many more years with her.

Summer gave way to Autumn and I turned 27. The holidays began and filled my soul with mirth. Then December snuck up on me real quick and now is near it's end. But it was a month to remember. A lot of geocaching events with great people, two geocaching county runs, a fantastic Christmas where I drove all the way to Pennsylvania to surprise my grandparents (my car survived her first major test), and 8 friends from Australia came to visit the US for almost a month and I'm so glad they're here.

A few closing thoughts. I don't think I've mentioned this before, but every winter I do something a little unorthodox. You see I'm not a fan of the cold, especially this cold. I hate it. Snow is okay and fun for things such a sledding and snowboarding, but the after effects of it I do not enjoy. I'm a summer child through and through. I had a childhood friend who loved the snow. It was something she looked forward to every year. Long story short, she passed unexpectedly in 2014. So as a little tribute to her, if it snows in the late evening, I step outside and stand there. I watch the flakes fall against the dark night sky and listen to the beautiful silence and magical scene unfold before me. Snow is best observed at this hour because the noise of the day is gone, the white crystals against the midnight sky are relaxing to watch, and it's a peaceful feeling. Then I too eventual retreat to the warmth of my home.

As I was driving back from PA, I was listening to the 90s on 9 on satellite radio and a fitting song came across the airwaves. It was called Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen by Baz Luhrmann.  I'm not going to post all the lyrics here, that's what the link is for. But here are some blips of it that are really sound advice for the new year.

"Don't waste your time on jealousy
Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behindThe race is longAnd in the end, it's only with yourself
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insultsGet plenty of calcium
If you succeed in doing this, tell me how
Be kind to your knees
You'll miss them when they're gone
Dance
Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them
Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly
Get to know your parents
You never know when they'll be gone for good
Be nice to your siblings
They are the best link to your past
And the people most likely to stick with you in the future
Live in New York City once
But leave before it makes you hard
Live in Northern California once
But leave before it makes you soft
Travel
Accept certain inalienable truths
Prices will rise
Politicians will philander
You too will get old
And when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young
Prices were reasonable
Politicians were noble
And children respected their elders
Respect your elders
But trust me on the sunscreen"

And on that note, I say so long to 2017 and am ready to welcome in 2018. Here's to the people in my life, the memories to be made, new experiences that will come, and another trip around the sun. Happy New Year!

The Dreamer and His Bucket List

A few things about me In Case You Didn't Know. I like making lists. Not because I find joy in creating said lists, but because I love the feeling I get when I cross something off of them or complete them. I can't really describe that feeling to you unless you enjoy doing that sort of thing like I do.

I'm also what some would call a dreamer. I have been since I was a wee lad. And what separates me from a good portion of the pack is I don't let them die. Even when the odds are stacked against them and the haters and naysayers have had their fill, they still live on. Yes some are outlandish and near impossible to do in one lifetime. But if they do come to fruition, the feeling, experience, moment, and memories become that much more magical. In that moment, you'll say the "memory of a day like Today, can get you through the rest of your life" (Brad Paisley).

When those two things come together, one can create something to strive for, to live for, to really appreciate being alive; something that even the darkest of times has no grip over. So, for those who have taken the time out of your eventful lives to read this post, you are getting to see my Dreams in the form of a few bucket lists. For the full details behind each list and each item on it, you'll have to talk to me sometime. Otherwise this wouldn't be released this month and you'd be reading a novel instead of a blog post. As you read (or skim) this, think about your own dreams, no matter how absurd or impossible some may be, strive for them and don't ever let them die.

This list is THE Bucket List. The first one I ever made. The start of pursuing dreams.

Bucket List

Marry the girl of my dreams (Still a mystery)

Visit New York City (Completed Summer of 2016, one of the best weeks of my life)

Visit Hawaii

Visit all major U.S. cities (Visited: Boston, NYC, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago, Minneapolis, Austin, Raleigh, Charleston)

Go surfing

Go wind-surfing

Go skydiving

Drive a corvette (Original dream car, not anymore but still want to drive one)

Drive a 1970 Chevelle SS 540 (Current dream car)

See the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade live (Watched this on TV every year, would love to see it live once)

Visit Times square during Christmas (Yes I know the crowds and  the chaos, but once would be fun)

See the Grand Canyon

Ride every major roller coaster in the U.S. (I'm an adrenaline junkie can't you tell?)

Visit every major theme park in the U.S.

Visit Italy (Dream Country: the food, the culture, the Colosseum, the Leaning Tower, I could keep going)

Go to a Super Bowl

Go to a World Series game (I stood outside Jacob's Field for Game 6 of the 2016 World Series. Closest I've got)

Go to a NASCAR race (Was a super fan in the early 2000s and I love cars)

Go to a Flyers NHL game in Philly (Die hard Flyers fan)

Go to a Phillies game in Philly (Cavs fan, but want to complete the Philly sports experience)

Go to a 76ers game in Philly (Huge Indians fan, but see above comment)

Go deep-sea fishing

Go scuba diving

Go on a cruise (I know some people loathe these, but again one experience would be fun)

Go to Disneyland

Go to Disney World

Snowboard in Telluride, CO

See the Northern Lights (But in Alaska. Or Iceland. Not from Ohio)

Ride in a hot-air balloon

Go white water rafting

Meet Carrie Underwood (Yup you read that right)

Visit Europe (This is more of a tour of multiple countries and not just one)

Find Buried Treasure (I've been fascinated with this since I was young. I would consider this complete if  I found a Spanish Doubloon on a Florida beach)

Earn a bachelor’s degree (Completed May of 2016)

Snowboard in Europe

Go to Olympics (L.A. 2028. It's gonna happen)

Go to the World Cup

Play 18 holes of golf

Go on an African Safari

Visit Uganda (Many people I need to visit)

Bowl a 200 point game (160 is my best I believe)

Bowl a perfect game

Catch a trophy fish (A fish that I'd be willing to pay the money to mount)

Catch a trophy Largemouth Bass

Play in a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament

Visit all 50 states (Visited: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, Michigan)

Drive a dune buggy in the Las Vegas desert

Drive on the German Autobans

Spend $200+ on fireworks

Go Hunting

Watch a game in every NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA stadium (One can dream)

Ride a train across a countryside

Meet Kenny Chesney (Favorite musician. Would love to shake his hand)

Go back to Ocean City (The memories I have from my childhood here make me want to go return)

That's all for this post. Sometime in the near future, I'll post and comment on the much bigger one I found and made a goal to complete, even if it may never happen. Keep dreaming friends.

"So don't you sit upon the the shoreline, and say you're satisfied. Choose to chance the rapids and dare to dance the tide."~Garth Brooks

Learning to Dodge: The Last Ride

When I first laid my eyes upon you, I didn't give you much of a glance because you were in the hands of another and I never expected you to be mine. But then September of 2014 rolled around and you became available. This time I took a long gaze and instantly fell in love. You had everything I was looking for. You were spacious, comfortable, and handled like a dream. Your image portrayed adventure, your style said silver vixen, and your tune was smooth and loud. Yes you had some scars, were a bit aged, and a little rusty around the edges, but that didn't bother me because you were mine.

Three months after our joyous union, we set out on our first adventure. It was a cold, December Tuesday and we were Boston bound. I had total confidence in you as we cut through Erie, PA and then traversed across the entire state of New York. I hated the cold and worried the weather would turn for the worst, but you cruised along and allowed me to enjoy the beauty of the snow covered hills. As the sun faded and the darkness crept in, we entered Massachusetts. Two hours later we arrived in Boston. We navigated its curving, cobblestone streets in the rain and darkness, but your beams lit the way. Then came a crucial moment where I asked you to stop on a dime and on a slick wet surface. You didn't question me and your reaction saved a jaywalker from severe injury. I gave you the next day off because you earned it. But 36 hours after we arrived in the city where the most famous tea party took place, I told you we had to go. Snow was lightly falling and the weather was miserable, but you didn't complain. You fired right up and took me safely back to the CLE.

As the Winter tolled on, you got me where I needed to go and took Winter's wrath like a champ. When Winter finally gave way to Spring, the month of May brought new adventure. We were Indianapolis bound to see one of the most famous and historic races in American history. The 99th running of the Indianapolis 500. It wasn't just you and me however. I brought a friend. Most would complain, but you didn't. You did your job and did it well, allowing us to arrive without a scratch. Your unselfishness allowed me and my friend to fulfill a bucket list item and make memories to last a lifetime.

Your age began to show during that year when your calm demure turned into a dull roar. I put up with it for a bit, but then your displeasure was voiced. I heard you loud and clear and took care of the one who takes care of me. I gave you a shiny new piece of hardware and your gentleness returned.

As the days rolled on and the seasons changed, you kept humming along. I gave you the necessary fixes to keep you happy. 2015 came and went without much fanfare, but when 2016 graced us with its presence, we were in for a whirlwind of adventure.

In April we drove through Indiana not stopping to admire the farmland and Illinois welcomed us with the dreaded Chicago traffic. The first 4.5 hours were smooth, but that last hour sitting in rush hour traffic and in the rain was a nightmare. You rolled with the punches and my slight mistreatment of your interior with my frustration and didn't complain once. You brought me safely to the hotel where you got the weekend off while I enjoyed witnessing my first wedding of the year as many more were to follow.

Then when May showed up, I asked you to be prepared for another Boston style trip in length. This time we were headed south on a nine hour adventure to North Carolina. We cruised through Ohio farmland until the West Virginia mountains waved hello. We curved and swerved out way through the majestic scenery until we found ourselves in Virginia. I blinked and suddenly the GPS let us know we had reached our last state. Nine hours later we had finally arrived safe and sound. I had a blast that weekend and when it was over, you were ready for the trip back. I pushed you at times because nine hours is long especially by oneself, but your tunes kept me company and you shaved an hour off our drive.

I came to you in June less than seven days later with hesitation. I had asked you to do something you hadn't done before in taking two long trips a month apart. Now I was asking you to do a third and on only six days rest. This time the destination was The Big Apple. My dream city to visit. And the trip was going to last for six days. The longest I had ever asked of you. You saw the longing look in my eyes laced with adventure. As tired as you may have been, and as arduous a trip this was going to be, you said yes. And I loved you for it. So I filled and packed you up and off we went. Once again we left Ohio and entered into Pennsylvania, but this time we were't breezing through, oh no. We were going the whole way across. Two lanes the whole way, hills as far as the eye could see, and lots of construction. One section lasted for 16 painstaking miles with an average speed of 30 mph. But you never moaned once. Eventually we made it through and New Jersey welcomed us with five lanes of road, beautiful rock wall barriers, and palm-like trees. NYC was close but, not quite in view. Then after five hours, I felt a change in you. I could sense your calm nature fading. You tried your best to keep together, but some things in such an age as yours are out of your control. The tranquility was shattered by a roar I had heard before. And I knew that roar was going to last until we could get back to Cleveland. I knew you were upset as you couldn't keep your peace. But you ran, and that's what mattered. Soon, the roar didn't bother me as the NYC skyline appeared in view. A dream of mine was coming true and you were making it possible. The joy was real, but the bliss was short lived as I now had to become aggressive as ever to navigate the chaos of Manhattan. I pushed you and you obliged. Finally, a little over seven hours later, I found a place to let you rest. We had made it. And I couldn't have been happier. Throughout those six days I navigated you around upper Manhattan, placing you in various locations that you would be safe and I wouldn't get fined. For six days I was living the dream and you held together. Then the fun ended and it was time to leave. So I fired you up, added two more friends and off we went. You still roared the whole way home, but that was no fault of your own. You got us back safe and sound and that's what mattered. Upon our return I took care of you for taking care of me and promised not to ask a trip like that of you for awhile.

August was an emotional moment for me as we decided to journey to our neighbor city of Pittsburgh to witness some good American baseball. Two hours both ways wasn't that long, but on the return trip I took in the moment as you reached a major milestone. I smiled in awe as you proudly displayed 200,000. I'd only been with you for 22,000 of those, but hey I was there when you hit that great achievement.

We've been through so much together. All those trips, three Cleveland winters, a blown tire on I-75 N in Michigan, torrential and blinding rain in Mount Pleasant, PA. You kept your cool when a Jeep nearly clipped us on a rainy night, when a civic wasn't paying attention and nearly ran us off the road at 70 mph, when countless buffoons made blatantly stupid errors, when honest folk made scary misjudgments, when I myself have put you in harms way a time or two, when a rogue, cylindrical piece of metal attacked us in East Cleveland, and so much more. But now age and wear has done you in and it's time to say goodbye. Your ailments have become too great and your repair needs too much to bear. I won't forget you as you will always be my first. What you did for me and those who tagged along, I can never thank you enough. It's been an amazing three years and 35,000 miles. Goodbye my old faithful friend.

    2004 Dodge Intrepid: My first car.


P.S. Many posts ago, I mentioned I gave my car a name, but didn't reveal that name as it was personal to me. Well I felt now is the best time to share that name. I named her Elise. If you would like to know the reason behind it, ask me sometime.

Summertime: The Season of Dreams and Memories

It's September. The weather has gotten cooler. The days are getting shorter. The trees are starting to change their colors, signaling they'll soon shed their luscious summer garments and go into a deep winter hibernation. The children are already back in school. And football is back. All these things mean that the magnificent season known as Summer is drawing to a close. I've quoted Shakespeare before and I'll do it again. "Summer's lease hath all too short a date." I always get a little sad when I see it go, because I love it dearly. But when it returns each June, my heart is overwhelmed with joy yet again. "But what about Autumn?" I hear the people say? It's true, I love the Fall as well. Its slight chill on my face while the leaves crunch under my feet. The warmth of a hot drink against my hands whether it be hot chocolate, fresh apple cider, a pumpkin spice latte, they all sooth the soul. Football returns bringing hope and excitement to fans everywhere. Thanksgiving rolls around for great times spent with family and the start of the holidays. As you can see I do love the Fall.

Summer, however, as brought me so much joy and so many memories which is why I eagerly await it's return each year. Usually when things come to an end, it's fun to reflect on the moments and memories they brought. So as we say goodbye to Summer 2017, here are some of my past Summer escapades that have made this season so near and dear to my heart.

I was blessed as a child to have a big yard and two woods on our property. This was also in a time before the internet was prominent and before the existence of smart phones. Actually the cell phones at that time hadn't become popular yet. So how did we entertain ourselves? Those "lazy" summer days were spent racing our bikes through the woods, over mini hills, through the yard, and around the house. We were competitive and felt as if victory was the only option. This led to some spectacular crashes, amazing jumps, and sheer thrill. Other days were spent climbing the hundred or so trees and pretending we were pirates out for treasure or astronauts on a mission to Mars. There were times we snuck onto the nearby golf course in search of forgotten golf balls, tees, and other "treasures". Saturday evenings were spent going to the parks and playing pick-up games with all the other kids out enjoying the weather or going out for dinner and then for a game of mini-golf afterwards.

In the summer of 2007, my good friend Mark Greenwood had invited me out to their family's cabin in Vermillion. For the first time in my life, I went Jetskiing. For a 16 year old, it was one of the greatest thrills of my life. As soon as they let me drive, I took off like a heat seeking missile fired from an F-15. I defined the term "reckless driving" that day as I zipped off wave crest after wave crest. Then I hit one full throttle and shot 4-5 feet in the air with Mark holding on for dear life. For a moment I thought we were going to wipe out Evil Knevil style. To everyone's relief we landed safely and even though I was ready to do that again, I think Mark had second thoughts.

That summer was the first of many to come where Mark, Jeremiah Johnson, and I spent weeks and weekends there. I have so many memories of that place and this past summer may have been my last there. Before I move on, I want to leave one more image in your mind. One summer's eve, instead of hanging around the cabin, I decided to take the Jetski out for a sunset run. If you haven't witnessed a sunset over Lake Erie, I implore you to do so. Anyway, as I was roaring happily over the water and terrifying seagulls, I saw a view that took my breath away. I slowed the jetski down to a crawl, then killed the motor. I let it drift along as I saw a golden sky with a setting sun to the west and to the east was a navy blue sky with the moon rising higher and the stars letting everyone else know that they were there as well. It was two moments, night and day, one coming, one going. And I soaked in every minute.

Another summer memory I treasure is I had just gotten back from vacation and had to mow a lawn. Once I finished, I rode my bike to a nearby park to enjoy the evening. When I got there, a bunch of the Cleveland guys were there playing Ultimate Frisbee. This is a game I love dearly and so of course I jumped right in. They were playing with a bunch of random locals who at one point decided to challenge our skill. If you knew us back then, you knew that Frisbee was our game and we were a force to be reckoned with. One of us put up the challenge to them which was the 14 of them verses the 7 of us. They accepted and what a match that was. We ended up being down most of the game until a turning point on a fluke play. Someone from our team lobbed a low pass that bounced of my heel and ended up in Dan Johnson's hands. We ended up scoring and started a comeback that eventually allowed us to win 9-7. Sure it was a pickup game. There were no crowds cheering, no trophies awarded, nothing to say that this was an incredible feat. But to me it felt like we had won a national championship.

Each summer my family takes a vacation to visit family in either Wisconsin or Pennsylvania. Some of my most cherished memories from Wisconsin include riding my first 4-wheeler at 5 years old, catching my first largemouth bass on my last worm, Grandpa taking me fishing for the first time, my Uncle obtaining extremely large fireworks and then having a second 4th of July celebration shooting them off near the lake, driving a pontoon boat into the center of the lake and jumping off the 17ft scaffolding attached to it, fishing every day, catching large pike, largemouth bass, and panfish, roaming the wide open country land in search of adventure, campfires at dusk by the lake, seeing a full sky of stars in the dead of night, fairs and demolition derbies, reunions, cook-outs, and family.
Pennsylvania: Ice cream from Tropical Treat, wandering Hanover, hanging with old friends, nerf wars, swimming in the mountains, backyard Frisbee, football, volleyball, putt-putt, Hershey Park, Gettysburg, late night fires, food, and fun.

I have so many more memories I want to share, but those will be for another time. One of these days I need to write them all down. And who knows, maybe they'll become an autobiography one day. One can dream. On that note, before I bid you all adieu until the next post, I'll leave you with a list of what summer is to me.

Summer is mint chocolate chip ice cream in a waffle cone dripping off my fingers, meat sizzling on a grill, sunsets at Lakewood Park, Ultimate Frisbee, 4th of July, fireworks, getting a tan, chilling on the beach, fishing into the night, biking to nowhere in particular, outdoor concerts, hanging with the bros around a fire, the beach, enjoying great food on a patio, jumping or sleeping on a trampoline, juicy watermelon, Mountain Top, shorts and sleeveless shirts, Indians baseball, windows down and moon roof open, sandals and bare feet, riding the waves on a jetski, vacation, sleeping in a hammock, street fairs and food trucks, feeling free and living easy. Good ol' summertime.

Australia: The Journey Ends...For Now, Day 12

Twelve days. That's how long I've been here. That's the longest I've been out of the country or away from home for that matter. It was a struggle to get here. It was long days and anxious nights. It was after a year of expecting to go, to accepting the fact that I was not going a few weeks before, to buying a plane ticket four days later.

For those of you who have been following this blog, you will have noticed that this trip was not for vacation nor for my own pleasure, but rather to follow the Lord. Yes I saw some sights and yes at times it did feel as if I was vacation, but none of that compares to what the Lord did here. In these two weeks 12 lives got changed eternally. People prayed. People told their stories, and people heard of Jesus Christ for the first time. The church here was blessed and we were blessed. It was amazing to see how the Lord moves halfway across the world. There were days I was out preaching the gospel and didn't care about being tired or wanting to stop. There were days where the people here fed me more spiritually than physically. Being here and serving here was not a must but it was a gift.

I stayed for nearly two weeks in the Chen's home. Two weeks is a long time to have people who are not your biological family live there. Yet, this family showered us with so much love and care that it's almost unimaginable. Every night when i returned from the day I felt like I was at home and not in a stranger's house. This is yet another sign that the church is family no matter where you are and the power of the love of Christ is shown through the saints.

So what am I doing on my last day here? I'm with the young people. The smell of a delicious dinner is escaping from the kitchen. The piano is alive with music. People are all around enjoying each other's company.  I don't think I'd have it any other way. This city has definitely rubbed off on me and holds an affectionate place in my heart. One day I hope to return and experience it in a new and different way. A way that includes even more Christ. To see fruit from our labor. To see Christ magnified in this city. To see that the church here has grown. I'm truly thankful for what the Lord has done here, for everything He put me through to get here, for the saints here, for the church and it's testimony here, and for all the love that was poured out. I pray that we all may continue to fight this good fight of faith. Praise be to God! For the last time of this trip and until next time, goodnight from Australia.

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."~Ephesians 2:19-22

Australia: The Amazing Race Sydney Style, Day 11

I had a different opening, but I just nixed it because I'm going to use it for my last full day here. I guess you're curious to know what I did today. Well I'm going to tell you. Here we go.

Have you ever heard of the very popular reality game show called The Amazing Race? If you have, great! If you haven't, well basically it is a show where 12 teams of two race around the world completing challenges and solving clues until they have made it to the finish line. Lilly Faulk who has been studying abroad here in Sydney for a semester put together her version of the show Sydney style. The purpose for this was not just to explore Sydney but to bond with the friends who came and to build relationships.

My group was dubbed team three and our first destination was Circular Quay (pronounced KEY). This is a bustling hub right by the harbor bridge, the opera house, and the ocean. Our first stop was to walk around the harbor and find a plaque on the ground that displayed a writer whose initials were MP. This section is known as The Writer's Walk. There are almost 50 plaques that display famous writers from Australia or have ancestry here. Once we found the plaque we had to stand on it and look for an arrow. One of the young Australians in our group spotted it quickly. Before we made our way to where the arrow was, we took a lunch break. We ordered Hungry Jack's, which is actually Burger King, but since there was another franchise here before BK with the same name, BK is called Hungry Jack's here. We found a place to sit, but no outdoor place is safe. Because it's near the water, there are a ton of ibis and seagulls. They are fearless here. They'll approach you really close and make their move when the time is right. I spent have the time scaring them off but they always came back. One managed to get a bite of Ray's burger, and another managed to get what was left of Sophia's sandwich. My curiosity got the best of me and instead of fighting them off I stood straight and held a fry between my fingers and not that far from my head. In a minute or two, I felt a gull brush my head and the fry was gone. He snatched it right out of my fingers. Curiosity satisfied.

After lunch, we walked to the Arrow which was an art museum. We had to go inside and take a picture of the restaurant terrace, a brown horse, and a giant clock. Our next clue led us towards a historic part of town. This next bit gave us trouble because we had an issue finding stuff and the crowds here were massive due to a chocolate festival going on. It was like a can of sardines.

We made our way through a tunnel and found a house with no walls. Then we made our way back to ground level and for the life of us could not find the clue. We wandered like a confused squirrel crossing a road. Finally we asked a Sydney information center for help (twice) and found that what we were looking for had been really close all along. We wasted a lot of time on that one.

PC: Naomi Wu's phone by random stranger

With all the tasks complete, we were now headed to the heart of Sydney. Town Hall. Here we were able to explore a massive cathedral that got transformed into an expensive shopping mall. We had to play the public piano, learn what "four valour" was, examine the spiral staircase, and see how many times in a hour a model ship revolved around a massive clock.

We then left the cathedral, had to find four large vertical signs and make a word out of them that was the name of an Olympic sport (which was GYMNASTICS). With that clue complete, we went to Chatswood Chase mall to finish our third leg. Upon arrival we split into groups and scanned the mall for the Apple logo, a dalmatian painted on a wall, and Captain Jack Sparrow. 

Captain Jack Sparrow

Our next clue I knew right away as the names we were given were names of streets I had walked while door-knocking a number of days ago. We made it to the location, and got the right answer. Our final location was revealed. We could taste victory. Note: When we started, our group wasn't on fire to win, especially after getting hung up in circular quay and missing most of our trains. But once we had the final location, we took off in a dead sprint. As we got closer to the park (our final location) Lian passed me (I was ahead of the rest of my group) and gave me the news that her group had beat us there. Buggers. Well at least we didn't end up last haha. 

The day wasn't done as we still had the young people's meeting. An encouraging thing was that the friends who came for the race stayed for the meeting and some of the new friend who came last week showed up again. It was a good turnout and the signing was really enjoyable with all the ones there. Each of us Americans gave a testimony about how our past 11 days went and the host families chimed in as well. The response on both sides was encouraging and uplifting. Can't believe my time here is almost at an end. It's 11:18PM August 12th Australia time as I'm writing this. One full day left here and then the long journey back to the USA. Goodnight.

Australia: Java and Jesus, Days 9 and 10

Woot! By the end of this post I'll be finally caught up to the actual day I'm at instead of being one behind. Why is the impossible about to happen you ask? Well it's because the past two days have been a single event. There's a huge shopping/restaurant area in Chatswood not far from the meeting hall. On Thursday and Friday, vendors have stalls set up down the middle of the walkway with thousands of people passing by daily as the train station is also right next door. The Church in Sydney rented a stall for two days. What did we do? We were giving away free, yes FREE, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Our purpose for this was to use it as a way to reach out to people and let them know who we are, that we are in the area, and to introduce them to Christ.

Thursday we weren't quite sure what to expect, but it was a fun experience nonetheless. We had 2-4 people manning the drinks, 2-3 people out front announcing to the masses of the free caffeine, and a couple people on stand-by to go on supply runs. Anyone else in the morning was either on a campus or passing out flyers in the neighborhoods. I've done similar stuff like this in other church events before, but never halfway across the world. My first job was to stir and place lids on the drinks. As I did this it was fun to people watch. Many passed by going about their day, not making eye contact, and ignoring our very existence. Others noticed but kept on going. Some paused at the word "free" and would slowly walk by or keep stopping debating on whether they would take us up on our offer. The funniest one's were where two people walking together would pass by and one would want to stop and the other would drag them away. In light of all this, people did stop and they stopped often. For most of the day Thursday the breaks between where drinks weren't being made and they were I would say never lasted longer than 5 minutes max and that length of time was uncommon.

Eventually I found myself no longer stirring but out in front of the stall announcing we had free hot drinks. To help attract attention, I twirled an empty coffee cup off the tips of my fingers. That got a decent amount of extra attention. Also throughout the day, saints from the church came by and helped out which was fantastic. They were excited, involved, and a big help. And it wasn't just the young ones, but their parents and grandparents as well. Everyone was involved and I believe the people who stopped noticed that.

People moments of note. On occasion people would stop just to see who we were and would end up taking a flyer with no drink. One lady mentioned she was looking for a church, lived nearby, and would show up on Sunday (whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but was still encouraging). The look on people's faces when they received a free hot drink was that of joy, day changing you could say. My favorite was when the nearby school let out and the kids started passing by. The first wave passed on by, but with a lot of hesitation. It didn't take long for the second wave to see if we were legit. Pretty soon we had a line of 15-20 kids wanting a hot chocolate. Some noticed my Cavs hat and asked if I was a Cavaliers fan. I told them of course I was and that I'm an American from Cleveland. Some cheered being Cavs fans themselves, and some groaned. In response to the groan I would ask "You're not a Warriors fan are you?" One lad said he was a bulls fan and I let out a sigh of relief. Other's were Warriors fans and I playfully gave them a hard time. All in all, those kids day was made and they all had church invitations to give to their parents. Another guy struck up a conversation with me. He was super nice and was the first Aussie this whole time I've been here to ask me where in the States I was from because of my accent. Super cool dude and it's safe to say we made his day.

We kept the stall running to a bit after 8pm and the people kept coming the whole time. The only part of me that was tired was my legs because of all the walking I did in the morning and all the standing I did the rest of the day. Thursday was a blast.

Friday. We were slower getting set up because our power strip for the coffee and hot water was missing as well as some other things were in different cars that arrived at different times. Pretty soon we were up and running and just like Thursday, people kept stopping. There were less passersby because Thursday is payday in Australia and so they treat it sort of like how Friday is treated in the US. But we still had a similar amount of foot traffic to the stall. We also added an extra element this day as well. We added music! We had a guitar, a cajon (box drum), and our voices. This definitely helped the atmosphere and more people noticed us and some stopped to listen.

Throughout the day I rotated between making drinks, being an announcer, and singing. Each was as enjoyable as the other. not once did I feel like I was doing a job or that it was and arduous task. The saints were also back helping and supporting the church. The school kids returned and some asked if I remembered them from yesterday. Some other strangers who stopped by yesterday came back today as well. There was a guy who pulled up in a wheelchair and boy was he a fun character. He loved talking to us (well mostly Tim) and is a radio voice on a contemporary radio station. He talked with us so long, he kept ordering more drinks. It was all good though as he said he would make mention of us on his 6am show on Sunday morning.

In the two day total, we went through approximately 1300 cups so an average of 650 people a day! If you put that into perspective, that's almost 1300 people that learned of the Church in Sydney, that received an invitation, that had their day changed by a free hot drink, that may now have an opening for Christ. For the cost of the supplies, that was totally worth it. Hopefully some fruit of our efforts will show up on Sunday.

Some more Australian fun facts: If you want lemonade here you better be prepared to drink it carbonated because they don't sell it without the fizz. McDonald's tastes the same as it does in the US, and their presentation is similar, but their bun quality is much higher. It takes at least four years to get your full drivers license here! You have to work your way up through a few sets of restricted licenses before you can get your full license. That's all for now. Cheers!

Australia: The Devil Fails, God Wins, and a Beautiful View, Day 8

Fresh off a day of gospel on fire, we decided to bring Christ to a third campus in Sydney.  Macquarie University.  Smaller than UNSW and USYD, but still plenty of people to present the gospel to. The weather was beautiful yet again and the people were everywhere. I was paired with Anthony and we made our way to a smaller part of campus. Most of our conversations were quick, but one mattered greatly. Why? Because we prayed with a young man to receive the Lord. God is awesome.

The devil was heated because of what we were doing. As Anthony and I parted from that young man, a security guard asked us if we were lost or looking for something.  I politely told him no and we continued on our way. I could hear him following us as his keys were giving him away. We can decided to continue anyway. Then I saw a student sitting alone and we decided to preach the gospel to her. As we did so, the security guard circled the area and spied upon us through the bushes. Eventually he came over an interrupted us. He asked us if we were students and told us that what we were doing had to be done through the university website. I told him we weren't students and he asked us what we were doing and told us again to go through the website. I explained and he told us we had to stop and for a third time he told us we had to register on the website to hand out flyers and talk to students about organizations not campus related. I apologized and we headed back to our meeting point. The funny thing is that even though Anthony and I were shut down, the rest of our group wasn't approached (thankfully) and two more people received the Lord making the total count 12 salvations. Sorry devil, you lose...again.

Once we were done at Macquarie, the rest of the day was a relaxation day. We took a ferry across the harbor to Watson's Bay. As mentioned before, the weather was fantastic and I was able to stand on the open part of the bow. It felt so good to be darting across the Pacific, feeling the sun on my skin, the wind in my hair, and the salt water kiss my lips. The entire boat ride was a blast.

PC: Tim Watkins

Once we landed at our destination, we took a short hike to reach the top of the cliffs and get a gorgeous view of the ocean and the city. Even though I've seen many amazing views before, just looking upon God's handiwork still puts me in awe.

Once we had our fill of the scenery, we had to head back. During this trip I have seen Sydney up close, from the water in early afternoon, and at the dead of night, but never at sunset...until now. I probably took 10 pictures because it was so incredible to see.

Our day came to a close with dinner and the prayer meeting. I was really excited when dinner arrived because it was 30 Domino's pizzas. I love Dominos; it was a taste of home. My mouth and stomach were once again in food heaven.The funny thing was that they were larges,which are the same size as a small in the U.S. of A. I'll save that pic for the album. I've been here over a week now and it's been a week and a half since I left (1 day of travel and you jump forward a day traveling here). Time flies and waits for no one. What an experience it has been so far and I'm loving every minute of it.

Australia: There's No Lie You Won't Tear Down Coming After Me, Day 7

Why is this title so long you ask? Well it's a lyric from the song Reckless Love. Give it a listen if you haven't, it's powerful. Day 7 was a heavy gospel day and was round 2 on the USYD campus. I was paired up with Ray and we went to the part of campus where the castle-like building was that I took a picture of when we were last here. After being so discouraged with door-knocking the previous day, I felt that the Lord tore down a lot of lies while we were on the campus.

Ray and I began on one patch of grass and in 3 hours we didn't leave it. The first two people we talked to were pretty awesome Christians. One was an local and the other was a missionary from the USA doing gospel work in Sydney. That encouragement came like a flood and never stopped. The next person we talked to was a deist studying theology. The guy was very open and was so happy we talked to him. He wasn't ready to receive the Lord but he did pray that God would make himself real to him. The third person spoke little English so Ray did all the talking, but in the end this person gained Christ and Christ's salvation. The fourth person was a Muslim girl who wasn't particularly  strong in her faith. We spent awhile talking to her and as we did, saw a change in her. Just as we were about to ask her if she would like to receive Christ, she realized she had to be at a class in five minutes and took off. The seed was planted, however. The fifth was a girl who had former ties to Christianity, but left when her brother came out. We showed her John 3:16, but before we could go any further she too had to leave, but told us we had given her something to think about. We talked to about 7 more people and of those 7, we gave a Christian girl confirmation that she was saved, had a Buddhist pray that God would prove Himself to him, met another two Christians, and talked with a tour guide who had to leave, but wanted to talk to us more.

The last person we talked to for the day shocked me. Our conversation with him wasn't going so well and I thought after all the Lord had done that we were going to end on a sour note. Then a feeling deep inside me told me to stop answering questions and to go to God's Word, the Bible. We showed him John 3:16 and took him through the Roman's Road. By the end of our conversation, he prayed as two others had that day that God would prove Himself to him. My soul was happy and my spirit soaring. Not one single person we talked to rejected us talking to them, 3 prayed for Truth to be revealed, and one was saved. As a group, four total received Christ through our going out and as of day seven, nine have received salvation here in Sydney.

Like most other days, there was still one more thing for us to do. We all made our way over to Yu-lin's house where we were joined by a handful of University students. And for the first time since we've been here, all the Aussies who visited the US were in one place. Chris, Elsa, Nelson, Christine, Vasya, Angela, and finally Hannah. We spent the evening eating more delicious food and singing the night away.

"There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
No lie You won't tear down
Coming after me"

Australia: The Gospel Must Go Out, Day 6

I could barely eat all the food Nelson's mom was feeding us for breakfast because I was recovering from the previous night. But it was fine because I had a long day of walking to burn it all off.

Our first quest for the day was to distribute church invites throughout the neighborhood by the meeting hall. I've always enjoyed doing this especially when the weather is good. I love walking through new neighborhoods and seeing the picture-esque houses and the cute mailboxes that I'm allowed to drop invitations into. I enjoy walking the hilly streets, seeing the blue sky above and the houses on the hills in the distance. Plus it's a perfect opportunity  to pray and spend time with the Lord. This combination of things made time fly rather quickly.

We reconvened at the meeting hall to eat lunch and prepare for the afternoon. During this time, Ray and Anthony disappeared into the fellowship room to eat something from their secret stash. This drew the ire of curious souls who pondered what the delectable treat might be (turned out to be mint chocolate Tim-Tams which were shared the next day).

For the second half of the day, we went door-knocking. That was an interesting experience.  Pretty much every door that answered rejected us. But unlike the US, many wished us luck and said goodbye as if they were happy to have us. One guy in particular gave me a good laugh. I asked him if he would like to come to church on Sunday and in the thickest Australian  accent, he said something along the lines that he couldn't get to the bus because he couldn't make it past his gate and he was stuck there. Then he said "Better luck next time!" And shut the door. I felt like I had just lost a game.

Now that my feet were dead, it was time to travel even further. We took a train to Epping. Nelson picked up half our group and drove them to the house we were headed to. The rest of us took a bus. It was a long bus ride, actually too long because we missed our stop by four stops. We left the bus and called Yu-lin. He and Nelson came to rescue the six of us standing out by the roadside where no one else was around in the dark. We were easy to spot since we were the only group of six Americans standing in the cold. Once we were "rescued" and had made it to the house, we were greeted by a lot of friendly faces and the scent of good food.

We had the privilege of meeting more of the Chinese speaking saints and were welcomed by their gracious hospitality. One of the little girls we entertained during the YP meeting Saturday night was there and she had my name down pat. She's a cutie. After dinner we sang some songs in English and Chinese and then swapped testimonies of things the Lord was doing in our lives. It was a great encouragement. As the night wound down, we Americans and a few Aussies crowded around the piano and began a jam session with some of our Christian songs. The saints who were still there sat and enjoyed the singing and some took video and shared it with other saints who weren't there.

That wraps up day 6. I didn't really take many pics this day so here's the pic of a magpie that stared me down realizing I wasn't from around these parts.

Australia: The Fellowship and the Sights, Day 5

Sunday rolled around and what was supposed to be a more relaxing day turned out to be a action packed one. We started off with breakfast at the meeting hall where it felt like a mini Jubilee meeting. What that means is in Cleveland on the first Sunday of every month, all the metro churches gather for one big meeting and we have breakfast together. There was a lot of delicious homemade food and what I didn't yet realize was that this was only the beginning.

Next came the meeting where we shared the Lord's table, sang some wonderful hymns, and enjoyed the Lord together. Then, during the second half, all of us from America shared our testimonies with the saints here (I found out tonight that some were moved to tears by our coming and sharing). It is truly something spectacular to experience Christ in another country. Once the meeting concluded, lunch was prepared by the saints and oh my goodness was there a lot of delectable dishes. During this time I met some people and talked with them about the differences in Australia and the USA. I also met Vasya's mom and was also the first time I saw Vasya since arriving here in the South Pacific (she was one of the one's who came to the US back in December of 2015). 

Around 2pm, Raymond, us Americans, and 12 or so other young people left the meeting hall and made our way to Manly Beach. It was over an hour travel, but I didn't mind as we took a ferry across the ocean. Arriving at Manly was a sight. There were throngs of people, stores as far as the eye could see, and a long walkway between it all. Our main destination was the beach, but we had to make an ice cream detour first.

The beach, when we finally made it, didn't disappoint. The sand was soft and cool, the Pacific waves kissed the shore, and the setting sun made for a picturesque view. There was a nice section of beach that was clear of people, so naturally us Americans busted out the Frisbee and began throwing. We attracted a small crowd of onlookers from the wall. Eventually we started an actual game and as we were flying high and diving low, all the locals sitting on the beach wall were engrossed in our fun. We could hear them ooh and ahh at incredible plays and the sound of disappointment at failed ones. Doing something I love (Frisbee) on an Australian beach as the sun set made it a whole lot sweeter. 

Unfortunately, time was not on our side and we had to leave. I wish I could've stayed and explored more, but that's for another time. We rushed our way back to the ferry, which ended up arriving 15 minutes late, but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. When we boarded, I managed to get on the upper deck by the bow. I could smell the sea and feel the night breeze blowing through my hair. But what was truly magical was the ride back. Seeing the city of Sydney lit up at night filled me with mirth. The closer we got, the more alive I felt. This place is really beautiful.

When we had landed, it seemed like the night might be drawing to a close, but I was in for one last surprise. Dinner was to be handled by each person's hospitality as a way to spend quality time with them. Nelson's parents took us to a Brazilian BBQ. Now I've had Mongolian BBQ and Korean BBQ, but never Brazilian BBQ. Let's just say I had been missing out for too long. It was an all you can eat style meal where the servers came back and forth to your table with a different stack of meat each time on a large spear, fresh off the grill. And it wasn't the low quality kind either. That night I consumed Beef: Flank, Ribs, Rump, Tri Tip; Pork: Belly, Sausage, Chorizo, Scotch Pork; Chicken: Thigh and Wings; Lamb: Rump and Ribs, and more I quite can't recall. But it was cooked, braised, smoked, and seasoned to perfection. Remember a few posts ago where I mentioned Nelson "forgot" he was feeding Americans? Well he out-ate me that night in an impressive feat. My mouth is watering recalling that delicious excursion. I'm very afraid to see what the scale will say when I get home. 

Goodnight from the South Pacific.

Australia: Walking Life's Path and New Friends, Day 4

I decided I'm going to add a phrase for each post because it's much more colorful than just listing the days. Saturday morning began a little different then most other days. I was unsure of what time I had to wake up and apparently when I did I was 5 minutes late. So I rushed through breakfast, and our driver, Nelson's mom, was flying all over the house trying to get everyone out the door. Then we flew down the streets to get to the train station and boy what a crazy car ride that was. Once we arrived the train was docking and the trains here wait for no one. Because of this, me, Tim, and another brother ran up and down a flight of stairs to board the train on time. This was way too much physical activity before 8AM.

After a short train ride, we ended up at the Harbor Bridge. Since we were early (don't ask me how that happened), we walked onto the bridge and took a bunch of scenic pictures. The view is breathtaking. "I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams,"~Red: The Shawshank Redemption. This is the first time I've seen the Pacific and I can say Red would be pleased. As 8:30am rolled around, we headed back to the train station to meet up with the rest of the group. So what exactly were we doing this beautiful, sunny, morning? A group of saints does a 10k walk in Sydney. This isn't any normal walk, however. The terrain changes, the location changes and the scenes are stunning. We started beneath the Harbor Bridge, which took us a while to get going due to all the photos being taken. Then we followed a public trail alongside the Pacific. We passed by many exotic plants I don't see often or ever in the US. At one point we came upon a park with these massive palm trees. Ray took this as a good opportunity to take out his Frisbee. While everyone else was taking a break, a handful of us were throwing the disc. Beautiful day for it too.

We continued the journey and eventually wandered through the rich neighborhood where the houses were over a million dollars to own. It was a nice thing to see, but I was glad when we ended up on a narrow trail with the ocean on our right and the Australian Bush on our left. Our walk took us by view after view and my goodness they were breathtaking.

I was so relaxed and happy to enjoy this journey. Our travels led us to an overlook point where you could climb down the rocks onto an old lighthouse and a view that engulfed a large portion of the harbor. All the Americans and a few Aussie's climbed down the rocks to get close to the ocean. Ray went the farthest as he scaled the walkway to the edge of the lighthouse. I thought we had reached our end, but we still had a bit to go. Our trekking took us on a jungle like path where a wild bush turkey appeared. The birds here are in higher variety than what they are back home. Yes they're louder, but they're bigger and prettier. Finally after such an enjoyable walk we made it to the end where we hopped on a ferry and took it straight across the harbor. This gave us an awesome view of the Harbor Bridge, the skyline, and the Opera House. I've always enjoyed riding sea vessels and when you add in spectacular views, that takes the cake.

Lunch was had in one of Sydney's busiest shopping areas and it was Japanse Ramen. Remember how I said I'm fed well here? It gets better and better. After slurping down a massive bowl of noodles, we took public transportation back to Yu-lin's house. Even after we had walked all day, we were now going to pass out flyers. The nice thing about doing that here is that your are allowed to put them in the the mailboxes which allows you to cover more ground in a faster time. However, a good number have "No Junk Mail" stickers on them so unfortunately those were off limits. 

The last event for the day was a YP meeting and BBQ at Yu-lin's house. Now when I say BBQ, it was more than a standard BBQ that I was expecting. First there was sausage. Then came chicken. Then lamb. Yes you read that right. Then kebabs. Then prawns. Then steak. It just didn't stop. But I wasn't complaining. Before the YP meeting, some of the younger kids took a liking to us, especially Tim, Anthony, and I. They attacked us with pillows, laughed at our jokes, and basically never left us alone. During the meeting, we taught the young people some songs from Junior High Camp and Mountain Top. I'd say they liked them. Ray, Naomi, Jenny, and I each gave them a simple testimony about why we came. It was a privilege to experience a YP meeting on this side of the world and seeing the great group of kids they have here as well. That's all for day four, come back for day five because it was incredible.