Day 360

portland state university was, in my mind, much like any other school i think i've seen. there was the mix of west coast hipsters and hippies and then everyone else you'd expect to see except for the bunch of school-prided athletes since there aren't many standard sports here due to being a commuter school. there's a good chance, though, that a forty year old student will be in some random class with you even though they've long given up hope on making the tennis team. but there's a bowling alley and a stylish graphics and video computer lab and one of those likable beat up pianos in the commons. portland state university.

my friend sarah humored my curiosity and gave me a tour of the campus. that's how i came to learn these things and for whatever reason i had to get that place out of my system. i guess i've long given up on trying too hard to figure out everything at once. no forced reactions. hopefully that's been noticeable through these daily updates. by the way we're only five days away. i'm kind of counting down at this point.

but the timing and development of faith and trust thus far has pulled together many perspectives and long term hopes into a concentrated sense of standards and desires and has also, most importantly, reduced the stress by intentionally limiting things like the 'ten years from now' questions. all this helps stoke discernment for the places that may or may not be attractive in my mind. regardless i'll be returning to illinois in less than a month (there, i said it) and i'm excited to see old friends and family and to see the landscape of changed familiarity.

most of all i'm eager to practice using these new eyes. i'm eager to speak with this new soul. i'm eager to hear from my friends' about their lives and adventures and semesters and relationships. i've got a cluster of joy and hope and love and experience and friendship and new awarenesses inside to share as well.

so as psu students are buckling down for the last couple weeks i'm excluded and have no college finals to study for. but i'm trying harder to pay attention to things. i'm keeping an eye out for possible connections and in some conclusive way maybe the next couple weeks will be a kind of final review to go with the season.

tonight was a sweet combination to these thoughts and desires. i'd mentioned that the imago dei church had replaced all non-sunday activities with a wednesday night prayer meeting. a few of us went and the place was packed and i'm glad i could be part of it.


hey and by the way thanks again for reading this silly blog for so long.