Stupid Tax

Dave Ramsey gives examples of what he calls "stupid tax," as in the person ended up paying far more than they should have had they acted wisely. Well, I just paid a stupid tax myself, although altogether it was only 33 cents.

I have a credit card, to earn some cash back bonuses (still debating whether I like it or not), and about a month ago I called them up to voluntarily lower my credit limit. At that time I was talked into adding a payment protection insurance to my account. I was very leery about it, but figured if I didn't like it I could just cancel it later. Well...today is later and it was just canceled.

I was under the impression that since I paid off my credit card completely every month (the only way I allow myself to keep one), that I would never have to pay for the service. It is only when you carry a balance from month to month that you are charged a small fee for the protection for that balance. And yet, last month and this month I have had a small charge on my account.

Getting ticked off about it...after all, it is a total of 33 cents that I should never have had to pay, I called them up to cancel and ask them why it happened. Apparently, if I wait until I actually get my statement for the month then that means I am "carrying a balance" and so a charge will be put on. The only way to avoid it would be to pay for each purchase online as it is posted online, so that by the time the statement comes out that month there is a $0 balance. STUPID TAX! Even though I never carry a balance I am beginning to hate credit cards more and more.

Any good stories you have?

Crazy Life

I do apologize for not blogging about the new job earlier. I have been meaning to, but it has been a little busy lately.

A week ago Wednesday (June 24) I traveled up to Mishawaka to be in another really good friend's wedding. The wedding was on Friday, so I needed to pick up my tux Wednesday or Thursday - I chose Wednesday. Since I was planning on coming up then I also was able to schedule my second interview for the Bethel Admission Counselor position on the same day. Obviously, the interview went well, and the job was later offered to me.

Thursday saw lunch with my grandparents who were also in town, then the rest of the day was taken up with the rehearsal dinner and stuff.

Friday was an incredibly crazy day. After getting up early all the guys in the wedding, plus the dads, played 18 holes of golf. Then we went back to the house and ate lunch. Instead of swimming with the rest of the guys I went over to Bethel to personally accept the job. Then we all met up at my friend's new house and took showers to get cleaned up for the wedding. We drove the hour+ up to lake Michigan for the wedding (which was on the beach), and the rest of the day was history. I think I arrived back in Goshen around 12:3o am.

Saturday was a sleeping day, starting to look at apartments, and hanging out with friends.

Sunday was church at NMC, then driving back to Fishers for youth group at BridgeWay.

This week has been packing, doing last minute calling and shopping, and hanging out with friends here before I move. Where I am going to live, what furniture I need, what insurance changes I need, and many other things like that have had to take place over this past week. It is a lot more tiring than I thought it would be.

And so this weekend, as we celebrate our Nation's independence, I am moving back out of my parent's house into my own independence. Excited? Oh yeah! It has been such a blessing living with my parent's for the last year, but it's time to move out and pursue what God has for me. I would appreciate your prayers this weekend as I move and start my new job on Tuesday.

Big News!

Big news, I have a new job! Some of you already know this, but for the rest of you I wanted to let you know about my new endeavor. Starting Tuesday I will be working for


as an Admission Counselor. That means I will be able to not only promote one of the best Christian colleges for my job, but will be able to interact with and help high school juniors and seniors, and their parents. Deciding whether college is right for you, and then which college is right for you is a big decision for high schoolers; and I am excited to be able to help some students make informed decisions. Plus, how can you not be excited about going back to work at your Alma mater?

25 Great Places I have Traveled To

In a continuation of my previous post, "25 Great Memories" I give you 25 Great Places I have Traveled To:

1. Touring London on my way to Northern Ireland.
2. Northern Ireland on a mission trip with Bethel College. (We also travel to Ireland for a day to go to Dublin)
3. Walt Disney World...enough said
4. Washington DC: 8th grade school trip and with the Bethel College choir
5. Over 30 different states
6. Mount Saint Helens in Washington...very impressing / somber
   
7. Las Vegas for a few days to hang out with my dad
8. Wichita, Kansas for a summer of ministry
9. Wisconsin Dells for vacations with my family.
10. Mount Rushmore and the Badlands
    
11. The Grand Canyon...yeah...it's grand!
12. On a cruise to Grand Caymen Islands, Cozumel and Costa Maya
13. Venezuela for a mission trip during high school (Before their leader went totally crazy)
14. Myrtle Beach for Spring Break vacations with my family
    
15. Dominican Republic for a mission trip during high school (I "heard" the call to ministry on this trip...it was life changing!)
16. Colorado Springs, CO - several trips for training with The Navigators at their beautiful headquarters here
17. Canada - for a bachelor party
18. New York City for a week long evangelism training with a large group of students - I loved helping my guys talk to people about Jesus
19. LA for a youth ministry conference
20. Portland, Oregon to visit my parents when they had moved out there for a few years. I would love to move back there sometime.
21. Backpacking up a 14,000 foot mountain somewhere in Colorado
22. Texas - don't mess with it!
    
23. North of West Palm Beach, FL for two college spring breaks with friends (yeah...we stayed with my family down there...I only wish all vacations could be that inexpensive)
    
24. Chicago - hate the traffic, like the city
25. Red River, New Mexico - learning how to snowboard in the Rocky Mountains. (I think my tailbone still remembers all the falls I had)
    

25 Great Memories

Today is my 25th birthday. It doesn't seem like I have been alive for a quarter of a century, but here it is. Do I feel any different than yesterday when I was merely 24? Nope. But, in honor of 25 years I have come up with a list for you: 25 great memories (in no particular order after number 1.)

1. Believing in Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. There is no other memory that deserves to be in the number one spot.
2. Hiking up and spending the night at the top of a mountain in Oregon.
3. Being the head drum major for the Goshen High School Crimson Marching Band.
4. Having multiple solos in band, jazz band and marching band.
5. Multiple trips to Disney World.
6. Spending my summers on Lake Wawase, at my grandparent's house.
7. Interning at a church in Newton, Kansas the summer after my sophomore year in college.
8. Waiting tables at Das Dutchmen Essenhaus
9. Being National Honor Society president in high school.
10. Interning with Nappanee Missionary Church Student Ministries.
11. Going to Bethel College - seriously life changing!
12. "The Great Stocking Exchange" at Christmas with my family.
13. Being an uncle - holding my nephews for the first time.
    
14. Eating fish my grandpa, uncles and dad would catch every summer.
    
15. Singing in the National Cathedral with the Bethel College concert choir - a few days after Regan's funeral - then touring Washington DC for the 2nd time.
16. Delivering newspapers every day for a few years while in middle school.
17. Ministering with The Navigators in Texas for a year.
    
18. Laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery during my 8th grade DC trip.
19. Marching in the state finals for marching band in the old RCA Dome.
20. 3DYC baby...enough said
21. Miniature Golf in Myrtle Beach, SC during Spring Breaks with my family.
    
22. Listening to Adventures in Odyssey when I was growing up.
23. Being an RA in Oakwood (Freshman guy's dorm)
24. Backpacking up a 14,000 foot mountain in Colorado.
25. Making snow forts in my front yard with the snow shovel off the driveway.
    

The Wedding

The wedding is over, the tuxes are returned, I have traveled on to Goshen for the rest of the weekend and everything went very well.

Hopefully I will be able to get some pictures from others fairly soon that I can share with you. It was a great wedding, especially since it was one of my best friends as the groom. Trevor and I met the first day at Bethel College. We were in the same freshman block. After we had all moved into the freshman dorms they had a dinner around the ponds for all of us and our parents. After dinner we were split into our blocks, which is when I met Trevor.

From that point on we have been friends. Besides being in the same block, Trevor also became like a third roommate when he needed to get away from his roommates at times freshman year. Sophomore and Senior years we were actual roommates when we lived in the campus apartments. Junior year we were both back in the freshman guy's dorm; myself as an RA and Trev as another RA's roommate. Since college we have both made sure to keep in touch, hanging out whenever possible. It was a huge honor to be involved in his wedding. He married an amazing woman and is going to have a great life as they now pursue Jesus together.

Including the bride and groom, there were 18 people in the bridal party...so a crazy large wedding. (Plus 2 flower girls and a ring bearer). What was fun though was that out of the 18 people, 14 of us had gone, or are going, to Bethel College. It was a small reunion in and of itself. The ceremony went smoothly and the reception was tons of fun. But now it's all over, the bride and groom are off and the rest of us were able to spend today resting and getting some other things done.

Here We Go Again

Well, I am back up in Northern Indiana again. I drove up yesterday and will be here until Sunday. The reason this time? One of my best friends, and former college roommate, is getting married tomorrow.

Yesterday started the activities. We picked up our tuxes from the store at around 4:30pm, then from there most of the groomsmen piled in a car to make the trip from Mishawaka to Fort Wayne to play some lazer tag and eat dinner. Afterwards we made the trip back to Mishawaka, played some Halo at his apartment, stayed up talking way too late, then went to bed.

Today is a little more relaxing of a day. We were going to get up early to play some disc golf, but the weather had other plans. As a result I have had the entire morning and early afternoon to do whatever I want/need. Hence I am sitting at a Panera Bread eating a late lunch and typing this post. This evening starts the rehearsal, then the rehearsal dinner, then the fun times in which us groomsmen take the groom out for a little embarassment. But the majority of the evening will be a relaxing time encouraging him.

Tomorrow is the wedding, and it's going to be a long day. We are all getting up (hopefully) to go play disc golf in the morning, taking showers, then heading to the church to change and eat lunch. Then starts the pictures...blah blah blah...and they will be married. And of course the dinner and dancing will happen after that.

Saturday...a chill day back in Goshen with my brother. I am hopefully going to go over and help my grandma sort through some old taxes and financial records.

Sunday is church, helping grandma a little bit more, then heading home so that I can be in Indy in time for youth group that evening.

Monday...hopefully work!

It's a busy several days, but well worth it. I will probably not be able to update anything until substantial until Saturday. But stay tuned...maybe I will include some pictures for you at some point. The fun thing is that I get to repeat all of this in two weeks for another friends wedding.