Hey everyone!!! I'm back!! I know, many of you were thinking, "He left? I knew it seemed quiet around here!" Well, yeah, I did leave. I was in Los Angeles attending the World SALT Convention. While I was there and bored on night, I wrote this real cool intro to this email I was planning on sending but started out with this one instead. Considering the fact that my mom is an English teacher, I decided that it IS possible to have two intros so here is the other one:
When embarking upon a road trip, it is important to first know where you are going and why. Traveling to Canada to escape the evil grasp of democrats is one good reason. A reason not so good is to drive to El Paso to find "just the right Christmas present for cousin Marty," or to try out the newest Van's Skate Park.
For John Price, traveling to Hollywood to check out the Pez Dispenser store is a great reason for a road trip. The rest of us however, needed more initiative. So, in order to get Kenny, Antoine, Josh H., Heather, Michelle, and myself to Los Angeles, there would have to be something awesome. Something phenomenal. Something gosh darn amazing. It is, Wilcox Avenue. NO!!! IT IS THE WORLD SALT!!!
Yes, all seven of us traveled 30 hours strait in a seven passenger van from Thibodaux, La, to Los Angeles, CA. Some of you people are probably thinking, "You guys are nuts! Why didn't you fly?" Truth is, we had all intentions to fly but our travel agent decided to swindle us and take our money and run. We are all forgiving people so we aren't going to hold it against her (the punk). She's in the middle of this big lawsuit now.
About World SALT, it is a movement of students, a moment in time, a mandate from God. In layman's terms, it is the Big International Convention of Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship.
So, after the big trip is over, I've compiled some of my memories and outtakes. I like to call them the highlighted moments which are highlighted in my memory during this trip which is one of the highlights of my life. Enjoy!
1. Interstate-10 is possibly the longest highway in the world. It stretches from Jacksonville, Florida, through Baton Rouge, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, Willcox, Phoenix, and then to Los Angeles.
2. West Texas is the scariest place in America. It is officially Hell on Earth. After leaving Thibodaux with the odometer set at 000-, it registered 666 as we passed through West Texas. All of West Texas is dirt pilled upon mounds and mounds of dirt. It is hundreds of miles of endless nothing seperated at various spots along I-10 with small towns and airstrips. It is the scariest, spookiest, creepiest place on the face of the planet. It is the home of Spanish Polka Music and talking Texaco Stations. Sheer boredom awaits any driver who dares to drive through this section of America. Gov. Bush has obviously decided to "spice things up" by adding 40 miles of road cones blocking the right side of the highway while there was no construction being done. I repeat, this place is scary. When I first made the comment to Kenny, "Man, this place is scary?" He said, "What is so scary about it?" I replied, "What isn't?"
3. During our travels through Arizona, we happened upon the quiet little town of Willcox, Arizona. I instantly fell in love with this small community and wrote this song about it. Matthew, I will later need you and Clinton to write some music for me.
Willcox, Arizona,
It's got everything you need,
A Chevron Station and Dairy Queen,
McDonalds and a Burger King.
I could spend all day at Taco Bell,
And then walk over to Pizza Hut,
And then if I wouldn't know any better,
I would adopt the town Mutt!
Oh Willcox, Arizona,
You're my home away from Houm(a),
And when I think about you,
I wanna build a dome,
A-dead-a-Kate-it-two,
Willcox, Arizona,
The thought of you drives me wild,
When I see you through,
My window,
I wanna visit you some more.
Willcox, Arizona,
How I do miss you,
I gave you everything I had,
And watched you kick me out the door,
You said,
I don't need a guy like you,
Singin' these corny songs,
I got plenty of things I can give,
But my love is not one of them,
But I continue to siiiiing,
Willcox, Arizona,
How I love you so,
In that tiny place between somewhere and nowhere,
I now that is where you are,
And every time I'm nowhere,
I will think of you,
To you I dedicate this song,
Now I have to SNEEEEEEZE
*say quietly*
Ah-ah-choooooooooooo
4. Strange things happen when John Price gets behind the wheel. Whenever Josh or Heather drove, nothing exciting happened. The only "out-of-the-ordinary" thing that happened while they drove was a single, lone tire bouncing across five lanes of traffic and that one car that blew up next to us. John, on the other hand, led us to strange and unusual experiences. He was the one that founded the talking Texaco station and passed through the border control station. One night, I was sleeping in the back seat of the van when I felt the van slow and come to a stop. John had the window open and there was a Spanish Police Officer on the other side on the window and he said, "Hey Pedro, there is an accident on the interstate. I need you to exit the highway and take the service road." Did I mention that West Texas was scary?
5. SALT itself really made an impact on many of people. It can be considered a "life-changing experience." Most people found the main sessions to be touching. Although the sessions did touch and me, I found that what happened outside the sessions were the things that inspired and impacted me the most. One day, we broke up in teams and did a city ministry outreach. They day I went, our group went to a Spanish speaking neighborhood of Los Angeles. Anyone who knows me knows that Spanish and I don't mix. In high school, I referred to Spanish as "naptime." Of course, so were English, math, and government. Antoine and I went with the pastor of a local church to d some follow-up work from the day before. It was me, Antione, Pastor Heather, her fiancé', and another couple attending the conference in this group. The rest of the group that had come went out to a different neighborhood in the same area and did door-to-door evangelism. At times I felt like a Jehovah Witness.... Our team was split up and Antoine and I hit the streets. We had a certain few houses we were to go to and invite them to Pastor Heather's cell group meeting and also a party for the kids. There were only four or five houses that we were to go to and it left a hunger in me to reach others. Most of the neighborhood had already had people go through it the day before and do door-to-door and we were just getting the houses that people were not able to get to the day before. Both Antoine and I wanted to go out a reach more people than we could have. I'm not sure about him, but I really felt a burden for this neighborhood and these people. After we were done, we went back to Pastor Heather's house. We talked about her courageous ministry. She lives in a "bad" section of town by most peoples standards. She is in danger every night because of gang violence and the like. She is a white American girl in a Hispanic community doing the self-less work of bringing them the gospel. I could sense the neighborhood oppressed. Most were deceived and were caught up in false religions. Please keep Pastor Heather on your prayer list for safety and encouragement, that she will not grow weary in doing her part to fulfill the Great Commission.
Another thing outside of the sessions that left and impression was the friend I meet named Tasha. After one session, I was walking from the convention center to the hotel I was staying in. I heard a female's voice from behind be saying, "Hey, are you going to the Wilshire?" I said yeah and she asked if she could walk with me so she wouldn't have to walk alone. I agreed and as we walked down the dark road we meet up with a homeless person. I myself tend to be a shy individual at times while Tasha was defiantly not. Tasha walked up to this homeless woman and started talking to her. The woman asked for spare change but Tasha instead offered her a meal. The woman accepted and followed us back to the hotel while telling us her life story. Apparently her children had been taken from her by social services and put in foster homes. Her youngest child would be turning 18 soon and "be getting out." This woman would have talked to anyone who listened and it took a person like Tasha to finally sit down and talk to her. I walked inside the Wilshire with Tasha and the woman sat in the lobby. Tasha ended up having a room on the same floor as I did. In fact, she had room 1065 while I was in 1064. As we parted she said to me, "So now I know who was making all that racket this morning. You guys have music playing and all sort of stuff going on. Real funky stuff." When I told my roommates later they laughed remembering me testing out my Willcox, Arizona, song. When I got in my room, I read my Bible some then felt the need to pray for Tasha as she ate with this homeless woman. It's special people like Tasha and Pastor Heather that touch people. They may never see the benefits of what they have done, the "fruits of their labor," but those are the random acts of kindness and faith that this world sometimes overlooks. I once heard a saying that it isn't the amount of people you know, but it is how many lives you touch. Tasha and Pastor Heather are the type of people that not only meet people, but they make impressions and touch lives also. Not only the lives of poor blacks and Hispanics, but also the life of a middle-class white boy with way to much time on his hands.
6. I have to give it up for Kenny and Antoine. And I really hope I'm spelling Antoine's name right. Antoine, if I'm not, just slap me the next time you see me. Kenny and Antoine were the best roommates a guy could ask for. I've had many roommates in my day. First there was Josh Blackman and Randy Douglas at Key Club Convention, then Randy again the next year. That summer and International Convention, I roomed with Michael Bussada, Lee Hardy, and Danny Paz. The next year at district I roomed with Jay Bernard. All those guys were great guys but Kenny and Antoine were just perfect. They were something special. Josh Blackman had a cool first name and Randy was just plain cool. In high school he was the guy I envied and strived to be like. He was popular, smart, and a darn good football player. He was elected Key Club President one year so I ran for Vice President and won that. About half-way through my eleventh grade year, I realized Randy wasn't all that I thought he was. Don't get my wrong, he was a great guy but I realized I needed to be my own man and stop imitating others. By the end of my senior year, I was Key Club president and elected an at-large representative for student council which I then was elected secretary too. I was editor of the school paper (which, in itself, was a joke) and in the choir. I was given the MVP defense award in football. I had, in essence, become "my own man" and was mentally not in Randy's shadow any longer. Whether or not I actually received any respect from classmates for these things is not important. I felt good about myself and feel as if I made a difference in the school. As I sit in retrospect though, I realize that all these accolades and awards really are meaningless. It is, however, Jesus Christ who has changed my life. I have "always" been a Christian, you know, but once I came to the realization of what being a Christian actually was, I realized that all the awards and achievements mean nothing. Yes, they are nice, but they are not truly important in life.
Anyway, back to my roommates. Kenny and Antoine were just plain awesome. They kept their personal space clean and were for the most part quiet. They were polite and were just some really awesome guys.
7. I found that in Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, I have a family. On that van-ride home, it became really obvious. I told Kenny and Antoine and John that they were like the brothers I never wanted and Michelle is the sister I never had. Well, I guess Carrie is a sister. I mean we have the same parents and all. John then asked me, "What does that make Josh and Heather then?" I thought and I said, "I guess that makes Josh and Heather my parents, which means they had kids at the age of five. Also, with you and Michelle dating as you are, then I guess that means my brother is dating my sister. I guess you two could just move to Dularge (no offense Josh Hebert) and y'all would just fit in there."
8. Universal Studios just plain, excuse my 90's slang, ROCKED!!!! Back to the Future was just "da bomb" and ET freaken knew my name. Ain't that some scary stuff? When I walked in Universal, I felt like Chevy Chase did when he finally got to Wally World minus that whole taking the place hostage thing.
9. You guys should have seen the Westin Bonaventure Hotel. That thing was monstrous. The lobby was composed of six floors of shops, restaurants, and ballrooms/ conference rooms. Above it where 29 floors of rooms. It was possible to never leave once you get there. Theoretically, one could get a job at one of the stores or restaurants or even as a hotel employ, stay in a room upstairs and eat at the hotel also. On the third floor, there was a track and workout room. On the fifth floor was a place to just relax and hang out with friends. There was a Starbucks on the first floor and a Subway on the sixth. I truly believe I could have taken the town of Willcox, given every citizen a room and a job, converted the ballrooms into classrooms and you got yourself some pretty freaky stuff.
Well guys, that was it. I'm sorry if maybe it wasn't as funny as some of you all thought it may be. I few people have told me that my emails are pretty funny so I try to make em funnier each time I send em out. I know that this one my not have been all that funny but the way I look at it, this is my email SO DEAL WITH IT!! =0D. Every now and then I got to get my emotions and stuff out, you know? I guess I can toss a little joke in here at the end. What do Exxon and Taco Bell have in common? They both give you gas!!
Goodnight Ladies and Gentleman,
You have a Merry Christmas and a happy 4th of July.
And remember,
Fat People always use more soap!!
Josh