Job
I have been working at CTS for about a month and a half now. It's going well. The probationary period for getting into the union, which is UAW, is 4 months. So, I'm almost halfway through that now. A couple of the people who work there are Christians, which is encouraging. I eat my "lunch" with an older Christian guy named Don. He's been there for a good 25 years or so I think.
I say "lunch" in quotes because I work 2nd shift now, 3:30pm to midnight. So, my lunch break is at 8pm usually. It's not bad.
Art
Still painting the back of that skateboard. Been drawing pictures here and there.
Music
I have been playing piano in my free time, which has been fun. I believe God has given me natural talent in playing piano. However, I broke the piano the other night. The pedal that you put your foot on to sustain the notes when you're not pressing down the key, yeah. I was playing and then heard some clanging sound in the piano as something came disconnected (or so it sounded like). I rely on that pedal a lot.
Food
My parents and I went to an amazing pizzeria in Goshen, Indiana. It's named Venturi. Apparently, it has received a prestigous award or two for it's pizza.
Wow. Amazing. That's how I would describe the experience.
It was expensive. I must say that.
They make their own Mozzerela cheese every day by the way.
Leisure
I was given a new CD for my birthday. Good stuff. I have been skateboarding from time to time, and I'm starting to figure out how to do a kickflip. Sometimes I work on juggling a soccer ball.
I've been playing NBA Street vol. 3 again. Sometimes I can't believe how good the other teams are. The DJ/commentator for that game is amazing. I've been able to get together with friends more often now, which has been good.
Media
I have been using Twitter more lately. Also, on my way home from work I listen to BBC's Newsweek (I think that's what it's called). I get the lowdown on what's happening in the Middle East, Africa, China, Europe, and in "football," which we know more familiarly as soccer. It's interesting stuff.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Art, Art, Music and a Job Interview
Skate Art:
I've been entertained by and attracted to skateboarding in recent months. It's one of those, "That's so cool! I wish I could do that!" kinds of things. Well, my friend Trevor taught me some basics and gave me a skateboard and I started skateboarding. Somewhere in the process, Trevor decided to repaint the bottom of the skateboard that he later gave to me. We primed it white and then splattered orange paint down the middle of it. I eventually broke the skateboard, trying to do tricks on it, and my friend Brett gave me a new one. Now I'm trying to do my OWN paint job on the new skateboard. ... it's coming slowly, but it's coming.
Sandwich Art:
I am officially a "Sandwich Artist" again. I am working at Subway, bouncing between the Niles restaurants and the one in Edwardsburg. It was a little humbling to apply again at Subway, when my hopes were to be in Art College or at a higher paying job at this point. However, I began to see that this could be an opportunity to be faithful with the little that I've been given and then grow and build from there.
Music:
The Lord has given me talent in the area of music. Lately I have been playing piano at home in my free time. Half of the time I play or work on songs that I know from famous, popular artists and musicians. And at other times I make up my own tunes within the same keys that those songs are played. I was recently invited to play piano at an art gallery for an upcoming gallery reception. God knows if I'll be able to make it, provided I can get the evening off from work and nothing else comes up. It's motivating and exciting though.
Job Interview:
I heard back from CTS in Elkhart, they scheduled me in for an interview on Wednesday, and I went and intereviewed with them. They didn't offer me the job on the spot, but I may hear back from them in the coming weeks. I heard from one employee that it takes a while for such things to get done there.
The interview went well; thank the Lord.
CTS is a manufacturing place for electronic sensors for automobiles. They make sensors and are starting to make actuators (no I'm not sure what an actuator is well enough to explain what it is. Sensors tell the computer what is happening and moving. Actuators actually make things move. ... That's most of what I know about it). But it would be pretty good pay. $11.50/hr for the first year, and $12.50/hr after that. It'd be a UAW union job after the 4 month 'trial' period, complete with benefits and such.
:)
-Stephen
I've been entertained by and attracted to skateboarding in recent months. It's one of those, "That's so cool! I wish I could do that!" kinds of things. Well, my friend Trevor taught me some basics and gave me a skateboard and I started skateboarding. Somewhere in the process, Trevor decided to repaint the bottom of the skateboard that he later gave to me. We primed it white and then splattered orange paint down the middle of it. I eventually broke the skateboard, trying to do tricks on it, and my friend Brett gave me a new one. Now I'm trying to do my OWN paint job on the new skateboard. ... it's coming slowly, but it's coming.
Sandwich Art:
I am officially a "Sandwich Artist" again. I am working at Subway, bouncing between the Niles restaurants and the one in Edwardsburg. It was a little humbling to apply again at Subway, when my hopes were to be in Art College or at a higher paying job at this point. However, I began to see that this could be an opportunity to be faithful with the little that I've been given and then grow and build from there.
Music:
The Lord has given me talent in the area of music. Lately I have been playing piano at home in my free time. Half of the time I play or work on songs that I know from famous, popular artists and musicians. And at other times I make up my own tunes within the same keys that those songs are played. I was recently invited to play piano at an art gallery for an upcoming gallery reception. God knows if I'll be able to make it, provided I can get the evening off from work and nothing else comes up. It's motivating and exciting though.
Job Interview:
I heard back from CTS in Elkhart, they scheduled me in for an interview on Wednesday, and I went and intereviewed with them. They didn't offer me the job on the spot, but I may hear back from them in the coming weeks. I heard from one employee that it takes a while for such things to get done there.
The interview went well; thank the Lord.
CTS is a manufacturing place for electronic sensors for automobiles. They make sensors and are starting to make actuators (no I'm not sure what an actuator is well enough to explain what it is. Sensors tell the computer what is happening and moving. Actuators actually make things move. ... That's most of what I know about it). But it would be pretty good pay. $11.50/hr for the first year, and $12.50/hr after that. It'd be a UAW union job after the 4 month 'trial' period, complete with benefits and such.
:)
-Stephen
Saturday, August 4, 2012
This Summer and Fall
Hello, readers.
For the past two months I have been working as an intern at Community Baptist Church of Edwardsburg. Things have been going pretty well. I am learning to manage my time better. I still feel like I waste some days. Other days are very productive.
We are currently painting murals on the walls. We have almost all of the Creation days painted, I believe. Adam and Eve being sent out of the garden of Eden is getting close to done. The birth of Christ has some color painted on it, and the Death/Resurrection mural has only just been drawn sketched onto the wall (at least last time I saw it). My friends Maddie and Becka have been a great help. They have done most of the painting so far, which has allowed me to be manager/concept artist.
We are currently painting murals on the walls. We have almost all of the Creation days painted, I believe. Adam and Eve being sent out of the garden of Eden is getting close to done. The birth of Christ has some color painted on it, and the Death/Resurrection mural has only just been drawn sketched onto the wall (at least last time I saw it). My friends Maddie and Becka have been a great help. They have done most of the painting so far, which has allowed me to be manager/concept artist.
On the art topic (school-wise), there have been several developments.
I currently anticipate not going to college this fall, or in the near future for that matter. At least, full time enrollment is not something I anticipate. Due to a conviction about student loans and debt, which I’ll get back to hopefully later in this post, I have sent my letter of regrets to both of the Art Colleges I had been pursuing. I sent my deferral of enrollment to Kendall College of Art and Design and to The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In the meantime, however, CCS, the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, has contacted me. I applied there and have looked at the financial aid they've offered. The price is still too high. I need to see if there are businesses and people who would support me financially and cover some of the costs. If not, I don't think I'm going.
I currently anticipate not going to college this fall, or in the near future for that matter. At least, full time enrollment is not something I anticipate. Due to a conviction about student loans and debt, which I’ll get back to hopefully later in this post, I have sent my letter of regrets to both of the Art Colleges I had been pursuing. I sent my deferral of enrollment to Kendall College of Art and Design and to The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In the meantime, however, CCS, the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, has contacted me. I applied there and have looked at the financial aid they've offered. The price is still too high. I need to see if there are businesses and people who would support me financially and cover some of the costs. If not, I don't think I'm going.
Plan B:
If God is willing, I will get a job somewhere in the area I'm currently living and earn up some money while working my way into the art world through making more of my own art, applying to art competitions, galleries, and art fairs.
If God is willing, I will get a job somewhere in the area I'm currently living and earn up some money while working my way into the art world through making more of my own art, applying to art competitions, galleries, and art fairs.
Part of this process also involves volunteering time at art related events, going to art fairs to talk to artists and do research, and just plain making artwork and doing research. Ask my friend Dave if I enjoy doing research. He'll probably laugh. My parents and many others have been helpful in this process.
Recent happenings:
I have visited a few art fairs with my parents and talked to a few artists, which has been helpful.
I have visited a few art fairs with my parents and talked to a few artists, which has been helpful.
My parents and I went and talked to a nice lady name Lilly, down in South Bend, who is moving out of the country and sold me a lot of her art supplies, including a very portable easel, lots of chalk pastels, oil pastels, and some acrylic and watercolor paints, as well as a box for my oil paints, which included a painters palette. I did not have an oil paint palette, so it’s a wonderful addition to my supplies.
Since then I have been drawing pictures in my sketchpads, playing a little with the chalk pastels, and a little with the oil pastels too.
Interestingly: I pulled out my watercolor paint palette to get a brush, which was sitting with my paints. I was surprised to see my crimson paint looking a weird tan color. ... then I realized it was a fuzzy tan color. I'm pretty sure my watercolor paints have grown mold. ... I've never seen that before.
Alrighty.
Talk to you later.
Talk to you later.
-Stephen
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Bair Lake, Church, College
Well, let's see. It is June 10th.
I have been just about as busy since leaving camp as I was when at camp. Though it seems I do not stay away for very long at a time. I'll get to that in a minute though.
I started my internship at Community Baptist Church on Monday, June 4th. And since I started, I have torn down and set up chairs and tables, I have started the design for a billboard for the church (based off of some designs I was given), and I have worked together with my friend Ashley to get our first college group small-group together. Our group met Saturday night at Riverfront park in Niles.
I have been continuing my efforts into The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) as well as for Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD) in Grand Rapids.
Tomorrow I have a phone interview to set up classes with someone from the admissions department at SAIC (Chicago). There is a tuition deposit that I currently have too little money to pay for, however, God has been showing his provision, and I am confident that he will provide as He deems best. I hope that they will extend the deadline or waive the fee.
That brings me back to my comment about being a camp a lot. I was a at camp for variety of things, but one of them was for being hired for a few days to work ACE (Adventure Challenge Education) for some guest groups. The camp offered to pay me to come work for 4 days, which would have covered that tuition deposit fee right there. I ended up only being available for 3 of those days, but it was a great reminder of how God can and will provide the needed money, and I do not need to worry.
I have been reading The Shack by William P. Young. It's a very interesting book, and I hope to write more about it after I finish reading it.
One last thing for this update:
June 1st was the deadline for a competition I entered for SAIC (Chicago). It was a Merit Scholarship based on the quality of my submitted portfolio. It had to be submitted electronically. I worked hard on it. I asked God for help with the process. My friend Stephanie helped me a lot by going over my recent work with me and giving great advice and encouragement. She also lent me some supplies for taking good photos of my artwork. In the end, I got all of it in by the deadline. And Yesterday, Saturday, I received the letter saying that I won the Scholarship!
Praise be to God!
And thank you, Stephanie!
Thank you all for your interest.
-Stephen
I have been just about as busy since leaving camp as I was when at camp. Though it seems I do not stay away for very long at a time. I'll get to that in a minute though.
I started my internship at Community Baptist Church on Monday, June 4th. And since I started, I have torn down and set up chairs and tables, I have started the design for a billboard for the church (based off of some designs I was given), and I have worked together with my friend Ashley to get our first college group small-group together. Our group met Saturday night at Riverfront park in Niles.
I have been continuing my efforts into The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) as well as for Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD) in Grand Rapids.
Tomorrow I have a phone interview to set up classes with someone from the admissions department at SAIC (Chicago). There is a tuition deposit that I currently have too little money to pay for, however, God has been showing his provision, and I am confident that he will provide as He deems best. I hope that they will extend the deadline or waive the fee.
That brings me back to my comment about being a camp a lot. I was a at camp for variety of things, but one of them was for being hired for a few days to work ACE (Adventure Challenge Education) for some guest groups. The camp offered to pay me to come work for 4 days, which would have covered that tuition deposit fee right there. I ended up only being available for 3 of those days, but it was a great reminder of how God can and will provide the needed money, and I do not need to worry.
I have been reading The Shack by William P. Young. It's a very interesting book, and I hope to write more about it after I finish reading it.
One last thing for this update:
June 1st was the deadline for a competition I entered for SAIC (Chicago). It was a Merit Scholarship based on the quality of my submitted portfolio. It had to be submitted electronically. I worked hard on it. I asked God for help with the process. My friend Stephanie helped me a lot by going over my recent work with me and giving great advice and encouragement. She also lent me some supplies for taking good photos of my artwork. In the end, I got all of it in by the deadline. And Yesterday, Saturday, I received the letter saying that I won the Scholarship!
Praise be to God!
And thank you, Stephanie!
Thank you all for your interest.
-Stephen
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Love
Love:
... keeps no record of wrongs, rejoices in the truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Is:
Patient
Kind
Does not:
Envy
Boast
Delight in evil
Is not:
Proud
Rude
Self-seeking
Easily Angered
Never:
Fails
Of the three lasting things, which are faith, hope, and love, the greatest of them is love.
Knowledge, wisdom, speaking in tongues of men and of angels, the ability to prophecy, having "a faith that can move mountains," giving everything away to the poor, and being willing to be a burned up in the flames.
All of that gains me nothing, leaves me as a nothing, and does nothing if I have and do all of that but do not have love.
... keeps no record of wrongs, rejoices in the truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Is:
Patient
Kind
Does not:
Envy
Boast
Delight in evil
Is not:
Proud
Rude
Self-seeking
Easily Angered
Never:
Fails
Of the three lasting things, which are faith, hope, and love, the greatest of them is love.
Knowledge, wisdom, speaking in tongues of men and of angels, the ability to prophecy, having "a faith that can move mountains," giving everything away to the poor, and being willing to be a burned up in the flames.
All of that gains me nothing, leaves me as a nothing, and does nothing if I have and do all of that but do not have love.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Verses of Guidance
Philippians 4:7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
James 1:17-18 "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
Psalm 139:1-6 "O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in -- behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain."
Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Psalm 138:1-8 "I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise. I will bow down towards your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. When I called you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. ... Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever -- do not abandon the work of your hands."
Proverbs 3:3-6 "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:11-12 "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves as a father the son he delights in."
James 1:2-8 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask of God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. that man should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."
James 4:1-2 "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God."
2 Peter 1:5-7 "Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
James 1:17-18 "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
Psalm 139:1-6 "O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in -- behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain."
Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Psalm 138:1-8 "I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise. I will bow down towards your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. When I called you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. ... Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever -- do not abandon the work of your hands."
Proverbs 3:3-6 "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:11-12 "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves as a father the son he delights in."
James 1:2-8 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask of God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. that man should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."
James 4:1-2 "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God."
2 Peter 1:5-7 "Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Psalm 23 "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
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