Aramis Black... Part 2

Eric Wilson continues his story in A Shred of Truth. But before you crack the pages of this 2nd novel, be sure that you have finished The Best of Evil. In fact, be sure that you have solved the final reader and became involved in his "reader's experience" portion of the novel. Although that is not necessary to complete before diving into this 2nd book, it is neat.

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Once again, Aramis Black finds himself in a bit of trouble. His past has caught up with him again, and he has a new mystery to solve. Like his previous encounter, family members and friends become involved within his struggles. He must balance his personal life with the craziness that his past life is bringing. Another mystery unfolds and he must figure out who is following him this time. But not only is Aramis facing a physical threat from his past, he is also facing some personal threats. Guilt arises. Past sins are thrown back at him. And his personal gain that from the first novel increases the pressure.

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Join Aramis Black as he continues to fight for his life. He wants to leave his past behind him and start anew, but that seems nearly impossible. He must once again face the shadows of his past to find the light of his future. This novel is very similar to the first. It is full of action, mystery, and suspense. If you do end up reading, or have already read, The Best of Evil, be sure to pick up A Shred of Truth as well. A new treasure can be found, and Wilson leaves you with one more opportunity to get involved in the story.

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The last riddle of the Aramis Black series will lead you to the most important thing of all.

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Matt

Enduring through the Rough Times

I would say that God has taught me a lot over the last 4 months. Another semester is behind me, and I can say that I am now closer to God in many ways. He has taught me new things about Himself, and I have seen His power in ways that I have never seen it before. Now I am faced with a new challenge, working with kids everyday. Through this, God is continuing to teach me, stretch me, and grow me.

But I am not the only one who has been stretched by God over the past few months. So have many of my friends. Those of us at Union that were on campus the night of the tornado have seen God in a new way. Since then, we have all grown in our own ways. God has taught each person different attributes about Himself. He has used that one night to bring us all closer to Him. We all needed to learn different lessons as a result of that night, and I feel that many can now say that they are beginning to understand God's purposes better.

One person in particular that has been stretched to his limits over the past few months is Joe. Those of you from Union know him well. You probably saw him in a cast at the end of this last semester. Those of you who do not go to Union, let me fill you in right quick. Joe is my roommate. He was trapped in Watters Commons during the tornado for a short period of time and found his way out. He was also an RA at the time, and took great responsibilities that night at assuring that others had safety. He was stretched this semester as an RA during a messed up semester. Then in April, he broke his ankle and tore a ligament while roller skating with our church in Jackson. I texted him last night to see how he was doing after getting the cast off on Tuesday. He told me that it did not completely work, and now he will have surgery again on Monday to try this again. He still has 10 weeks to go on the recovery, and that will encompass most of his summer.

I know that God has a plan for keeping him down this summer. I want to encourage Joe (if you are reading this) to keep on living out your faith. Do not give up. The bright side to all of this is coming, and a new semester is not that far away. But for those of you who know Joe, this will not slow him down. He will stay as active as he can in anything he feels led to do. He will not let this broken foot slow him down at all. I admire that. Please pray for him as he continues through this process of recovery. Pray that he will continue to look to God and see what it is that God is wanting to teach him through this.

And for everyone, when those rough times come (sometimes all at once), remember to look to God through it all. Do not give up. He will see you through it.

Matt

How Well Do You Know the Bible?

Today we began the new curriculum with the kids at Christian Wee Learn. We were not able to get the whole schedule going like we are planning, but we did use today as an introduction day. So we began moving them around to different stations, and I sat down with them for the first time to talk about the Bible. Some surprised me with what they know about the Bible while others shocked me that they did not know more.

Granted these kids are only K-5, so it reasonable to assume that they would get stories confused, but some did not know where to begin with creation or the flood. But let me encourage you to examine your own lives. How much do you know about the Bible? Throughout our conversations through Genesis and Exodus this morning the kids challenged me. I received questions such as the following:

• How old was Noah when he died? - I knew a general area, but not the exact age.
• What were all 10 plagues in Egypt? - I knew around half, but I did not know them in order.

Those are the 2 that really stood out to me. I know that they are small details in some ways, but if we study God's Word daily, we could know even some of the smallest details of the Bible. I am trying to teach them the basic stories and some general verses. I want them to learn the books of the Bible and know how to find certain stories and books. But I can already see that the questions will not stop. I have a feeling that they will push me and teach me in ways that I did not think about this summer. In many ways that is exciting. God may teach me many new things this summer. But in other ways, it is scary. I want to be ready each day for any question they might ask, which means that I will need to do some more studying.

So my encouragement to you is for you to study hard. Go to those places in the Bible that you may have skipped over (like Leviticus or Numbers or maybe some of the prophets). See what you can learn from those books. The more you read God's Word, the better you will know it. I received an extra boost today that encouraged me to study harder. So now I want to pass that on to you as well.

Study... see what you learn.

Matt

Aramis Black... Part 1

"Live by the Sword" and "Die by the Sword"

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This is the motto of the main character Aramis Black. He has had a terrible past, a past that he was willing to leave behind. A past that he wished had never happened. He heads to Nashville, Tennessee, a scene that much of my audience would be familiar with. He opens a coffee shop, trying to live a normal life, but little does he know what will walk into his coffee shop next.

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That "everyday" customer that wanders in one morning changes Aramis's life forever. The past resurfaces, and Aramis must begin digging back into it. His biggest challenge is to figure out the truth behind his mother's death.

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A mystery that spans from coast to coast begins as normal objects become pivotal clues. Eric Wilson also brings the reader into the novel with a surprise twist for the average reader. Once you finish this novel, do not miss out on the final clue. The story has not ended, and you can participate (a feature not included in most novels).

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If you like mystery, suspense, and action, get involved in this 2 part series about Aramis Black. Just when you think that this story has ended, and that the mystery has been solved, Wilson will throw more at you.

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Pick up The Best of Evil and then dive into A Shred of Truth.

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Matt

Week 1 with the Kids

Well my 4th semester is over a week gone. I am now readjusted to home, and my job is already a week over. I have been working at Christian Wee Learn this past week. It was the first week with the K-5 age group. How should I describe this stressful job? Well, stressful and hard. It is completely different from working outside, trimming trees, as I have done for the past 2 summers. Now I am staying with around 18 kids each day. Along with Jessica Breeden, we are trying to teach these kids how to behave and not cause major problems.

So the 1st week was a little rough. The first few days, the kids thought they could get away with anything since they had new teachers. But we were wiser than they. We did not allow anything to be done until we knew for sure that they were allowed to. I had a whole list of questions for those who have worked with that age group before. Once they understood that we were not going to let them get away with things, many of them were quite better. But there were still those who pushed our buttons everyday.

Please pray that these kids will continue to learn how to behave. I have told them several times this week that if they would just listen, they would have fun. So we are rewarding those who listen and do as they are told, hoping that the others will see the importance of being good. But we are also punishing those who do misbehave, and it is working ever so slightly. My goal is for every kid there to have fun. I do not want to be the mean teacher that punishes the kids everyday, but when they do not listen, punishment will come.

On Tuesday, we will start the new curriculum. As I have mentioned before, it is a Bible Drill type curriculum. We will finally have them split into 2 age groups (which will probably help) and they will rotate through different types of activities everyday (instead of free time all day). This will allow them to have time to learn, have time to play, and allow us to get to know them better.

Although it was a long, stressful week, it is over. A new week will begin on Tuesday. We will have a more organized schedule for them as we start on Tuesday. I know that it will only get better as the summer goes on.

As far as Union, I have not been to campus since the end of finals. I know that construction is moving along as planned, and we are expecting a more accurate projection for the completion of the dorms at the beginning of June. I cannot wait to get back to campus later this summer to see the progress, but with gas the way it is that might be a while. My trips to Jackson will be few and far between.

Matt

Steven Curtis Chapman

Please pray for the family of Steven Curtis Chapman.

For those of you who have not yet heard, his youngest daughter (one that they had adopted from China a few years ago) was hit by their car last night when one of her brothers ran over her. It was all an accident, and he did not see his little sister in the driveway at the time. I know that their hearts must be broken over this tragedy. Please lift them up in your prayers.

• Pray for the whole family as they deal with this death.
• Especially pray for the brother who was driving the car (he will never forget this).
• Pray that through this, the Chapman's can continue to look to God and show Him to others as they always have.

We must always remember that God has a plan in our lives. We may not always understand why these things happen, but He is still in control. He still loves His children. And He will always be right there for them.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28 (ESV)

Matt

Blessings and Curses

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

These 2 verses are pretty straight forward. The general idea behind this passage is that when we choose to follow God and obey His commands He pours out His blessings on our lives. When we reject His laws and choose to live life our own way, He pours out His curses.

But there are applications in this idea. You may be thinking that it is not that simple to just live a good life following "every" command that He gave to us. And it can be hard. But let me encourage you to choose each day when you get up that you are going to live that day for God. I am speaking to myself here as well. It has to be a conscious decision each day.

Again this is a straight forward passage, but I feel like we overlook this concept quite frequently. We forget that every decision we make should involve God. It does not matter how big or how small, He wants to help. But we have to choose to follow Him.

So when you wake up in the morning, pray, and tell God that you are choosing this day to live for Him. As John Waller would say "we will choose to be a blessing for life."

Matt

Lazy People

I think now that it is summer, and since I have no homework responsibilities that I will kick back, watch TV all summer long, and do absolutely nothing. Does that sound as ridiculous to you as it does to me? Of course I am not going to kick back and do nothing. But it would be very easy for me to do that after the semester that I have had. Why is it that our society tends to go to the lazy side of life? We try to do as little as possible to get by in life and neglect some of the most important aspects of life.

One thing I notice in our towns is trash on the streets. Instead of trying to find a place to put our garbage, we just throw it out the car window or leave it laying on the floor. We are too lazy! Our society is literally "littered" with trash every where we look. I am thankful for some of the small steps our university has made to work on this trash problem. Although we have not been able to institute a campus wide recycling program, we have specific trash cans for paper in various parts of our academic buildings. I find myself disposing of all paper products in these bins.

But we should do that in all aspects of life. This is not just a part of "Going Green" either. It is about being responsible. We are stewards of the land that God has given us. It is our responsibility to take care of it. And we are not just lazy in trash cleanup. We are lazy in other aspects of life as well. Children are growing up without guidance because parents do not want to take the time to discipline them. They are also growing up without love from their parents because the parents do not want to take the time to get to know them.

Laziness has plagued all aspects of our life: from food to family to "Going Green." People must learn that when we are lazy, nothing gets accomplished. The more we sit around and do nothing, the further down society will go. If we refrain from being busy, we will become lazy really fast. So stay busy, clean up this world, take responsibility in your family, watch what you eat, and glorify God through your life.

Some of this is kind of random, but it all connects. Every aspect of our life should be used to glorify God. By being lazy, we will miss out on so much that He has in store for us.

Matt

Prince Caspian

I have been to the movie today and I really did enjoy their adaptation of Prince Caspian.

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Since it was a movie, there were many differences between the movie and the book. However, all the changes worked well with the story line, and the major plot points were not changed. Many minor scenes that could not be added to the movie (due to timing issues) were left out, which is understandable. Other minor plot points were slightly altered or occurred earlier. But through it all, I feel that this movie was great.

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What are some of the changes? Well if you have read the book, Caspian's nurse is not mentioned, only Dr. Cornelius. Also Dr. Cornelius is rescued rather than showing up at Aslan's How. Caspian blows the horn a little earlier than the book, but it is not much different. Also, they added to the scene with the White Witch. Finally, if I remember correctly the Pevensies met Caspian earlier. But despite those changes, much of the dialogue are exact quotes from the novel.

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Character development was also well done. Lucy and Edmund show that they are older this time around and more mature. Susan is still practical and logical, which prepares people for the 7th book. Peter takes charge and has conflicts with Caspian, who is struggling with being a leader. All the creatures were well done as well. Trufflehunter, Trumpkin, Nickabrik, and Reepicheep stayed true to the book and provided some of the humor and suspense to the movie.

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All in all, I was impressed with the movie. It is much darker than the first, but so is the book. And one of my favorite parts that I picked up on was the last line in the movie, which is also the last line in the book. Edmund comments on how he left his light (flashlight) in Narnia. He wants to go back and get it. So...

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Get ready for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

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Matt

100 Days

100 Days... that is how long it has been since the February 5 Tornado that struck our campus.
100 Days... and now the semester comes to a close on this official last day of the semester.
100 Days... and campus looks completely different.

I just returned from my last final. I am completely done now, and summer has finally arrived. Honestly, I have been looking forward to this day for about 100 days. Ever since that tornado hit, I have longed for summer break. I have wanted that day to come when I could finally rest. But now that it is finally here, I am not so sure that I want it. 100 days ago, our lives changed forever, but now I feel that we are all closer in some ways. Campus has come together in new ways. We lost our sense of community when our dorms were torn down, but we have gained stronger friendships with those that we have been with during this semester. It is sad to see this semester come to a close. We must all now go home for the summer, and we may not see each other for several months.

The Jett will close today as well. Within a few weeks, it will probably re-open as the Old English Inn. We will no longer be turning hotel rooms into dorm rooms. But thanks to the Jett and Englewood Baptist Church for all that they have done for us since the tornado.

As I said, I just returned from campus, and it looks great! All 14 dorms have been started. The final 2 were started at the end of last week/beginning of this week. 12 dorms are two stories, 11 have roofs, and 6 (possibly 7) have some sort of brick work done (2 or 3 of which are completely bricked). I have seen the inside from some pictures that someone posted on facebook, and they are also sheet rocked. That comes before the bricking, and it means that those dorms have electrical wires, plumbing, and insulation. Also, carpeting could begin soon in some buildings. The process is moving on very quickly, and who would have thought that we could have been this far along in only 100 days. Only God knew.

So now that Spring 2008 has come to an end, I will be heading home. I am going to finish packing up this morning and head out this afternoon. Starting Monday, I will be at FBC Martin working with Christian Wee Learn. I will also begin working on sermons for Kids Kamp. Summer is going to be busy, but I am ready for a change of pace. And probably in just a few weeks, I will be ready to get back to Union.

Matt

Prince Caspian is Coming

I am getting really excited. After the wonderful adaptation of C.S. Lewis's first book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, I have been anxiously waiting for Prince Caspian to hit the big screen. And now there are only 2 more days to wait.

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For those of you have had the horrible misfortune to have never read this book, let me give you a quick (spoiler-free) rundown of the story. Narnia has aged 1300 years since we last saw the Pevensie kids re-entering the wardrobe. Caspian is the nephew of King Miraz, and he is line for the throne. He hears stories of the "old" Narnians and is eventually forced to flee the castle. He begins to meet some of these interesting characters such as Trumpkin (dwarf), Trufflehunter (badger), Reepicheep (mouse), and so many more. When all seems to be going down hill, they receive help from some old heroes. The Pevensie kids return to Narnia and join forces with Prince/King Caspian to battle against King Miraz, hoping to free Narnia.

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I believe this is a 3-hour movie. So get comfortable and head on down to your local theatre to see this new movie that will leave you wanting more. After Friday, I will have to give a quick movie/book review on this one.

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Now for those of you have read the book. I hear that some minor details have been changed, but they said that only hardcore fans would notice. So it does not sound like it will be anything major. Also, I have heard that the order has been changed, which I feel will make the movie better. Instead of having Trumpkin go into flashback when he meets the Pevensies, they will begin with Caspian's life and lead up to the arrival of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.

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So head on out Friday night and watch The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. And then, in 2 years get ready for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

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Matt

New Look... Same Place

I know I have not had the blog that long, but I was already getting tired of the background. So I have selected a new template and formatted it a little. Don't worry, this is the same place as before. It is just a different color now.

Matt

David and His Sons

2 Samuel 11-13

This is a long passage, but there is a common theme and many connections between these various sections. We have studied this part of 2 Samuel for the past 2 Sundays at FBC Martin in Sunday School. So for much of this I have to give credit to Morgan Owen and Jeremy Kolwinska. I am going to hit the high points.

David (ch11) - This is a very familiar passage about David's sin with Bathsheba. But that was not David's only mistake. First he was guilty of lusting after Bathsheba when he first saw her. Then he slept with her. He attempted to get Uriah to return and sleep with her to cover up his sin. But Uriah instead wanted to defend his king (who should have been at battle). Finally, David manipulated the situation and had Uriah killed in battle.

Now we all know that an immediate consequence is that David and Bathsheba lost their son. Later Solomon (the future king) was born. But his sins had more consequences that were shown through his sons.

Amnon and Absalom (ch13) - David's sons found themselves trapped in many of the same sins that he struggled with. Amnon lusted after his sister Tamar. He then manipulated the situation so that he could sleep with her. This angered Absalom, and he manipulated David in letting Amnon go out specifically with Absalom. It was there that Absalom murdered Amnon.

The life lesson for us today is that we must be careful in our actions. We may not realize it at the time, but our actions will affect the lives of others at some point. It may affect those immediately around us, and in many cases it could affect our own family (children). People are always watching us. We do not want others to think that we condone those actions. If they think we are condoning those sins, then they may get entrapped by that sin. This is very dangerous with children who mimic their parents.

So watch what you do and what you say. Be careful to follow God daily and use His strength to overcome the temptations of your life. Do not excuse your actions but understand what the sin is in your life. Go to God with that sin and let Him have control.

Matt

Mel Odom - NCIS

Paid in Blood is the first in Mel Odom's NCIS series. I first heard of Mel Odom when he wrote a 3-book series spinning off of Left Behind (which I have not reviewed yet and need to). This novel begins with one crime and soon transpires into an investigation for much larger crimes. You will be taken around the world (literally from the United States to South Korea) through a series of serious crimes.

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On top of all these crimes, many members of the investigation team begin facing their own personal problems. This leads to distractions within the investigation. This novel is 400 pages full of suspense.

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Once again, I do not want to give too much of the plot away, but be ready to go from murder to drugs to nukes. And if you enjoy this book, move on to his second novel, Blood Evidence. It is a new crime, has new problems, and will take you on a very similar journey. The characters continue to develop, and so do their problems at home. And in January, you can grab the third book in this series, Blood Lines.

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So if you like crime scene investigation or suspense, this book/series is for you.

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Matt

What Breaks but Never Falls?

I posted a riddle a few days ago. Now here is the answer for those of you who did not figure it out.

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The riddle:

What Falls but Never Breaks?

What Breaks but Never Falls?

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The answer:

Nightfall and Daybreak

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So there you go. I may post more riddles as time goes on. Then again, I might not. So do not hold me to that.

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Matt

Gas Prices, an Election, and Storms

Every time you turn on the TV, it seems that one of these three topics hits you in the face. If the news stations are not talking about the upcoming election (and primaries) or the failing economy, another storm has devastated part of the country or world. This can become a depressing time if we are not careful.

It is easy to start worrying about what is to come next. First off, the election is now 6 months away, and we still do not know who the democratic candidate is going to be. Last night was just another split decision, and both candidates are right where they were a week ago. So who should get the democratic nomination? Well it seems as if everyone has their own opinion about that.

Furthermore, with gas prices on the rise, people worry about how high it is really going to go. People are in fear, wondering if they will be able to even afford gas in the coming months. Plus, is there a candidate who can help solve this problem? If so, should that be the reason that we vote for them? These are questions that are dominating our lives right now.

And if that were not enough, severe storms seem to be coming non-stop all throughout the country. Just yesterday, more tornadoes were reported in the Midwest. No one is safe from a sporadic tornado forming. And this too places fear into so many.

So why am I discussing this? Well honestly, all three of these topics play a part in my life (and I am guessing your life as well). I drive to school every day now, and I am not too happy about the $3.50/gallon gas. Plus, I will be voting in November, and the biggest question in my mind right now is who I am going to vote for. And, with severe storms coming at us yet again last Friday, the fear and the memories from the February 5 tornado still come back to me.

But I am trying to not let these things get to me. I know that through it all, I will come out on the other side. God is still in control, and He is still right here with me. The world may be falling apart in some ways right now, but I know that I should not worry about those things (Matthew 6:34). God sees all that is happening, and His hand is still over His children through it all.

I am not going to worry about these things. I will continue to watch the news and see what is going on in our world, but I am not going to let it get to me. I have been there and done that; it does not help me in any way. So the next time you feel overwhelmed by all that is going on around you, pray! Do not worry; just go to Him. The problems may still be in your life, but you will have the one, true solution.

Matt

Soldier, Athlete, and Farmer

Welcome to a new section of my blog - Biblical Reflections.

2 Timothy 2:3-6

I am currently taking a Biblical Backgrounds course here at Union. In it, we look back to early documents that were written around the same time as the Bible. I actually have a paper due tomorrow in that class, over this passage. So I thought I would share some of it in this post. I just won't go into all the quotes and background I found for this passage.

1. Soldier (v3-4) - Paul encourages Timothy to suffer as a soldier as he aims to please his general. This includes courage and bravery. A soldier must be willing to go to the front line and face death if the need arises. But during the other parts of his career, he must endure the various hardships that come: such as food rationing, carrying all their supplies (without modes of transportation), and always being prepared. Suffering did not only include death; it also came from the everyday tasks and chores. Through it all, a solider desired to please his general.
   In the same way, we must also endure any hardships that arise (on this side of death) and endure in the faith. We should strive daily to please God as we obey His commands.
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2. Athlete (v5) - Athletes of the time were crowned and respected if they competed according to the rules. When someone was found cheating, they were stripped of their rewards and lost all respect to the spectators. This is somewhat true today, but many times the idea of cheating is blurred, and people question whether they were cheating or finding some "strategic advantage."
   As Christians, we must live according to God's Word. Those are our rules for life. When we are seen disrespecting God and not following His commands, people lose respect for us. This hurts our witness before the lost. Therefore, we must be careful to follow God daily and not be seen as a "cheater" who does not follow the rules.
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3. Farmer (v6) - An interesting farming idea for the 1st century was the idea of starting small. Instead of being greedy and trying to do too much too soon, men were encouraged to start small and do well. Then they could gradually build up the farm as time went on. They were to work hard with what they had, and were discouraged in the idea of being greedy.
   Similarly, we should work hard with what God has given us. We should never desire a "more noble" task. God gives us each our own gifts and expects us to use those in life. We can accomplish just as much for God in our own way as can someone else. He desires for us to work hard with what He gave us. Then, He may bless us with more if we are found faithful.

This is just a quick look at those 4 verses. Remember that God can use any of us. He wants to do amazing things through the lives of His children. But we have to be willing to work hard, follow His commands, and be willing to suffer for Him. This takes a life completely devoted to Him.

Matt

What Falls but Never Breaks?

Ted Dekker. This is the 2nd book I have posted from Ted Dekker, but this has to be my all time favorite. He has written many books since Thr3e, and although everyone of them has been good, I still think Thr3e is the best one yet.

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His more recent novel Adam was good, and in some ways just as good as Thr3e. However, it lacked the suspenseful twist that Thr3e provides.

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Thr3e begins with Kevin Parsons receiving a mysterious phone call from a man who tells him that if he does not confess his sin that his car will blow up in 3 minutes. The book centers around this idea of secret sin. The longer it takes Kevin to figure out what his sin is, the worse the threats get. Slater (the caller) continues to provoke Kevin until he cracks. He also provides Kevin with riddles to help him figure out where the next attack will be. One of those riddles is...

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"What falls but never breaks? What breaks but never falls?"

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See if you can answer that one. It is a 2 word answer.

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Anyways, the end of this book is amazing. Dekker sets you up and encourages you to accept an idea for who the killer is. But then, he provides information that sends your theory crashing to the ground. He is notorious for this kind of twist. But nothing will prepare you for the twist at the end of this novel. So if you have not already read Thr3e, go buy it today. You will love it.

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And in case you don't know the answer to the riddle, I will post the answer in a few days.

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Matt

Month 2 of the Blog

To see a larger picture of this you can go to www.uurebuilding.com and click on uurebuilding documents. But this is just a quick glimpse that I can give you of our new dorms. However, this picture was taken on April 21st (almost 2 weeks ago). So the dorms look a lot different now:

• 12 of the 14 dorms are now up in some way.
• 11 of which have at least 2 stories.
• 10 of which have a roof, and several of those have shingles.
• Several now have windows.
• 1 or 2 are completely bricked.
• 1 or 2 others are currently being bricked.
• And there are only 2 more that need to be started.

A lot has happened this semester, and construction continues to go along quickly. Those dorms should definitely be ready by September. But despite the craziness of construction, the rest of campus is about normal. Other than the major catch-up projects we have due next week, it is the typical end of a semester. Everyone is feeling the stress of finals already, and in 2 weeks this semester will be nothing but a memory.

For me, homework is my top priority. I have 2 projects and 2 papers due next week, and I am finishing all of that up. Other than that, life is good. I just want the end to be here, and soon!

Matt