My flight arrived in Chicago around 10:00 Friday morning. Brittany picked me up and from there we drove to the University of Chicago campus in order to see the lab where she has been working and to meet some of the other students employed there. But first, we made a stop at a nearby coffee shop. I believe the name was Medici Bakery. And I have to say, there I purchased the best cold brew coffee I have ever had. Plus, according to every single staff shirt, President Obama has eaten there at least once. What more can you ask for in a bakery? We then walked over to the University of Chicago where Brittany showed me around the campus. It was beautiful. Almost every building was covered in ivy and looked like something straight out of the movies. I got to see the office where Brittany works and met a few of her colleagues there. After that, we picked up some sandwiches at a nearby deli and went down to the lake shore nearby where we had a great view of the city while eating next to the water. I was a little bit of a party pooper Friday though because I had a bad headache due, more than likely, to the fact that I had slept an average of four and a half hours the previous three nights. So we spent most of the day resting at the house and then finished the night at an excellent italian restaurant in downtown Wheaton.
On Saturday, we got an early start and ate breakfast at a little cafe also located in Wheaton. The food was great and they even had strawberry orange juice. Delicious. After breakfast, we hopped on the train and went to downtown Chicago. It was beautiful. I had no idea how much I would like being in the midst of that city. Our first destination was Millennium Park which was sweet. There was this big, strange, shiny thing that captivates all of humanity in visual proximity called The Bean. It was beautiful outside so walking around was not uncomfortable in the least. Next up, we went to the Art Institute of Chicago. It was not a planned stop on our itinerary, but both of us ended up being very glad that we checked it out. They have some beautiful paintings there, including my favorite of all. We saw Van Goghs, Monets, Cezannes, and Picassos. It is a great museum.
One of the best moments of the day came later that evening. Brittany has been raving about this pizza place in Chicago known for its deep dish pizza. It's called Giordano's. Being the skeptic I am and having been spoiled by the pizza in Rome, I naturally had my doubts. But this pizza was AMAZING. I cannot say it was better than Roman pizza, but it was easily second place and very healthy competition for the top spot on my favorites list. They will mail a pizza to your house if you are interested! The last stop of the day was Navy Pier. People were everywhere there and we did not get a chance to ride the ferris wheel because of the line. We would not have made it back to the train in time if we stuck around. But sitting on the water, staring at the Chicago skyline and watching boats drift around was the perfect end to the evening. It was beautiful there.
Also, I saw Juwan Howard walking on the sidewalk Saturday evening. Pretty cool.
Sunday, Brittany brought me to the church she has been attending since coming to Chicago. It is called Wheaton Bible Church. Our pastor back in Austin recommended it to her. I was very impressed. The pastor, Rob Bugh, was preaching on 1 Peter 4:12-19. And we did not hear a self-esteem gospel or a comfort gospel. We heard the Gospel. He made it plain that 1 Peter was not about how to live comfortably or stress-free, but how to endure trial and suffering. Because it is bound to enter into the life of a Christian. The sermon talked about Peter's strategy for us in suffering that says not to panic or be surprised by suffering (vs. 12), rejoice in it (vs. 13), do not be ashamed of Jesus (vs. 16), and in all things trust and obey him (vs. 19). Our strength in suffering does not come by our own means or efforts, but rather from God himself who carries us through our trials. I am very thankful that God placed Brittany in such close proximity to the church. She has been plugged into the Gospel and gotten to meet some really neat people during her time there this summer.
The flight home was a little rough. That is one huge drawback about traveling alone. Getting there is easy. But returning after having such a great trip with someone you really care about is difficult because all you can do is reflect. But it was worth it. We will be back in Austin soon enough.
In fact, I only have two more weeks to go! It is amazing how quickly time flies these days. I distinctly remember my parents telling me when I was younger that the older you get, the faster the moments go by. But being a child, naturally I did not listen to them. I find it hard to believe that I have already been in Omaha for six weeks, but when I look back at this blog and my journal I have packed in more learning and more growth than I ever expected to be granted before this all began. I love these weekly rewind entries because they allow me to reflect on the grace God has bestowed on me in the past week. However, my description of that grace can never simply be compartmentalized into the past week because it is generally tied to a greater internal heart change that the Lord is bringing to my life. The most profound learning experience I have had so far has been the process of receiving and experiencing the Gospel through the perspective of receiving gifts. The great part about the things God teaches us is that they are never one-sided. And I have loved seeing how God has used me in learning this aspect of the Gospel by sharing it with others.
This past weekend was a prime example. Since Brittany does not have a paid internship, she is on a very fixed budget this summer. The same goes for me, but certain financial circumstances allowed me to splurge on her this weekend and I was able to pay for some great meals and experiences for both of us that kept her from draining her bank account and allowed us to see more than we expected to see. For those of you who know me well, you know I am cheap. But I have been pressed on that a lot this summer. Because in reality, being cheap or storing up money does not do anything but make you comfortable. There is no eternal reward for having a full bank account. And as much as I have made myself believe that in the past, I found so much more comfort in spending money on Brittany and our memories in Chicago this weekend than I ever have before in simply putting it in my bank account. Granted, I like to be comfortable and I like to be safe. But there is no better feeling than putting a smile on her face over and over again like I was able to this past weekend. We receive gifts not to give them away, but to receive Christ more profoundly so that we might be better at giving to others.
That's about it for this week. I posted a bunch of pictures from Chicago on Facebook. You can view them in the album link below. Also, I am posting the video I took from the Sick Puppies show I went to last week. Thank you for your prayers for me over the summer. I have seen some amazing things happen in my life and I hope that they continue in the last two weeks I am here.
Until next time...
Chicago Photo Album:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=96173&id=661918786&l=38befd0803
"The Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to the person whose life is not." – Charles H. Spurgeon
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