freedom ARTS project

most people around the peoria area have hopefully had the chance to hear about the dream center. in a nutshell, this place has a huge impact on families in the surrounding area by doing awesome stuff for the youth. anything from athletic programs, setting up community service projects for kids, after school programs, donations to help kids out, and something they just started within the past couple of months called the freedom ARTS project.

this program is an awesome way to change the community by teaching youth lessons in the arts, and it takes place in a weekly class setting. i had the privilege of helping out by teaching guitar lessons this past summer, and it truly was an awesome experience. the program is getting ready to start it's second session in the next few weeks and i can't wait to teach another group of kids how to play guitar. although, it's hard to teach rookie guitarists how to play like jimi hendrix by the end of an 8-week course (A. because i can't even play like jimi, and B. because guitar is stinkin' hard to just pick up and play well). still it's so cool to be building relationships and having the opportunity to show Jesus' love through this program. in some cases we may never know what we mean to someone just by building a friendship with them. how cool is that? extremely! and sure it's tough not always knowing if you've had a huge affect on someone, but that's not what it's really about.

here's a cool idea. if you live in the peoria area (or you're up for a commute) and you play an instrument, paint, do photography, sing, write, make stuff out of clay, draw really well, record music, do videography, or if you're into anything else in the arts and you want to teach...you should sign up to help! why? because it's only one day a week for 8 weeks? nah. because they pay really well? no. because when we help others we help ourselves? nope, that's not it. hmmm...oh, that's right...because serving others is serving the Lord. now if that doesn't make you excited, i'll fall back on my "it's a scientific fact that helping people makes you physically feel better" card. and that, my friend, is a card that wins them all.

"i'm not slow, i'm just enjoying the course"

listen up, friends...a super cool thing is coming up and you ALL will be interested in one way or another. on july thirtieth of this year there will be a 5k race at tipton park in bloomington, il and you are personally invited! it only costs twenty bucks (kid and family discounts available) and you get a sweet shirt to wear for years and years. ready for the cool-cool news?!

all the proceeds are going to Dorie's Promise, which is an orphanage in Guatemala. more specifically, the money raised will build a playground for the kids at the orphanage. i don't know about you, but that pumps me up! i just picture all of the kids seeing the playground for the first time and just going crazy!

i'm going to challenge all of you to participate. yes, all of you. in fact i'm going to break it down so that it will apply to each and every person reading this (obviously impossible, but i will try anyway...you know, like what a politician does).

"newbie, but stoked to run" runner: if you're this person chances are you've thought about running a 5k before, but never pulled the trigger. you run on occasion either outside or inside, but normally hold steady to about a mile or two at a time.

"been there done that, but will do it again and again" runner: you've run a 5k. in fact, you probably ran one last weekend and have already lost your free shirt. you're down for whatevs, man.

"no freakin' way" runner: (my favorite type of person) you don't run unless being chased, right? when i talk about running you shake your head and think i'm crazy. right now as you read this you are saying, "i am not running this 5k no matter what he says." well, that's fine...you can volunteer then. we need the extra hands! just let me know! BUT, if you want to step out on a limb and do something crazy that you'll never forget...sign up to run!!

"this is part of my marathon training" runner: this person is a Runner...yeah dude, capital 'R' kinda runner. hardcore. black toenails. thirty pairs of running shoes. talk about splits in their sleep, fartleks, what kind of food they're using for fuel, and probably how they qualified for boston once or twice. who cares (i do kinda, and it's cool if this is you), but sign up and rock the 5k! oh, and bring a few of those extra running shoes with you to the race..the 5k for Orphans has partnered with soles 4 souls to collect shoes for those in need.

"i'm going to win, because i race" runner: ok...bring it on! and don't even brag about your two percent body fat and five minute miles.

"aw crap you got me" runner: if this is you...you can do it! basically what has happened is you were probably hanging out minding your own business not running and someone came up and asked you to run in the 5k for Orphans. you froze because you heard the word orphans and felt bad so immediately said yes without even knowing what you were saying yes to. (haha, you know who you are). good luck!

dang, i didn't realize how many types there were going to be. oh, i almost forgot my fail-safe type of person...the "can i just walk and still show my support" walker. and the answer is yes! we'll be having a one mile walk, too! so anyway, by now you get what i'm saying. anyone and everyone can do this. you will see every type of person there and that's what makes it great! if you're on the fence...allow me to gently push you to the side where you will find yourself helping orphans and raising awareness for the orphan crisis we have in this world. with almost 150 million orphans worldwide...i think forking over twenty bucks, sweating for less than an hour and possibly embarrassing yourself is worth it, right? i even have an awesome site you can go to start training for a 5k that literally starts from the couch! trust me folks...this works...it helped me get started running. although you don't really have the nine weeks it suggests you take to train...you can at least start it and walk/run the race!

see you on race day!! (i'll be at the finish line cheering you on...and not because i beat you, but because that's where i'm helping).

so...what kind of runner are you?

a helping hand

i am determined to help every single person i can in this world. that pretty much sums it up. some might say it's impossible. some might cheer me on. others might even choose to help out with this life goal. ultimately, it's something i am determined to do and you know what they say about me when i'm determined to do something, right? i'm gonna freakin' do it!

here's what i need from you guys. spread the word that i'm out looking for ways to help people. nothing is too small and nothing is too big. if you know someone who needs some help with something let them know to contact me. if you think they won't contact me then get me their contact information and i will hunt them down. i know this sounds cheesy, but i really think this will be a cool deal.

i know my blog does haven't a ton of readers (probably not even twenty), but i know what it takes to get a message out. if each of you awesome people post this blog post on your facebook wall or tweet it or spread it one way or another...it's bound to find the eyes of someone who either needs some help or reach someone who knows of someone in need of some help.

besides the "anyway possible" answer to the question "how will i help" i figured i'd try to make a quick list of ways i could help you or someone you may know.
-moving
-cleaning
-cutting down trees
-picking out a new car
-yard work
-painting
-honest criticism
-cooking
-answering questions about
    -running
    -health
    -life (cause i got it figured out of course)
-prayer
-singing a duet
-dog sitting
-taking out the garbage
-fixing a flat tire
-finishing a bottle of wine so you don't drink too much
-giving you a ride somewhere
-writing a song
-going to the movies so you don't have to go solo

as you can see...i can be quite helpful. there is no limit to what i will do to help someone. did that come out wrong? hope not. you get what i'm saying, right? i'm just looking for ways to help people out and i figured this was/is a great first place to start. i'm kinda pondering (can you 'kinda ponder'?) the idea of posting an ad on craig's list or ebay explaining what i want to do. i can see it now..."twenty five year old dude who loves Jesus and loves you wants to help you with _________________________! and he's not crazy." the only thing that's actually holding me back from doing that is the fact that i could get murdered by some wackadoo out there (no offense if you are a wackadoo).

is this lame? maybe.
is this pointless? nope.
is this possible? i think so.
is this worth a shot? yes!

email me or have people email me here:  betterluckthistime@hotmail.com  and i'll do everything i can to help out!!

sixty-four ounces a day

that's how much water we are told to drink per day. brag warning: i drink seventy to ninety ounces a day. feeling guilty warning: there are a billion people on this planet that don't have access to clean water. as i type that statistic...i get chills. here i am trying (as a goal) to drink more water than what is recommended for personal dietary reasons.

reality check..."unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all disease and kill more people than all forms of violence, including WAR!"

this organization, charity: water, is doing boss at getting people (humans like you and me) clean water! i know it's hard for us (humans like you and me who have clean water) to imagine what life is like without clean water, but it's not impossible. the only thing it actually is (the fact that we have access to clean water)...it's a praise! we need to be thankful for things like this. unfortunately, it goes on my "things i take for granted" list too often.

they have a great FAQ's page to check out if you wonder how they go about doing "business" or how much of the money raised goes to helping people (the answer is 100%). you can check out their 2009 annual report and i'm confident it will make you tear up reading through what they've done so far and what they're doing AND how motivated/driven they are to getting everyone clean water.

i love hearing about organizations/groups like this (thanks to emily for showing me) because it proves that there are AMAZING people in this world doing AMAZING things. i hope it motivates you as much as it does me to help! i'll never forget a couple months ago when i looked up the word 'serve' in the dictionary just to see what all of the definitions were (yes, i'm a nerd like that...sometimes). the one definition that stood out and i will never forget: serve - to answer the needs of 

so, what do you say? want to serve others or what!? (rhetorical) let's do it!