I guess I should write a little bit about what I've been doing in the last week.  Let's see, I've been applying to join Wycliffe, writing a paper with a former professor for the Translation Journal, learning to use a sound board for the chapel services, staying on top of my internet activities, planning a newcomers guide for next year, thinking and planning various projects, and then there's something else.  What was it?  Oh yeah, I'm in grad school.  The way GIAL works is that students have two bimesters, which are divided into 4 modules (about a month each).  Each module has three classes, so its like cramming 9 hours into 4 weeks.  So far, its mostly been review for me, so it hasn't been to bad, but I think I'll get really busy once we get into new material.  Tomorrow night I think I'll go see Shakespeare's "Merry Wives of Windsor" in the Duncanville amphitheater.  Ok, I'm tired.  I got up at 6am to get some work done, and I'll still be up for a few more hours before turning in.  Remind me some time to write about voiceless velar fricatives with egressive pulmonic airstreams.  Or maybe I'll talk about swiss cheese.  You choose.   

South African women have been urged to check regularly at their local registry offices, to see whether they have been married without their knowledge.

For those guys out there who are trying to snag Renea, Ning, or Kate, but have been turned down, there still may be hope. 

I was just in the lounge when I saw a Ninged cinnamon roll and decided to Brandon it.  Then I realized that no one here knew what that meant.  Sigh. 

Love Song - Third Day

I've heard it said that a man would climb a mountain
Just to be with the one he loves
How many times has he broken that promise
It has never been done.
I've never climbed the highest mountain
But I walked the hill of calvary

Chorus:
Just to be with you, I'd do anything
There's no price I would not pay
Just to be with you, I'd give anything
I would give my life away.

I've heard it said that a man would swim the ocean
Just to be with the one he loves
How may times has he broken that promise
It can never be done
I've never swam the deepest ocean
But I walked upon the raging sea

Repeat chorus

(Bridge) I know that you don't understand
the fullness of My love
How I died upon the cross for your sins
And I know that you don't realize
how much that I gave you
But I promise, I would do it all again.
Just to be with you, I've done everything
There's no price I did not pay
Just to be with you, I gave everything
Yes, I gave my life away.

GIAL

Well, today was my first day at the Graduate Institute of Applied
Linguistics. So far, no homework. Of course, I haven't had any classes yet
either, so I guess that makes sense. Today was only orientation and
registration. It's not exactly O-Week, but this isn't exactly Rice. I've
been staying with the Mr. and Mrs. Feia, parents of one of my friends from
Colorado. I haven't seen her in a while since she's been in Switzerland
each time I get back to Loveland, but we still email every once in a while.
The Feia's have been very hospitable and I've enjoyed living with them. The
whole situation has been a real gift from God. I'll write more tomorrow
after I see what the classes are like, and as I get to know the other
students and professors.

Well, true to Caleb fashion, I spent as much time socializing tonight as possible, and then stayed up late packing.  In two or three hours, I will be leaving with Billy for Duncanville, Texas.  I know that God will provide for everything I need (He has already provided for summer housing, transportation, temporary housing, and the first semester's payment) through prayer alone.  I have always been inspired by the story of George Muller, who by prayer alone, built 6 huge orphanages in England and sent out millions of dollars to fund missions around the world.  He did all of this by believing that if He only discussed his needs with God (ie never asking anyone for money, directly or indirectly) then God would provide for every need.  Basically if its God's work then God would provide.  I like that philosophy and I believe I will copy him.  I know it will be stretching, but I believe God can cover me. 
All of that said, I have faith in God, but still feel sad.  I took Renea to the airport this morning so she could visit Ning in New York, then packed my stuff into her car, and then late tonight, out of her car and into Billy's.  He was kind enough to offer to take me to Duncanville (not to mention letting me stay in his room for a week or two).  Don't worry, I will continue to blog, but please pray for me.  I will miss you all very much! 

ADIEU, WIZILL
Will Conrad the future president of France?
Don't laugh, it could happen. 
In my daily perusal of the internet, I find many interesting things.  This one certainly caught my eye.  They may not have popemobile, but since France also claimed Texas from 1685-1690, Will would also qualify. 
 
 
ADIEU, BUBBA
Bill Clinton the future president of France?
Don't laugh, it could happen.
"Normally, you'd have to live in France for five years . . . [b]ut Clinton was born in Arkansas, which was once part of France, and which was then acquired by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase, making it 'a state or territory over which France has ever exercised sovereignty or extended a mandate or protectorate,'" reveals Matthew Continetti, a writer for the Weekly Standard.
French social scientist Patrick Weil was the first to report that French civil law permits "citizens of states or territories over which France has ever exercised sovereignty or extended a mandate or protectorate" to apply "immediately" for naturalization as a French citizen.
That would pave the way for Clinton - who longs these days to be president of something - to seek France's highest office.
"Clinton repeats this theme throughout [his new book] 'My Life,'" Continetti observes. "He just loved being president, he tells us, again and again and again. Absolutely loved it. With all his heart and mind and body, it seems. He'd do it all over again if he could."
Weil actually wrote to Clinton on Jan. 10, 2001, informing him that as a naturalized French citizen, "You would have the same full rights as all other French citizens. That includes running for the presidency."
France doesn't even require that Clinton renounce his American citizenship. However, he would need to purchase an official residence in France and learn the French language.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/johnmccaslin/jm20040713.shtml

Do you ever wonder who you are? Let's see who the internet says I am. Personally, I care more about who God says I am, but this is still interesting.

http://calebredfield2.blogspot.com/

BTW, I included the link in the right hand column so you can check in later to make sure I don't have a radical personality shift.

Ok, so it seems that people just think that because I don't have a job, that I've grown fat and lazy since I graduated. I can give you a dozen witnesses that will testify that I have not grown fat. In fact I weigh less now than I did during the school year, due mostly to the fact that I no longer have a buffet three meals a day. I won't tell you how much less I weigh because it would make the girls (yes, there are more than one) who read this cry. It would make them cry.
Since I only see people for at most 6 hours a day, I am the only one who can tell you what I do during solitary. To prove that I am not lazy, I will give you a rundown of how my days often go. Today I got up at 9:30am, after going to bed at around 3:00. That's more sleep than I got during the school year, but less than the recommend 8 hours, so I think its just about right. I got up and spent some time reading emails and catching up on the news. How would I put up random news stories if I never spent time watching what was going on in the world. Later I walked to the post office to buy some stamps and saw a couple of friends, so I sat and talked with them for a while. I try to stay up to date on some of the radio programs at www.oneplace.com Tonight was also ministry time which, for those of you who don't know, is a time when a few of us from Rice and West University (my church) get together to pray for eachother. We focus on listening to God and seeing if He has any words for us. Often we invite people in from outside the group to be ministered to and God does amazing things. Tonight we ministered to my friend Julia and it will be interesting to hear later what she thought of it. I've been meeting with her throughout the year to discuss God and the Bible, altough she doesn't believe everything. Please pray for her. After getting back, I spent maybe an hour on a hammock outside reading my Bible and praying, and then some time reading Bruchko, a book about a missionary to the indians in Colombia and Venezuela. I think my life will have many parallels with his. Bed time: 2:30am, which is just about perfect for me.

...From every, uh, hillside, let freedom ring!

Happy Fourth of July! I really had a good day today, from breakfast at church to picnicing in the park, today was just an overall good day. First, we went to church, where everyone had breakfast together. It was sausage and biscuits and gravy, a good Southern breakfast, if a bit heavy. Then we went to the service where we sang some patriotic songs, had a flag ceremony, and had a great sermon. Then we went to my Sunday School teacher's house for lunch. Some of the other members come from Brazil and they brought their grand/mother, who speaks no English. It was interesting trying to communicate Spanish to Portugese. Later we went to the Miller Amphitheater in Herman Park to listen to the Houston Symphony and watch the fireworks. The weather was perfect. It had been a hot afternoon but cooled off by the time we all got there. There were mobs of people covering the whole hill (the one hill in Houston). We were far enough from that perimeter that the mosquitoes gorged on the fringes and didn't bother us a bit. I really got into the music and our simple picnic was very good. At one point, the announcer said that they were going to play the official songs from each of the branches in the military and if you were from that branch you were supposed to stand up. It made me proud when I thought of all my relatives who could stand proudly for each of the songs. I think the only branch my family hasn't covered is the coast guard. Although I have to give a point to Jeremy because when they played the songs, the Marines were the only ones who stood at attention. All the army, air force, and navy people just kinda stood there, slouched, or looked around the crowd. According to my count, that gives Jeremy 3 points and Micah 1 point, although Micah officially just started three days ago. They played the 1812 Overture complete with canons but their fireworks had to be broken into sections due to high winds. It felt like a good clean, traditional 4th of July. Everyone from the community, coming together to celebrate as one nation. Lots of food, people were polite, every skin color, every shape and size. Everyone equal. The only thing that would have made it better was if they all could worship God together. That would be awesome beyond belief.

So much for the Founding Fathers being Deists. I was listening to David Barton on Focus on the Family the other day and he mentioned the fact that many people today claim that our Founding Fathers were Deists. A Deist is someone who believes there is a God but that after creating the world, He left and that we can't really know anything about Him. But, he continues, if that were true, why would 27 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence have seminary degrees? Why would they start the American Bible Society? Why would they start a national Sunday School association? Why did they on Sept 10, 1782 approve "a neat edition of the Holy Scriptures for the use of schools." Wait, Congress can't do that! That would be a violation of the Separation of Church and State. Well, obviously the Founding Fathers didn't understand what that truely means, they only wrote it but didn't understand it. My prayer is that the America will come back its Christian foundation before we ruin our country.

Caleb's Sporadic Quiz #1

Because Kate's Bachelorette show was so much fun, we decided to throw one for Renea's birthday. Kate only had six elegiable bachelors but because we always have to things bigger and better than before, Renea has eight guys to choose from.
Who do you think Renea should choose?

1. Sergue Ivanovich, Rabbit Esquire
2. Che Guevera, Cuban revolutionary
3. Gabriel Moisais Chilavert, imaginary boyfriend
4. Mr. 31-Year-Old-Amish-Man, valued at 50,000 chickens
5. 'Adam', random person from her cell phone
6. Mr Wonderful, talking toy
7. Orpheo, her violin
8. Will, proposal machine

Vote using the comments.