This stuff just happens to me, really, all the time...(chauncey)

  As many of you already know, and most likely have posted on my facebook about, today is/was my 22nd birthday. And I think birthdays seem to get stranger the further along I go. It's kind of hard to describe really.

 It started off slow, the normal morning routine. A few texts, a couple e-mails, and a nice letter from my grandmother. Then just passed the time before I went to work at 2:00. It was a nice day here in Tyler. Which is always a blessing when you work with energetic children. We spent the majority of our time outside enjoying the evening. This may sound like the normal day at work, but let me assure you, today was a blessing. We normally spend a good amount of time inside working with the kids on their homework. So to have a day that breaks the cycle of things was huge.

  Now, the day progressed normally. Parents taking their children, staff cleaning our area, you know normal stuff. Finally we were waitng on only one parent to arrive. He was a friendly dad who I normally made small talk with and he would shake my hand then they would leave. Today was a little different.

  As he was talking to our site director I asked him how he survived the storm last night. The next 30 minutes went from eagerly awaiting leaving work, to hearing this mans life testimony, a sermon, and finally him praying over me right there in the cafeteria of the elementary school. I said maybe 10 words through the whole thing. He had something, or many things to say, and I did what I do best. It was amazing listening to this man talk, right in front of his kids, about how good God has been in his life. All the way from a past lifestyle of drugs and prison, to visions and dreams, and on to his current walk in the faith. At the end I thanked him for blessing me on my birthday. Then he gave me 10 dollars. Which I am grateful for.

  I've learned in these times to stop and listen. This isn't my first experience with these sort of things. I add input where I need too, or correction or affirmation, but for the most part, I listen. I honestly determine where I am with God, what He has been teaching me, and what He may be telling me now. It makes things much more interesting, you also become much more patient with your to-do list. In this specific instance I feel I benefitted. Philemon 1:20 "yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ." I didn't really feel dried out or disconnected from Christ before hand, but still so good is the refreshment, and prayer from a brother, especially when you don't expect it. I had a similar experience a little less than a year ago, a man gave me a blessing. Quite literally, those where his words, "I've given you a blessing". His name was Nathan, which means "giver". Neat stuff really. I don't know the name of the man who spoke to me today, but I plan on finding out. It is wild how the Lord, after these people talk to me, will continue to show Himself through something as simple as a name. There are another handful of those experiences as well. (that was a little bit of a rabbit trail)

  Back on task. I made it home, then the 806 went to applebees for dinner, then watched "The Book of Eli" in theaters. I didn't have much expectation for the movie, mainly because I had only seen one trailer for it some time back. Without giving too much away, I'm not sure where to start, or what to say even. We left the theaters and didn't say anything until we got back to the apartment. My perspective is that I was trying to process what just happened. To put it plainly, the movie was really challenging, for me that is. It also only made sense, as I came to find out after the movie, that "Eli" means "my God".

  Anyway, a great birthday, thanks for all the wishes, I hope they turn to prayers.
May the Lord bless you, let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your father who is in heaven.

-Chuncey