Bye Bye, Bowden

Today, our football coach got fired. Now. For those of you who have not attended Clemson University, I will tell you this. When the word got around the school cafeteria today, it was very much like finding out George W. Bush was getting fired.

Everyone’s facebook status has something along the lines of ”Yay! No more Tommy Bowden!”

It sort of bugs me cause he’s been coaching SO LONG. Only two other coaches have worked in the ACC as long as he has. I think his feelings are probably hurt really bad. And his family is probably so embarassed. I think it’s mean to be all happy about this– even if he wasn’t really doing the best job anymore. But whatever. That’s just me. lol

P.S. I hope no one made t-shirts for the Bowden Bowl this year. >.<

P.S.S. I just found out that he resigned and was not fired. But still.

My Life as a Wannabe Campus Pastor Part II

Last night a student asked me what it was like being on Chi Alpha Staff. I thought about it for a minute and replied, “Well, most of it is doing things you really don’t want to do, but as soon as you do, you’re happier than ever that you did.”

Today, as I was doing some random chores at our building, I ran across the perfect example:

Hope this one works.

 Still haven’t quite gotten the smell out of the bathroom…Joe thinks that maybe the ductape they used to block the leak may be soaked with tee. *Shrug* But that’s not the point.

…Gosh…this is my second post in a row about pee. I don’t mean to seem preoccupied with bathroom talk– I appologize.

I had no idea…

Twins!...Almost.

…that newborn girls could squirt up pee while you’re changing them. Well that’s just great.

 Aliyah Elizabeth Holloway aka “Tinklebell” can tee like no other. And makes a great argument for girls that think they can do anything as well as boys do!!!

So Janelle, the Chi Alpha missionary I work for, had a kid last Thursday. (Yeah, that’s right. My friend made a person.) Beat that. (Well…don’t actually…unless you’re married lol.) Get this. She had the baby in 2 1/2 hours!!!! And Joe said her mascara did not even smudge!!! Here’s some pix from the day after she gave birth…

She’s really pretty…and I’m not just saying that cause she’s a baby. She actually is. Her eyes are pretty and her mouth is pretty and she has lots of dark hair.

Since the birth of this little miracle, however, Stephanie, Brandon and I have had to take the helm and sink or swim with the ministry here at Clemson. Stephanie and I are helping to introduce a guest speaker today, and I am speaking next week for the whole service!!! I think we’ll be okay. Do you think we’ll be okay? I think we’ll be okay. *Sigh* Yeah. I think we’ll be okay! Do you? Yeah.

 

 

 

 

 

My Life as a Wannabe Campus Minister Part I

Well, this time I won’t make a Duty list like I did with Applebees, cause this job really isn’t like that, but I do really wanna update the ones that wonder what in the world I’m doing up here.

…besides trying to gain back the ten pounds I lost during the summer! >.<

Really I’ve been putting all this off cause there’s just so much to write, and I don’t like making long entries. Let’s start with the people I work with for tonight.

Every morning at 9:00 a.m. I meet Joe (the boss), Stephanie (the “task-oriented” one), Brandon, and occasionally the lovely Janelle at our Chi Alpha building.

Working for Joe has been everything I expected and even better. Not too many surprises. I’m finding that technically I’ve already been working for Joe for the past 2 years as a student– it’s just that now I don’t have all that pesky school work distracting me. lol Joe is always really honest with me. I never have to wonder if I’m doing a good job cause if I’m not, I’ll immediately receive some constructive criticism. That sort of relationship makes me feel really secure so I’m happy.

Stephanie

 Well, Stephanie is also a missionary aid like me that graduated from Wintrop in May and now works for Joe. It’s actually kinda cool cause she started a chi alpha at her school and it’s still going. But I gotta be honest. When I first met her last Christmas and found out I’d be sharing Joe and Janelle with her during my internship, I didn’t feel like I’d enjoy that situation very much. Stephanie came across to me as really serious, and I was really afraid that she’d only perceive my sense of humor as immaturity– which my ego definitely cannot handle from most people. 

BUT

This semester I have learned that this girl…well…she completes me. ^_^

…No it’s true! It’s like…everything I’m bad at– she just happens to be good at! And where she tends to struggle is where I come in! We make the BEST team. I really trust her now…and am really blessed to have a new best friend. (I’ve really needed some female Clemson bffs for some time now) And she actually accepts me even when I’m being myself so I don’t even have to fake it with her which is SUCH a relief. (AAAAW!)

…okay to be honest with you, I’m at the Chi Alpha building using the internet by myself and it’s 11:30 p.m. Not that Clemson is not a super-safe community…it’s just that it’s a little quiet and weird in here. I should be getting back to the apartment. I will continue updating you on my job later. If this entry was kind of serious for you and you don’t care to hear the rest, avoid all entries called “My Life as a Wannabe Campus Minister.” Otherwise, you asked for it!

G’night. <3

Blanket Jealousy Crosses My Mind.

Sometimes I try to rotate which blankets I cuddle with so that the others don’t feel bad about themselves.

I know it's not real-- so why do I worry so?

THE STUDENTS ARE HERE!!!

Well, at least they will be in 2 hours. I have learned SO MUCH in the past week, and I’m still chasing nature out of my little house. I only have a couple hours each day to work on personal stuff around the house, so I’ve only made one curtain. I feel like I live in a glass box that everyone looks through like the zoo. GOT to get those curtains finished.

Today I went to a meeting that got me signed up as an official campus minister recognized by the university as staff. That mostly means I can park here for free and get an email address. I’ve learned alot of practical things during this week about campus ministry– like how to reserve info tables and organize events. I created a flyer and had it approved to be put in all the dorms. It has all the events we’re having for students as they’re coming in next week. I’d put it up but I think it’s on Stephanie’s flash drive still.

At 5pm today the chi alpha student leaders will get here for the leadership reunion/retreat. That’s basically our chance as a group to catch up on all our summers, get on the same page for the fall, and get motivated to go out to make as many freshman friends as possible!

There’s so much more, but I’m going to head back to the “office” to do some support raising work until my dear friends arrive.

Oh one more thing. I joined a new network that’s just like facebook except it’s Spanish. It’s called “QuePasa” and I like it. lol Here’s my ”perfil” if you wanna take a gander.

http://www.quepasa.com/qp/932240.html

Hasta proxima!

<3 Erin

Wait, wait wait! Ps! PS! As many of you know, I live in a duplex– an old house split into two seperate residences. I have not met my neighbor, but starting a few days ago I started hearing his air conditioner. (We have big loud window units) I don’t know where he parks, cause I have seen no car. I am dying with curiosity about this person that shares this house with me, though! Yesterday I was in the kitchen, and I heard singing!! You know what he was singing? A 50’s song called “Chances Are” by Bobby Vinton.

Ummm…let’s see…oh, here he is…

This guy

K. So The guy singng in the kitchen beside mine sounded exactly like this guy. But you know, the only people in this world that know this sort of thing is

1. Me.
2. People that actually lived during the 50’s.

So I don’t know. On the other hand, Michael Bubble sings frank Sinatra and he’s still young enough to charm me to pieces. I just have to know about this mystery neighbor. It’s driving me crazy. I mean, don’t worry or anything– I’m not getting my hopes up about a romantic possibility or anything. I’ll still really like this person just because he sings like that. Haha. Okay I’m really going back to the office now. Crash is here!

From a Public Computer at the Charlotte Convention Center

Hey everyone! This blog is mostly to ask a favor of my Summerville readers. Today is my spirit day at the Chick-Fil-A near Target on Main Street. That means that from 5pm-8pm tonight, 10% of the profits will go towards my support-raising to help knock out that crazy 80% I still must raise to reach my goal. It will only happen if you put your receipt in the box with my name on it, and no one will ask you to do it, so DON’T FORGET!!

For those of you that don’t know what I’m doing this school year, I am spending a year on staff with a Campus Ministry called Chi Alpha. It’s a group that reaches out to all kinds of different people. People who have grown too old for youth group and need to know what the next step is, people who have never been to church before, and want to find out what God is all about, people who have had negative experiences with churches in the past, and need to experience genuine love and friendship, and even people that just love having a great time with really fun people! <3 I could go on forever about how wonderful this program is for college students all over the nation, but it will have to wait for when I am not posting from a public computer with tons of youth waiting behind me to get on the computer. lol

I am counting on everyone’s support so that I can spend full time raising up these students to reach the campus, and to focus on loving others so they can see what God’s like. I love you all and thank you so much for your support!!

Taming the Wild Beast That is My New Home

So I walk into my new apartment, and someone’s left the windows open. I’ve spent most of today playing Snow White and cleaning out these crazy cobwebs and dead bugs that cover every square inch of my house– inside and out. Except I sang, and the animals NEVER SHOWED UP TO HELP!!! What the heck. 

What I thought would happen when I called all the animals:

What I thought would happen.

 

 

Who Showed up.

I waited too late to turn on electricity, so I didn’t have it today or yesterday. BUT

• Gas is $3.51 up here
• I am finally reunited with my favorite thrift store sofa.
• I have water, and soon I will have a shower curtain, too.
• I spent $26 at the dollar tree.

I think all those things pretty much trump all the obstacles that life without electricity have thrown my way. Tomorrow at 8 am Erica, Joe, Janelle, Josiah and I are headed to Charlotte to help with the Assemblies of God fine arts festival. I suppose you could define this event as a reunion of Christian teen-aged artists. Some of it’s cool, and some of it I don’t like. I’ll be running a chi alpha table and talking with students. That way those little tikes know there’s life after youth group! ^_^ So yay. I should have electricity by 9pm tonight. Can you believe it? I’ll be able to get groceries and stuff. You know you wish you were making a 10 o’clock Wal-mart run with me. lol

Anyway, I feel as if I’ve once again left London and entered my Narnia that is Clemson University. I must sign off for now, for I’ve left Erica sleeping on an air mattress in my apartment. I love and miss all the Summerville people! Come and see me whenever you’re in the neighborhood. And NO I DO NOT MEAN APPLEBEES!!!

Tomorrow

…is my last day at Applebees.

Also, I’m getting a haircut tomorrow. I’m hoping it makes me look prettier. Cause uglier would be bad.

At the risk of sounding very foolish indeed…

…I’ll tell you what I’m thinking about this evening.

Though it may seem that a person who is very passionate

Often wants to be much more serious than you,

There are things to love about passionate people.

For when they love you, you can be sure that your kindness thrills them.

Your rejection kills them.

And if you’re feeling very silly about feeling too much of any one emotion,

They may be the only people that will understand.

Though I would never mean to offend those who are not

I must say that I think God is one of those people.

(I could be wrong, but this is my blog, after all. And you asked for it. =P)