Quick Update: Independence Day...

Where I promise to start typing up my reflections upon my past 5 weeks, where I talk about the meaning of independance and freedom, and where I explain the week I have ahead of me...

Sean where the heck have you been?!

     Okay okay, so I know it's been a long time since I last posted. There are reasons for this. First, is that I had exactly one day at home from Europe before I was off again to Hartford, CT where I volunteered fro the week at Heads Up Hartford!, a diversity camp for urban and suburban youths. Jayson Seaman, one of my Outdoor Education professors at UNH, really pushed for me to help out there, and I am so glad that I was able to do so. It was truly a blessed experience, with a whole lot of love flowing from that place. I have made friends for a lifetime. Check out their website: http://headsuphartford.org/
   [Side Note: They abbreviate it HUH!.... I cannot wait until I can help design and implement the first Heads Up Boston!... Yup.... HUB!... How poetically and savagely apt is that?!]

      So that's where I've been, helping out there, and then for the past two point five days I've been slowly moving into my place in Newmarket, NH, and catching up with old friends, new enemies, and some lukewarm acquaintences. Just kidding about the enemies and acquaintences. (That word is harder to type/spell than I expected...)

So, what about them updates you promised us?

   Yeah, about them. Here's the list of things I need to reflect upon, with "sub-reflections" below:

1. 5 day backpacking trip with my KIN 550 class and Randy Pierce
1. Reflection on Hiking in the Whites at a slow pace
2. Reflection on what true Leadership is
3. Culture/sub-culture and response to "leadership"
4. Filling a leadership "void"
5. Blind hiking, with guide dog and with human help
6. Differing of perspective
7. Outdoors
2. 3 weeks in Europe
1. Alcohol and God
2. Teddie
3. How Guinness is Made
4. Places to see
5. "Favorites"
6. Run-down of the trip
7. Where did God show up for me?
8. Trusting in God to provide
9. If I could go again, what would I do different?
10. Advice
11. Video Blog updates!
12. Pictures!
3. Week in Heads Up Hartford
1. What IS it?
2. Reflections on Spirituality/faith/religion discussions
3. What was MY purpose there?
4. How did I see God moving?
5. What is the hope for the future?
6. Who are some of the major characters from that camp?
4. What next?
1. God Providing financially
2. Stepping out in faith (God WILL and DOES provide!... Don't wait!)
3. Family Vacation (Old Orchard Beach, the importance of family!)
4. Canvassing for Public Outreach and Non-profits (How do I feel about this?)
5. Tips about canvassers (Things to arm yourself with)
6. How to donate well to non-profits (Such a pet peeve of mine)
7. Woodworking (Music Boxes, anyone?)
8. Audio recording studio etc. etc. (So many possibilities)
9. EMT Basic exam, and volunteering (Gonna get it, and Dang!)
10. Guiding a Scout Trek (Outdoor adventure guiding!)
11. Catfro Printing! (T-shirts baby!)
12. InterVarsity Staff fundraising (assuming I get appointed!)
13. Student Volunteer Action Coordinators (Or something... more to come on this)
14. Challenge Course Facilitation?
15. Living environmentally Friendly
16. Theological Questions Pursued

So, as you can see, I have a veritable list of things I want to blog about. And I think the art of blogging is going to be one that I slowly work out over time. Some of my posts will be clunkers and hard to get through. Some of my writing will be so on the point and inspired that it leaves you happy and thinking. That's my goal, that last part.

But I think most of all, I want to be working to a point where I am doing things that I can invite others to parttake in. I recently had a friend from High School tell me that he woke up feeling as if he should quit his job and join me in whatever I am doing.

I quickly remedied the situation by getting into a conversation about why he felt that need. What he said was that he wanted to be helping people, and that he felt he had something else missing. I talked to him a week later, after suggesting he check out Church and maybe volunteering (because in truth, I had nothing for him to join!), and he said that being at church filled a hole he had been needing to get filled for a while, and that he was going to be a volunteer baseball coach.

I think that's really cool, for him to come to God in that way, and from his situation in life.

I also think that's really scary, for someone to want to quit and "follow me"... I immediately thought "No, not me! Jesus! whao whao!" And it also made me wonder "Sean, what are you doing with your life that you can't invite others to do the same? Get with it!"

I'll be working that out for a while. But I have some plans and thoughts in my head. We'll see what God wants.

Okay, gotta sleep because I train in the morning to canvass. I may be able to get some reflection in about the past few weeks. I promise regular updates as much as I can now. Because, well, I have regular interwebs connection.

God bless, stay true, and if you're looking for things to pray about, start with all of your close friends and family, and not the typical "God keep them safe", but "God move in their hearts to bring them closer to you, and open their eyes to where You want them to go in their lives". God-led lives.

Maybe that reads like Christianese or mumbo jumbo or religious "BS" to you. If so, lemme know. Let's talk it out.

Love and respect,

~Sean-a-pot-a-mus