200th Post!

Happy New Year!!

My Favorite Year

Sitting around today with my parents, watching 3 episodes of MASH of course, I began to realize that, except the second week of December, 2008 has been my favorite year ever.

Here's why.

Music: It was an unbelievable year for new rock music. Fleet Foxes, Cold War Kids, Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams, TV on the Radio, Blitzen Trapper, Death Cab for Cutie, Guns N' Roses, Bob Dylan all top my list for the year. But the prize has to go to the return of the metal militia...Metallica is back baby! AND I got to see them this year. On a personal note, I came to realize this year that I'm a pretty dang good songwriter.

Movies: This year brought us Iron Man, an actually good Hulk movie and, of course, The Dark Knight, the greatest super hero movie ever made and my favorite movie of all time.

Education: After a little hiccup, I actually had the best and most educational year I've ever had at St. Paul this year. Thanks to Drs. Douglas Powe, Harold Washington and Robert Martin for giving us even a little glimpse into your intellect and passion.

I got to be in my bro-bro Mustoe's wedding.

My cousins, Nate and Matt, got engaged and my cousins, Amanda and Brad, had a beautiful baby girl.

I preached at Missouri United Methodist Church, a place that's very special to my family, IN FRONT OF MY FAMILY. And then spent the week with the whole Bryan clan. At the service, we all were blessed by being involved in the baptism of my nephew Braeden.

I realized I might be actually good at tennis.

After the break-in, I was overwhelmed to discover just how surrounded and cared for I am by the people in my life. And, just how much my congregation does actually love and care for me.

I had most of my clothes, my computer, my iPod and my acoustic guitars with me at the time of the break in. And, except for the drumset and electric guitar, every playable instrument has already been replaced by friends.

I made and strengthened relationships with amazing, incredible people, from NE, KS and IA all the way to the UK. I don't dare attempt to list the names of the people who have touched my heart and made my life so full this year, but thank you all.

Remember when we elected Barack Hussein Obama President of the United States? That was awesome!

And, most of all, I asked the most beautiful and amazing and caring and loving and laughing person to be my wife...on top of a Rocky mountain! I have never in my life smiled like I did when I asked her. She told me that, but she didn't need to 'cause I could feel it myself. Vee, I am so proud, so happy, so freed, so complete, so lucky to have you in my life and to be blessed by being in yours.

So, yeah. Not a bad year. Although, 2009 doesn't look to shabby either. Have you seen that Wolverine trailer?

Peace, B

ps: oh yeah, and the whole graduation, commissioning, marriage thing...but, my God, Wolverine's coming in May!!!

Newsworthy/Outpouring

I know it's not the Kansas City Star or the United Methodist Reporter, Andy, but my recent...um...happenings made the Saint Joseph News-Press this Sunday morning.



http://www.stjoenews.net/news/2008/dec/21/ministry-goes-two-ways/





Also, the outpouring of support continues:

Mandolin from a congregant.

Ukelele and lap dulcimer and stack 'o movies from our friend Paul.

Keyboard promised from Dad's church.

And Lindsey, love of my life, got me a new djembe (hand drum) for Christmas.

These gifts and a sizable financial gift from my church AND several from individuals have been a wonderful overwhelming blessing.



I am surrounded by amazing people.

Community

This week I experienced community, in its true form, its purest state. I was and am overwhelmed by the power of community.

Tuesday evening at 7:30, I was on the 5th page of 15 pages on my last paper of my second to last semester of seminary ever. I had reached that first point in writing on a roll. I was picking up speed and could see my way to the end, and I was proud of my work. Then my landlord called.

My neighbor had called my landlord and told her my backdoor was standing open and all my lights were on. I gave my landlord permission to go in. She sent her husband and he called me back. Yes, my door was open. Yes, my lights were on.

I didn't really care that much until he said, "Did you have a drumset?"

My house had been robbed. The phrase broken-in-to implies that something was broken. But it was not. There are two doors on the back of my building: one downstairs that leads to the laundry downstairs and to my apartment upstairs, where the second door is. Sometimes, I don't lock that second door after taking the dog outside, since the back door is supposed to be locked and only the people from the building have the key. So, robbed is the right word. They were there for awhile, and took some strange things.

I was stuck in KC. I was on the phone with the police and the bank, my friends were frantically looking up professors' home and cell phone numbers, and Lindsey was on the phone with her mom and my parents. I paced. I was put on hold by the bank and "Roll to Me" was the song they chose to play. First of all, this is a horrible song, the opposite of rock and roll. Second of all, it starts with the words "Look around your world pretty baby, Is it everything you hoped it would be?" I'm calling the fraud division of my bank to put a hold on my account because someone just stole my check book. NO! Stupid, my world is NOT everything I hoped it would be.

I was frantic. My friends were frantic and did not know what to do or how to do it. (Even though they did exactly what I needed them too). My friends in class found out on facebook and wanted to do something but couldn't. They offered to go with me to Saint Joseph. I went to Lindsey first.

I wanted to be there. I couldn't think beyond that point. I couldn't think about my final papers and project still due, couldn't think about getting Lindsey to the airport in the morning. I just needed to be there. So, we drove and our friend Justin met us there.

I had to be there, but I shouldn't have gone. DVDs, DVD shelves, DVD player, Stereo, one Pioneer speaker, Bart Simpson talking doll, air matress pump (not air matress), 30 tshirts, long sleeve tshirts, dress shoes, dress shirts, all my ties but one, blazers, polos. Gifts from Lindsey: rain stick, wooden African xylophone, antique hammer dulcimer, castenets, turle shaped guiro, mandolin, ukelele, antique metal djembe. Other instruments: electric guitar, amp (gifts from my parents), keyboard, both of my other djembes, and one six-piece, cherry red, Pearl Stage Custom drumset, with Zyljian KZ high hat cymbals and Sabian crash and ride. They took my drums.

They looked on a top shelf in the closet, brought down a box marked "Children's Nativity Set", didn't stop to think about looking inside, and took the present I bought for Lindsey for Christmas.

They looked on my desk, saw the plaque that reads "Do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the ways you can..." and picked up the air matress pump that was plugged in next to it.

They took my drums.

We made a police report. Not optimistic. We cleaned up the house. That helped.

Lindsey loves me enough to give me what I need even though its the opposite of what she would choose. I needed to be alone. Lindsey hated that idea, but loves me to the point that she gave me the space I needed. I stayed up, alone, thinking, praying, reading (they didn't take my books), playing (they didn't take my/dad's guitar, it was with me) 'til four or so and drifted off.

Next day: teachers' gave me an extension, Lindsey was in New Mexico and my friends wanted to know if the party I had planned for Wednesday night as an end of the semester party was still on. I assured them that it most certainly was. Called my DS, Steve Cox and he told a story of being robbed and the robbers not taking anything, so he felt violated AND lame. He knew how to talk to me in that moment. Talked to my dad and he told a story of his mom and dad being robbed in Lincoln. Talked to my sister and she was robbed in Warrensburg. Dad offered the big picture, Stephanie, my sister, offered to watch eBay for my stuff.

Then, I fell down the stairs on campus. I wanted to break down in that moment. Wanted to punch something, break something. Wanted to cry. That was too much. I decided to go to Saint Joseph early. My friends said they had something before we went. So, on our way out, we stopped by their rooms. My friend Mike handed me a dvd player with a surroud sound system. My friend Jamie hands me three of my favorite movies. My friend Zach hands my a bottle of homemade peppermint schnapps. I can't decide which I'm more thankful for.

So, we had the party. I was surrounded by my friends, by my community. I wanted Lindsey there, but it was good.

Next day: went to the bank to change my account. When I first told Mary why I needed to do so, she said nothing and went on with the transaction. A few minutes passed, and quietly, handing me my new checkbook she said, "People are just getting desperate," and my anger went away.

My neighbor noticed (first) and didn't ignore (second).
My landlord left his family dinner table to check on my things.
My friends gathered 'round me, sprang into action when I asked for things, were silent when I needed them to be, hugged when I needed them.
Lindsey called everybody she could and got in the car with me because I needed to be there.
Justin got in his car because I needed a friend there too.
My DS knew how to talk to me.
My family rallied with support and love.
And Mary from the bank said exactly what I needed to hear.

Community. In the end, that's all there is. Relationship, community, the people.

When community can be so strong in the midst of losing everything, you realize that community is the only thing.

Thank you all.

B

Hiest

My apartment in Saint Joseph was robbed. Cleaned out. DVDs, stereo, drums, ALL OF THEM, drumeset, djembes, rainstick. Electric guitar, amp, keyboard, ukelele, mandolin. Clothes, shoes, dress shirts. Maybe 50% of the presents Lindsey has gotten me over the years, and the present I got for her this year.

I feel so...I dunno. More later.