Somebody pull the brakes on this train called life! I am a slacker when it has come to the blog this New Year and for that I apologize. Here is a quick rundown of my life since the last post: 2.5 days in Dublin, Ireland, 6 days in Spain, back in Rome and running like crazy with ministry! The team that I go onto campus with has gotten reshuffled so now I am on a team of 7 (Gigundateam or The Magnificent Seven are possible team names) and have been crazy hectic busy planning and meeting with students/friends. I am training for the Rome Marathon on March 22 and I got lost yesterday running 11.5 miles and had to ask a prostitute for directions. First time I have ever been propositioned, which was kind of weird but she did give me the right directions. I have also joined a basketball team, which has been great for meeting more guys. Ok, I realize all this is summary and not my deepest or most profound thoughts, but my brain is so scattered right now I couldnt give you that. So here are some pictures instead... Starts in Spain, ends in Dublin (sorry, reverse order) Enjoy
This is where I spent a few hours with Jesus one of the days in Spain... and a few more later that night smoking a pipe and talking with good friends.
Squadra Rome + Team Istanbul = sweet prayer partner love
Make up your own caption for this one!
Dance party... and this is not what it looks like, I promise. But it is hilarious!
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome "Smooth Sam and the Fabulous Five!"
I get to go on dates with my girlfriend in Spain... my life is crazy
At the Alhambra in Granada, Spain
And a sweet door at the Alhambra... so intracate
I like the reflection
A beautiful girl overlooking the lovely city of Granada, Spain
He's happy, I'm happy, we are all happy!
The view out my window in Nerja, Spain: Our Creator is a true artist
They could dance... for real
So amazing I have to invent a word to describe it. Scrumtrulescent. Yes... tis true.
The dude on the flute (L) was amazing. The music was amazing. Loved the tradition Irish music. Loved it.
Went on a tour of the Guinness Storehouse; it was this guys birthday and he sang on the mic at the bar at the top of the Storehouse. It was sweet.
Click on this picture and look at the sign behind Jimmy
Pouring rain, gusting wind, and Guiness Lake in the background... beautiful
A beautiful old Monastary in the Irish hills
Have you seen the movie Once? These guys were playing on the same street a lot of that was filmed on.
Yes, a picture update is easier (initially) than words. Hopefully I will throw up a few words here before the day is over, but this is my life since Christmas. I have already spent nights in 4 different cities, 2 countries, traveled by plain, train, tram, automobile, bus, taxi, car, metro... my life is crazy. It began by going to Florence on Dec. 30 to visit my buddy Drew and he had 4 guys from Caserta staying at his place. So I was basically the only one not fluent in Italian. 
Can you find the American?
New Years was welcomed running through the streets of Florence... literally...
With these guys... Magdi and Bruno
I then left on Jan. 2 for England, for a Fireseeds Conference (Agape UK) with my buddy Danilo (pictured below), who is a student here at La Sapienza. It was a 3 day conference in Nottingham England and was full of good talks, challenges, British food, and time to reflect on the direction that life is taking us and how we can serve God best with our lives.
Bluetree, a fantastic band, played at Fireseeds. And they rocked out, praised Jesus, and had a good time. Oh yea, these are the guys who wrote the song God of this City. If you havent heard it, listen to it HERE. And their version is better than Chris Tomlins cover.
Two Brits, an Italian, an American and a Scotsman got together for some soccer. They called the magical team International Stew... and lost quite badly.
For all those Harry Potter fans out there... I couldnt resist.
English brews with Fish and Chips... I was a happy man.
Me, Danilo and Big Ben
This lion reminded me of Aslan... in Trafalgar Square.
Up in the London Eye
We met up with my buddy Giovanni the juggler and hung out in London with him... and had great Chinese food
We saw Les Mis (pictured below) and it was fantastic... truly fantastic
London Bridge was not falling down but this bus almost ran me over.
After our adventures in England, I returned back to Rome, to work, and to a weekend where my beautiful girlfriend came to visit. So we went ice skating and invited a bunch of friends to come along. Claudio joined in for the fun, as did about 8 other italian friends and 6 or so Americans.
It's a cold night in Rome. I went to midnight Mass at St. Peters but left early because it was too cold to stay outside. I almost lost sight of it there; almost lost sight of the reason we celebrate Christmas. I got caught up in the cold and the frustration of being in a big city, got caught up in the ceremony and the Pope as a rock star, got caught up in even the beauty and grandeur of it. But God is gracious. He steps in and reminds, gently, of what Christmas is all about.
O Come, let us adore Him. This baby, born amidst the animals, born and laid into a feed manger, born amidst the squalor to a poor, working class guy and his fiancee, is the one who is worthy of our adoration. This baby, whose heralds were both great and small, star and shepherd, women and wise men... this baby is the King of Kings. Is the long awaited Savior, the one to bring a deliverance from a more demanding master than Rome, from a master that wars for the soul. This baby, God in flesh, God clothed in the most undivine clothing of a weak and helpless babe, is the ONE to bring peace on earth, peace in men's hearts.
Hosanna in the highest! The angels couldn't hold back from belting out a song of celestial joy. The wise men drop to a knee, the shepherds reach out with rough calloused hands to stroke the soft cheek of the baby and then sit back an marvel, wonder in their eyes. Joseph stand protectively by, exhausted and confused but remembering his dream and knowing that his adopted son's entrance into the world confirms that this angel who appeared was not just his imagination. And Mary files away the memories with a worn out, contented look on her face, not even minding the smell of the shepherds.
O Come, all ye faithful and adore Christ the Lord! The sacrificial Lamb of God who was born to take away the sin of the world. Kneel before Him, for he alone is worthy of the adoration. Joy to the world! Hosanna in the highest! Amen.
I pray that this Christmas music will bless you this day. It is worth the download even if only for the version of Joy to the World.
Val Gardena, World Cup Skiing, Mountains, Diving in the Sea, Salerno, caroling around Rome... my life has been full and crazy these past couple weeks, hence my lack of substantial posts. So let me start from... well two weeks ago. My last week on campus here wasn't really spent on campus. Instead, it was spent in leaders meetings, with leaders from Agape Italia congregating in Rome and learning together. The subject was a Leaders Capacity, which basically means how much you are able to do. It was insightful and really I think I just benefitted being around such quality, wise men like Greg L. and Scott K. These guys not only have their head on their shoulders and follow Jesus well, but they also take a personal interest in everyone they encounter. I got some good life advice from them, as I am beginning to figure out what the heck my life will hold in store this next year.
After that, I headed down south to a city called Salerno, about an hour south of Napoli (Naples). The beauty is breathtaking but honestly, headed down there, I didnt care because I was going a day early to suprise my girlfriend. With a complex web of deception, I managed to get into her apartment and start making her dinner :) When she stopped back in to pick something up before headed out to dinner, voila! I was there for the suprise :) Thanks to all who helped trick her and to Marti for the quality recipe; it was so simple yet good that even I couldnt screw it up. My time in Salerno was chill; quality runs, doing a December dip in the sea after one of my runs (cold, but felt great on the legs), and hanging out with Amanda. And we got to watch the first two movies in the Lord of the Rings. It was a relaxing start to a crazy week.
I left Salerno and spent 12 hours headed north to Bolzano, or more specifically to San Cristina where I skiied for two days at Val Gardena, probably one of the best places to ski in the Italian Alps, or the world. I met up with a lot of others who were already there and we blazed the slopes for two days. The views were out of this world; quite literally felt like I was living in some dream world, some Planet Earth documentary on the mountains. The skiing was great and the apple strudel there was fantastic! We got to watch some of the World Cup of skiing and the last day I got to ski down the World Cup downhill course with Mario and Giacomo. Pretty unreal. The other highlight was hanging out with a guy named Finn, who shared his beer, stories and a song with me. Nice guy, freaking sweet moustache, and the guy made some cool pipes (which I didnt buy this time). Check out his picture below and you will get an idea of what he is like.
When I finally made it back to Rome, things havent really settled down too much. Sam is back in Rome which is fantastic. I went caroling last night for the first time in my life; Ella whipped us into a 3 part harmony choir. Basically, I just stand really close to Sam and try really hard to imitate what he sings because I cant do it on my own. It actually kind of sounded good. If I can find and pictures or videos, I will post them. Well, thats about it for now... sorry for the straight up diary but I figured I would catalog it all. Enjoy the pictures.
This is where I spent a few hours with Jesus one of the days in Spain... and a few more later that night smoking a pipe and talking with good friends.
Squadra Rome + Team Istanbul = sweet prayer partner love
Make up your own caption for this one!
Dance party... and this is not what it looks like, I promise. But it is hilarious!
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome "Smooth Sam and the Fabulous Five!"
I get to go on dates with my girlfriend in Spain... my life is crazy
At the Alhambra in Granada, Spain
And a sweet door at the Alhambra... so intracate
I like the reflection
A beautiful girl overlooking the lovely city of Granada, Spain
He's happy, I'm happy, we are all happy!
The view out my window in Nerja, Spain: Our Creator is a true artist
They could dance... for real
So amazing I have to invent a word to describe it. Scrumtrulescent. Yes... tis true.
The dude on the flute (L) was amazing. The music was amazing. Loved the tradition Irish music. Loved it.
Went on a tour of the Guinness Storehouse; it was this guys birthday and he sang on the mic at the bar at the top of the Storehouse. It was sweet.
Click on this picture and look at the sign behind Jimmy
Pouring rain, gusting wind, and Guiness Lake in the background... beautiful
A beautiful old Monastary in the Irish hills
Have you seen the movie Once? These guys were playing on the same street a lot of that was filmed on.
