pt 1

Well we're in...almost, still a trip or two in the car to get every last bit. Should be done tonight or tomorrow.

Am sorry I can't do the video tour yet. The cable guy came yesterday and installed stuff, but for one reason or another I can't get the internet to work, so until he comes back I'm out of luck. As soon as I can wi-fi up in here you will get the video tour.

Otherwise it's starting to feel like home. Still a lot of work to do and a lot of unpacking to do, but hopefully by tomorrow things should be more or less settled...

Stay tuned for more.

andrew+seely moving house

In case you are late to the party, I'm moving. Just signed the lease tonight, looks like we'll get keys tomorrow. And moving starts tomorrow and sat. I'll have more info soon, including a video tour and deets about a housewarming party.

Still lots to do.

andrew+seely moving house

25 Things About Me You May or May Not Know About Me Meme
(I almost NEVER do memes but I owed someone)

Rules:
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, thoughts, or goals about you. At the end, choose people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. (I am not tagging people here, but will tag people on facebook. Just re-posting it here)

(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

Sarah Atwood tagged me and I didn't respond last time she tagged me for something so I owe her.

1 I am adopted. (explains why I identify myself as a "twinkie" (yellow on the outside, white in the middle)).

2 In kindergarten I broken some lincoln logs making a makeshift catapult, and had to replace them with pieces from home. Side note: it made them fly far!!!

3 I really enjoy pistachio ice cream (preferably without nuts, though harder to find).

4 One time after ending a job I created my own drink. It's called "A Pink Slip" one part malibu rum, one part pineapple juice, a splash of grenadine, and a lime. Ummm tasty!!

5 My favorite video game of all time is the 1983 stand-up Star Wars game. Fun fact it was the first game to use actual MIDI sounds from a movie.

6 I do not currently have dental or health care. It scares me a little.

7 I really enjoy reading. Though lately I haven't read much.

8 I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

9 I miss having a dog.

10 The last time I had an oil change was over 5000 miles ago. (need to fix that one)

11 I like acting and improv, but don't think I will ever actively pursue it. If someone walks up to me and offers me a role that would be great. (or a friend)

12 The book "the giving tree" makes me cry every time.

13 At work my desk is clean and organized, at home my room is a mess.

14 I believe in true love.

15 Someday I will write a book.

16 One of my favorite quotes is from "Fellowship of the Ring" it goes "Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise."

17 Sometimes I don't like twitter (wow, this turned into a confession).

18 Not the biggest fan of dessert. Don't really have a sweet tooth. (not to say I don't fully appreciate it when I have it, and I do get cravings).

19 My favorite movie of all time is Doctor Zhivago.

20 Am not perfect, nor do I ever claim to be. And if I ever do - kick me.

21 London is one of my favorite cities in the world. I'm itching to go back, it's been 9 years... and I still think about it.

22 I love cooking, but I'd never want to do it as a profession.

23 THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID

24 I still don't like memes.

25 I still pick my nose. It's just easier.

andrew+seely facts meme

As I write this from the seat of a charter bus on the way to Forest Home for Middle School Winter Camp.

It's been a busy last two weeks, basically traveling non-stop these past two weeks. If I correctly calculate it, since I left my house around 11:30p on Tues Jan 6th, at this point I have spent only 6 hours or so at my own home.

I am tired, fatigued, exhausted, drained. By the grace of God I will find the energy to devote to these students this weekend. I desire rest. I desire sabbath. I desire to seek God.

After a week at a convention moving straight to a week of ministry with college students then to a long weekend of ministry to middle school students, I am at the end of who I am.

I am planning on seeking silence and quiet. I am planning on finding joy in the students and their lives. I hope I can give back to them as much as I want to. I pray that I will not fall prey to irritability and weariness. I hope I can give them life and strength. I hope I can help them draw even the slightest bit closer to finding the God that surrounds them and holds them.

Please be with me in prayer. For all the students who will be at camp this week and all of us who have been entrusted to look after them.

winter+camp forest+home andrew+seely personal the+now

I'm not really sure what it was about this article, I think mainly it was the simplicity of the photos.

A lot of these photos are truly stunning and beautiful. Sometimes I forget that Christmas happens in other places in the world. I think my favorite of the bunch is the woman in china (10th one down). With special mention to #s 5, 22, 29 in no particular order.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

photos photography christmas

New Ghetto Blog

andrew+seely ghetto+blog blog humor

In case you don't follow me on twitter or facebook or continually stalk me.

I'm in vegas this week for work, covering CES the consumer electronics show. One of the largest trade shows in the country.

This marks my 2nd time in vegas. And I'm still not impressed. I just kinda don't enjoy this city. Yes all the lights can be alluring and I do like to play poker, but I can do anything that I would want to do here at home... So no whoop for me.

It's been a busy past few days and I'm already bushed tired and could sleep for a week straight. I'm really glad I'm headed to Mammoth when I get home for a week of snowboarding which while physically intense, will be completely relaxing for me and will allow for some decompression time and a simpler lifestyle. So that's that. Just a quick update. Hopefully next week I'll get some time to write about something other than me gallivanting around my rockstar life.

Hope you are well. If you haven't seen below were two more substantial posts, that need comment love.

andrew+seely personal work vegas CES

I've realized that over the years working in youth ministry I had developed a propensity towards forming friendships with younger people. I mean like, real meaningful friendships.

I think it stems from the fact that there was always a barrier of ministry in between me and people who were younger than I. Especially in a ministry context you can't get too attached. It's just part of the rules. You want to be involved but you can never get too involved.

It wasn't until recently and outside the youth ministry sphere that I really started embracing friendships that were with younger people. I don't think I really excluded younger people on purpose, but more because that's what I had been used to.

At this point I'm sorry I've missed out on the richness that these relationships have brought recently. Or maybe I'm finally at a place in my life where I'm ready to fully embrace them and reap the benefits.

There are definitely days where I really miss full time ministry and yet there are more and more days when I question if ministry is the place where I am supposed to be. I am still in a place of questioning. I still feel "unsettled".

Is it just the fact that more and more of my "peers" seem to be settling down in their lives... both in relationships and "careers" and they have some sense of normalcy (at least in my mind)?

I long for some regularity in my life. Yes things are exciting and ever changing. But there's the part of me that just wants to come home to someone and be able to know what's around the corner. Yes I'll never fully know what's around the corner. Though there's times now where I don't feel like I have a plan. Maybe it's naive of me to want to wait to start to plan with someone, but that's where I am. I'm tired of going at it alone.

Well I guess this post has devolved from one thing to another.

Though when I think about it more, now, I guess part of my starting to have relationships with younger people is that it feels similar to the place I am in.

I can't fully share in the lives of people with babies. I don't have one. I can't fully share in the lives of those who are married and/or engaged. I am not there.

I can be there to support these friends and I can be there with them, but I cannot fully share it with them. And they in many ways cannot share it with me. I deeply value these friends and do not want to lose them. In many ways I envy them. And I'm sure there is an argument that they in many ways envy me. Yet from my perspective it is in hindsight for them.

Where does this lead me? Not really sure. I'm wondering how my current relationships are going to change... and how my newer relationships are going to grow. I'm in a new territory when it comes to the state of my life. Seems like there are a lot of changes on the horizon for me. From my living situation to the ongoing changes at work. We'll see where it all ends up.

I'm ready for what lies ahead. Yet, I'm not quite sure what that is. And that scares me a little.

andrew+seely thoughts personal