Let the Good Times Roll

Golly gee it has been a while since I’ve updated my audience about the life of yours truly. Where I’m at, where I’m going, … my favorite Starbucks drink, etc.

My life in a nutshell: church, working full time, full time student, gym and some chill time with friends fits in there somewhere.

Church is going well. Our Deacon, Jim Broyles, has said on more than one occasion, “I cannot express how much I have been blessed because of you all at the Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church.” I wholeheartedly agree with Jim. Oh how refreshing it is to have fellowship with likeminded believers! Week after week they are there for me – I do my best to do the same. Pastor Fry’s sermons are as rich as ever, filled with the sound exposition of Scripture. I’m still taking the junior high class through the book of Romans, which means: the gospel. One of our favorite hymns (along with many Reformed Baptists) about the local church body is “How Sweet and Aweful is the Place” by Isaac Watts. Here is the first verse:

“How sweet and aweful is the place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores!”

Good stuff =)

Between American Family and Starbucks I’m working around 45-50 hours a week. But it has been a very growing experience for me. In fact, I feel like a real man. It feels good to work hard. My schedule isn’t as predictable as it was pre-Starbucks. On top of working mid-afternoons for AmFam I now open and close during weekdays, and work weekends. This has forced me to learn to spend my free time wisely. And I am soo much more productive during that time.

Finally, I’m getting the hang of my job at Starbucks. Got all the drinks down. With Fall and Winter right around the corner, I’m diligently trying to increase my speed in making hot drinks. Steaming milk is the key =). Which brings me to my favorite Starbucks beverage: an iced single venti non-fat light ice tazo chai tea latte. It’s basically a chai latte with a shot of espresso. The official nickname for this modification is a “dirty chai,” or at my store: a “Casey.”

Skewl is insane, but doable. Homework doesn’t appear to be a struggle this semester. I’m just ready to be done =).

The gym – I’m having to work hard to maintain my body fat percentage while at the same time increasing muscle mass. It’s a challenge. But I handle these kinds of challenges well. John and I are still pumping some serious iron. I’m enjoying seeing results from a year’s hard work. It’s addicting folks, no two ways about it.

Life at the apartment is fantastic. We have our big screen TV, our sound system, much of our furniture – though we still have posters/pictures to hang up. I went and bought some movies last night: Ferris Bueler’s Day Off, The Princess Bride, and the original-as-seen-in-theaters version of Starwars: IV-VI. Scott and I are having a blast.

These days I’m chillaxin with the same ol’ crew (you know who you are), as well as some of the Bucks crew.

Reformation Day is just around the corner, and I am pleased to report that my costume is nearly ready to go! If anyone remembers from last year, I wanted to be Harry Potter in his Quidditch uniform, but couldn’t pull it off. The robes, the sweater and the pads had to be custom made. So yea, just wouldn’t’ve (“wouldn’t’ve” = “wound not have” … don’t you love how I just make up new contractions???) worked. This year I have my sweater, and the robe and pads being custom-made. w00t! I will be hosting a costume party, so let me know if you’d like to come =).

Anyone else excited for Christmas?! I’ve decided to go all-out in decorating.

I’m still studying the KJV Only Issue, Justification, the Trinity, and will be delving into Church History soon.

God has been very merciful to me.

Dba dba dba dba and that’s all folks!

Rusty