Cheers.

We've acquired several different types of fancy alcohol tonight since tomorrow is New Year's Eve and several of our friends are coming over to celebrate. The firepit is ready and the house is being cleaned for the whole event. I'm pretty excited for the New Year. This year has gone by so fast but for once, I really don't mind. I'm ready to put this year behind me. The beginning was painful and harsh and there were parts in the middle that felt the same way. And even though the year has ended so fantastically, I'm ready to embrace 2007.

I think this will be my last year in Tennessee. I'll probably complete one more semester at Lee, finish out my lease in this house and then move back to Seattle. I'll be able to work at a local Starbucks there and transfer my Cascadia and Lee credits to finish my bachelor's at the University of Washington. It'd be absolutely amazing to work at a Starbucks inside the U-District. And perhaps find a decent apartment there too. That would be incredible.

I've lived here more than two years now and by the time I move back, it will have been nearly three years. I think that's enough time to spend away from home to know exactly where I want to be. I've experienced enough cultural differences in the south to know that I don't belong here and I can do more for God back in Seattle than I can here. Most people will call themselves "Christian" here and if you accuse them of not believing, they'll likely deny it. Going to church and "being Christian" is part of the lifestyle here and if you don't, you're not like the rest... It's extremely difficult to plant seeds due to the pride that exists in this area. It's so strong that it's nearly smothered my faith out, which is why it would be best for me to move. In Seattle, God feels closer in a community where the majority of people are non-Christian. I love better when I don't know if the people around me go to church or not. And I truly feel God made me to love... And I don't want people to get the wrong idea. The people who live here are great, but there's definitely a difference. But if I personally cannot develop or grow or be successful for God, then I should go somewhere that I can. So that's the plan.

Anyway. I hope everyone has a great Christmas. Ours was busy, to say the least. Starbucks was busy as usual, but the tips were good. George and I had a lot of fun together and had dinner with Christy-Anne and her mom later that night. My parents had sent presents and I opened those. This Christmas was a blessed one and it was all because of family and friends. So thanks to all.

Happy New Year to you. I'll be sure to post pictures later. Lots of love.

More Good.

Lots of things have happened this week... What with Christmas and all that comes with it. There are a lot of things that are developing relationally that I would write about, but it's too personal and it would be better to save all that stuff for later anyway. It's a lot of good stuff.

Like I wrote before, George and I are working in Chattanooga on Christmas Day. We volunteered to do it, so no one can feel bad for us. This year was the first when I actually felt like Christmas was just another day. I think I've finally reached that time in my life when I'm so concerned with others things, like work and relationships, that things so commercially flavored don't feel important. At least, not right now. This isn't me being a cynic, rather I only feel like a realist. I know that in the future, when I have a family of my own, the magic of Christmas will return. Only it will be different, because the magic will come from the members of my family when their faces brighten at the sight at whatever it is they're been given. I'm not interested in receiving things anymore, only giving them when I can... Funny how we grow up, huh?

I'm extremely happy, to say the least. To say more would likely be hard to believe. To put my thoughts into words might take some time. But I'll enjoy the process and hopefully, you'll enjoy the result.

Bliss.

Clark and Kristen Campbell Slide 3.
Originally uploaded by carlybish.

I'm writing this in a state of pure bliss. There are circumstances which would have me frustrated, and in some way I am, but those feelings are taken over by the joy I have felt in the last 12 hours.

My roommates and I came up with a living system that seemed to work in the first week it was implemented. We worked out a way where all that needed to be done in the household would be assigned alternately each week. There are three jobs and they are 1) Bathroom, 2) Trash, and 3) Dishes. One of us is assigned to one of these each week. This week, it was my job to make sure trash was taken out. The person who takes out the trash also sweeps and mops the downstairs sometime before the week has lapsed.

I took the trash out and I've swept and mopped twice this week.

However.

The bathroom has not been cleaned (yet) while I give my roommate the benefit of the doubt.

The dishes have not been done by anyone but George and myself. George has taken care of more dishes than either of my roommates and the one who was assigned to do them this week has hardly touched them at all.

I sweep, I mop, I empty the trash, I load and unload the dishwasher... George and I cleaned the refridgerator, in which some contents could not be identified due to their original abandonment. I pick up, organize, and maintain a clean household without the help of my roommates.

George does more housework in our house than either of the other two who live here.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love my roommates dearly. They are my closest friends and I love living with them. But lately, the frustration has been building... So much so, that after George and I got off work last light (at midnight), I had no desire to go back to my house. For fear that I would rip someone's head off, we decided to gather some pillows and blankets from my bedroom and camp out in the back of my Montero. We laid, bundled up under a clear night sky, talking about different things--things that make us happy--and in the midst of that time together, I realized I was the happiest I'd ever been with anyone in my life.

Hence the reason for my state of bliss.

*Be sure to check out my latest Flickr photos. Pretty soon, I'm going to start making money this way.

Hi.

So much has gone on in the last two weeks. Last weekend, George and I drove six hours to southern Georgia to attend the wedding of my friend. We also visited with his family since it was along the way. After we got back, I took my last final at school, officially ending this semester at Lee. And I chose to register for next semester instead of taking it off. I feel good about that decision. I'm even taking on more classes next semester than I did this one, but I'm not stressed about it. I feel prepared to attack my education with full force.

Hazey Jane, my cat, was hit by a car but she's fine. A truck bumped her with his front tire and she darted into the woods for a few hours. We searched for her but she came back on her own. Besides a small bald spot at the base of her tail, she's perfectly alright. And hopefully she's wiser about the road.

George and I decorated my house for Christmas. It was ridiculously fun. We went out and bought a real Christmas tree--cut it down and everything! We hung lights up and then watched "Joyeux Noël," which I really loved. It was a beautiful story.

Christy-Anne got a new fire pit to replace the one that was stolen! So we're planning on more get-togethers with friends from work and small group to socialize, drink, and smoke pipes around a big fire! It can't get much better than that! Unless it snowed. If it's snowing while socializing, drinking, and smoking pipes around a big fire, then that really is much better. But I can't depend on snow, so I won't get my hopes up.

Thanks to my excellent credit, we were able to get our gas heat turned on this week. You have no idea how happy we all are about that...

George and I will be working Christmas Day at the Starbucks in Chattanooga. We get paid time and a half, plus we all split the tips from that day and I've heard you "make bank", which would help put me ahead in my bills. That night, we'll probably return home and make a Christmas dinner together with my roommates and Christy-Anne's boyfriend, Ed. I'm not terribly interested in gifts or buying them this year. I've felt guilty the last couple years for not being able to afford gifts, but this year, I don't really care. I don't think anyone I know actually cares and I'm glad. I think what we all really want is time spent together and I couldn't ask for anything more.

My birthday is next month and George has already made reservations for one of the nicest restaurants in the area. I'm pretty excited about this birthday because I'm ready to make up for the crappy one I had last year. I know this will likely be the best birthday I've had since before I moved. No gifts, except ones from the heart, and just time spent with the people here I love the most. I'll take that birthday over all the ones filled with material gifts I've ever had.

And now I have to get ready for work. So I'll try to write more later.

Tubular.

It seems that God is drawing my heart away from this place. I can feel Him tugging at me, as if warning me to stay alert and watch for His signal. If I speak metaphorically, I'd like to say I'm a surfer floating in the ocean, waiting for that perfect wave to carry me back to shore. I'm watching for it, whatever "it" may be.

I've been teetering between possibilities. I'm tempted to take a semester off from Lee so I can work more hours and do fun things in my off time. But losing that momentum really makes me hesitate because I want so badly to graduate. I'm 22 years old and approximately three or four semesters behind all my closest friends, most of whom already graduated. Haven't I wasted enough time?

My wish is to end this brief post with some kind of absolute. Either I will or I will not take a semester off. But nothing is certain right now, this moment. I'm praying and seeking. I'm watching.

And I'm waiting...