3-26-2008

Well, I have been here for exactly one month today, and I have been married for not too much longer than that. It has been great as I reflect back over this new season in my life. There has been much excitement and fun this past week.

I met two people randomly at a little Soda joint this week. It was a husband and wife from Rhode Island, they’re currently living in New Hampshire. They asked me if we could drink the water here. I told them that they could and then asked them where they were from and how their vacation was going. I quickly found out that they were Christians and that they were traveling around checking out different ministries. I told them that I am working in a rehab center by the cemetery. The next question they asked was a bit surprising, “are you Jared or John?” To which I replied, “Why yes, yes I am, Jared that is.” They had just met with Kim Stilwell, the president of the association that I am affiliated with here. Kim had told them a bit about me, so they knew that my wife was up there, that she is environmentally minded. They too, are environmental, his car runs on vegetable oil and he started a solar panel installing business. Obviously, with much in common (turns out that Tyler was a wrestler and a soccer player, studied physics in college, and had just shaved his beard according to the wishes of his wife, which I am afraid is in my future), we hit it off very well. I showed them around a bit and shared stories and thoughts. They are exactly the same age as Eileen and I, 24, turning 25 this April. They have been surfing for a while, so we made plans to go out the next day. I met them right after my first surfing experience ever. They were a part of my second experience, and it was great to have someone explain to me much of the surfer terminology as well as the physics. He was speaking my language. They actually stayed in my room last night as I had offered it to them because there were reservations already made at the place that they were staying. They are praying about moving down here to fit in somewhere in environmental education/ministry, or something along those lines. There is a huge need for Christians in the green movement, and Tyler used Romans 1 to reference how many have turned from the Creator to worship those things which are created.

To continue on the surfing subject, you have now heard that I had my first surfing experiences this week. I went two days ago, Monday, and got the fever. Anyone who knows me understands what I mean when I say that I got the fever. I went yesterday as well. It is intense, like, totally. My first experience was on smaller waves and a long board. I stood up my very try and found it quite easy…little did I know. It was another story completely yesterday. The waves were much bigger and, at first, I was even having troubles just staying on my board while paddling out. I have some experience with the ocean; I lived on a boat on the most tumultuous sea that I can think of: The Bering Sea. This experience proved to be valuable; standing and keeping balance once on the surfboard seems to be my strong point. It seems that gauging which waves, where on the wave, and when to stand is my difficulty right now. Yesterday I stood up on several smaller waves past the first break, but did not stand on any of the larger waves. It is certainly a challenge to say the least. This challenge along with learning more of the Spanish language, and beginning to teach Operation Timothy (a discipleship class), are offering three positive and balanced focal points of growth: physical, mental, and spiritual (not in order of importance). And yes, I am sore from abdominals, to back, to shoulders, to thighs today; surfing is a workout.

Nature reminded me of the powerful and unforgiving nature of the Ocean. A wave closed out right on top of me; listen, we are talking about a four to five meter wave. The first thing to happen was that my knees were planted into the seabed, deep into the sand. After that, I was bent over backwards and sideways so that I could internally hear the cracking of every vertebrae despite the loud crashing sound of the wave (usually when my back cracks, it happens one vertebrae at a time; not this time). My surfboard was being taken by the wave, pulling me in one direction and the rip tide is pulling me the other way (I was using the rip tide to paddle out very quickly). Realizing that it is very rare not to know what direction is up and down I was thankful that the pain left almost immediately. When I finally surfaced, I heard the yells from Tyler and his wife Maria, “Are you ok?” This struck me as very funny; I do not know why. I did not think that it would have necessarily looked that bad from the outside looking in; apparently, it did.

I still look forward to my wife coming down to visit in 11 days. I love her very much.