guess what?

For a change of pace, I thought I'd write about jujitsu.

The gym is closed for exams, so we met at the 2nd reformed church down the street. Its the one that always chimes the hour, which I love. So, special news today: I'm officially not the lowest ranking colored belt anymore. So that's cool. Congratulations to Allan and Chris, who I'm sure don't read this anyway. It was interesting watching their promotions, since now I'm sort of on the other side of it. And it was really cool because, for me anyway, there was something special about learning a martial art in the shadow of a church steeple. My church doesn't have a steeple, so I've always had a sort of awe for them... something about the way they always strive to be closer to the sky, as if one day they will poke through and reach the heavens beyond. Anyway, when the promotion began, I felt... well, it felt like my senses suddenly became extremely sensitive to the presence of God. That means that either I had something at that moment that God wanted me to learn (that I'm not really catching on to) or that someone in the group is really good at inviting Him to come and join us. I won't say too much more about that, but it did make me think about my promotion to blue belt, and how I said something very similar during that entry in my blog. I think perhaps when I have my quiet time tonight, I will learn something about all this.

Leg update, so no one has to ask. On Tuesday at jujitsu, I could take falls on the other side (the non-injured side), and do some rolls, but I paid for my activity on Wednesday. Now its Thursday, and I took it easy and didn't do any falls except the easy, gentle "magic throw." At the moment, there is a lot of heat coming from the muscle that Google calls gracilis and it sort of feels like a thick bungee cord... not at all like a muscle. But I'm not in pain, so I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

Lastly, I learned two things today. Or rather, re-learned. 1. Foot-in-mouth doesn't taste so good, in fact it has the potential to send a sharp pain into my heart. 2. My friends are incredible, and its been a while since I've felt comraderie like I have in the past couple of months. In fact its been a long while. It has made this semester which I thought I was going to hate (and in fact did hate for a long time) completely worth the trouble and one of the more enjoyable ones. When I started my junior year, it appeared that it was going to be very dreary... and lonely. And it was for a while. I focused on all of my class requirements for graduation, tried to drown my aching heart in a busy schedule, and slowly watched myself lose contact with a good friend, knowing there's nothing I can do about it. Then, something happened. I think it was spring in my heart (closely corresponding with the coming of spring to New Brunswick) and somehow, the bittersweet memories I usually associate with spring took the background, and I stopped stressing over my schedule, and I got to know my friends better, and most important, God taught me some vital lessons. And over all, I'm ending my junior year with a very peaceful, contented attitude.

And I had no idea I was going to think that deeply tonight. Now that I'm coming up for air... I'm realizing how late it is and I think I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight.