kip, would you tell grandma to come pick me up from school...

well, my trip home has been pretty miserable. i got sick pretty much right off the plane, and was too stubborn to go to the doctor until yesterday. the sad part was, i slept about 12 hours a day pretty much every day, which normally isn't too bad, except i wanted to spend that time with my dad. i really didn't want to be around him too much, because his immune system is weak and the last thing i want to do is give him strep throat. the plus side was that i didn't spend a dime, and mom got to be a mom again and kind of take care of me. i guess there's always a silver lining somewhere. oh well, i guess i'll get back on the plane tomorrow and spread it as much as i can, just to spite whoever gave it to me. cause i'm sure three nights in a row of staying up past 3am, and one all nighter last weekend def had nothing to do with me getting sick. seriously, stuff like this makes me wonder why anybody ever hired me to mentor their kids.
on another positive note, i got to see my boy 'everlast' today, which would make anybody feel better. this guy has looked like a thug since he was in 6th grade and he's been through stuff as a dealer that makes my hair stand on end, but has done a complete 180 and turned his life completely around. he's a great little brother, and great big brother to his actual siblings. anytime i ever think i have it rough everlast is one of those guys that reminds me that life is cake compared to what it could be. marital infidelities have hurt our country so much, i wish every story could have a positive turnout like everlast's, but i think the truth is evident by the fact that we all lock our car doors at night. can you imagine what our country would be like if a majority of families stuck together, instead of ending in divorce. i know this may seem tainted coming from a youth minister, but there really is a lot of wisdom to christianity that would solve so many social ills that plague our society. like i was saying about the new bad religion cd i bought a few weeks ago. our society seems to crave so desperately what end up being christian principles, but claim that christianity is so oppressive. the irony seriously makes me indecisive on whether to laugh or cry. part of me just want to hold up a sign that says 'check out the mess you've created'. but i'm not a sign guy. i guess my biggest contribution i can make is stick to my plan of abstinence, so my marriage is built on something deeper than sex, and be a loyal and trustworthy husband and father when that time comes. that's right, i am going to be responsible for my own actions, and the actions of my family. i may sound 40 right now, but i don't really care. there's something to be said for sticking to your guns. i guarantee when everlast has a family (which will probably be sooner than later) he is going to be an awesome parent and husband because he has one of the best example of what not to be. everlast may not make it the classroom, but he has more than his fair share of life experience and common sense to know how to be a man. that, and i've seen him hold little babies at church and he's a natural teddy bear, tatts and all. this guy six years ago carried around a 9mm wherever he went, and made his girlfriend do the same. now she is going to her sr. year at a very prestigious college, and he's going to serve our country in the navy. i couldn't think of another person i would rather have defending out country than everlast. when all is said and done, everlast has become a great friend over the years, and i know that he understands God's grace better than i probably ever will, and he lives his life that way. this guy has probably physically been able to beat me up since he was in 6th grade (when i was a mighty 9th grader) but would never lay a finger on a soul, unless he thought they were going to bring some type of harm to his family or mine. everlast is one of those guys who isn't the typical public speaker, but i guarantee i am flying him down for retreats in the near future to share his story. i think my kids would be blessed to know him. i am. and to top off the good news about everlast, one of his first stops in the navy is not too far from simi valley, and he's going to be on a shift where he gets three days off at a time. yeah, the kids are going to get to know him real well. at the very least, i'll get to spend some time with him. i can't wait for the days of laughter.
so some other sidenotes about being sick. 1. not having health insurance is pretty lame. $104 to see the doctor yesterday for a ten minute appointment, but i did get a jprescription for some pills ($29.99) that do have me feeling better. 2. the pills i got for a swollen throat have to be the largest pills i have ever swallowed, and they don't even have a smooth coating to help them go down easier. i guess you know you're fine when it's not a pain trying to take the pills anymore. there's some wicked medical irony there. 3. no matter how much of a grown man you are, when you are sick at home you may as well be twelve. mom makes soup and gives you blankets to keep warm while you watch entirely too much tv. 4. you always look like like crap. i spent a whole summer in san diego and im about as tan as a marilyn manson fan. i lost several pounds too, which is kinda awkward because i'm going to buy some new clothes next week and there's a good likeliness they're gonna be pretty small by the end of the month. oh well, just another excuse to work out and exercise and all. and finally 5. almost every sickness can be avoided. i should have never worn my body down last week w/o expecting the repercussions. i did this in college during finals week several times and i should have remembered the lessons i've learned. sleep is necessary, and so is some decent food every once in a while to keep the body running itself properly. seriously, how did i ever graduate?
well, it's too late in the night to be talking about sleep, time to take some action. one love, one heart.