Don't watch this video yet, there is a better time, trust me.
There exists a boy whom many of you know named Nicholas Maurer. This is the story of how he became a man (by the world's standards that is, because we know from previous encounters with Nick, that he has been a powerful Man of God for quite some time now)
We will now jump forward slightly to examine the great coincidence, or instrument of fate ordained by God, that would acutely and poignantly describe the circumstances through which this blog came into existence.
While Nick was being oriented into the Foundations of Christian Thought I came across, in my reading a truth that i believe now to be almost universally acknowledged. Alexandre Dumas, speaking through Porthos, in the romantic classic
The Three Musketeers, observes that
"A Journey you know, is much shorter when one travels in company."
Unlike Porthos however, I was determined not simply to accompany, but also to account the adventures James Nicholas Maurer VI would undergo on his second day at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (Now found in La Mirada), on the Twenty Fifth of August, Two Thousand Eleven the Year of Our Lord.
Note: From this point forward the blog will resume chronological rather than thematic organization.
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| Nick and I met bright and early in the Stater Bros. parking lot. As you can see Nick was still insane at this hour. | |
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| Despite the fact that he is out of his mind for some time after his head leaves the pillow, Nick told me how much he loves the morning. I agreed! |
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| It was somewhere along this road where Nicks sentiments toward the morning changed into pure hatred of Traffic. We new then that a commute from Yucaipa to La Mirada every day could leave a man foaming at the mouth. It would be endless torment. |
Nick told me that if he had to make this drive every day he would download an album of beats and learn how to freestyle rap. What cross cultural ambition! He truly is unique.
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| Speaking of torment..... |
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| We are all so proud of you! |
After turning around twice, and an utterly silent 15 minutes of parallel parking (thanks to the innovative Prius Technology) we were on our way to British Literature Class, only making a short pit stop in the Men's room.
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| Look they are teaching me to open doors! Physically and Spiritually! |
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| This banner fits perfectly with Nick's desire to open a soda shop. Maybe walking by it twice a week will convince him to quit reading Beowolf and become the next Henry Weinhard. |
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| This is Lyle Smith, a man of God with an indomitable spirit. He has been through some gnarly things, yet still lives in the Joy of the Lord. In all seriousness, pray that God will heal him of his emotional trauma. |
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| Nick and Anga Rayhdin with an R A Y H D I N |
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| Same players, different pose. |
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| Silly bus |
The students in this British Literature class were required to get to know there neighbor and then present them to the class. I happened to be sitting next to Nick so we introduced each other. To say the least the class was surprised as to how well Nick and I got to know each other in just a few minutes. However i did tell the class that Nick has 3 tattoos. I forgot to BEHOLD the phoenix.
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| We had just got done discussing how Literature affiliated with the Christian Faith. Little did we know the easy answer was waiting for us just to the south of the Library. Line of reasoning: Rose of Sharon-Grapes of Wrath-Giving what little you have-Prayer-Chapel-Church-Jesus Christ- Christianity. |
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| John, a Frosh Torrey (spelling?) scholar took this picture for us. Thumbs up for Jesus being the Light of the World. Serious. |
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| This is the mobile that Darius uses to clean the campus. Could it be foreshadowing? |
Nick has an hour break between all of his classes on Thursdays, which was quite convenient for me because we got to hang out and debate theological issues on the lawn. As it turns out, this schedule is worse than the beach imagining
your name is Jesse Mountjoy, since you must basically stay on campus all day to go to 4 classes.
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| Here is a picture of Nicky Mau holding up a copy of The Three Musketeers to a giant painting of Jim Caveizel whom we presume is holding a copy of the Count of Monte Cristo. Both novels are penned by Dumas. |
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| Where all of the sober roaches are delivered to Biola. |
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| The Broad (state school, Crafton, etc. ) and the narrow (Biola) way |
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| Golden Friends. We had to come to La Mirada to see Darius, but it was worth it!(You can make out the Music building in the background, another one of Nick's passions which is not English) | |
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| We could only hope he would be inside. This notion led only to disappointment. |
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| No meat sacrificed to Idols, in fact no meat at all in Nick's burrito. |
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| Raise your glasses boys, Nick is a Man. |
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| NBC came to cover the days top story, "Nicky Mau Goes to College Day Deux" (This simply isn't true) |
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| Silver Friends |
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| This is apparently the Mayer of the Auditorium. He doesn't even look German. WTH? |
Next i went to Old Testament class with Nick. He made some new friends right off the bat and even impressed the teacher by sitting in the front row. His entire workload for this class is to read the Old part of the Bible and Tweet about it. If you have a Tweeter you can join the class, just follow bs109s3 and remember to keep it classy, pun intended!
It was at some point during these classes that I recalled the last time Nick and I had been in a classroom together. Mr. Wilcox's 8th grade Science class, other notables were, Noel Perez, Craig Aldama, and my lovely Girlfriend Stefanie Burgess, although she doesn't remember me being there.
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| Here is Nick (and Jen) at about that stage in his life. Notice the undershirt. Needless to say we sure as hell weren't friends, both thinking the other to be too cool. |
Before Nick's Biblical Apologetics class he sang this little ditty.
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| This picture holds its ironies close to the heart. First off, the hilarity of pretending to be an overbearing parent was what drove me to take all of these pictures, and then Nick's mom shows up. This is not to say nicks mommy is overbearing. Because that is simply not true. Secondly this blog sought to capture Nick as he was flying away from his nest, Yet this birdie has landed once again under his mothers wing. It could be however as the picture suggests that Nick is taking his mother under his wing. |
While the day was not yet over the pictures do expire here. The rest of the memories from this day are exclusively mine and Nick's and we shall do with them what we please. Pray for Nick as he thinks he is supposed to teach Christians about Jesus and how cool he is. He told me jokingly that he was at Biola to start a revival, but i only believe that statement to be 5% joke. As he is our brother let us cover him in prayer.
Here is where our story ends, Nick i wouldn't trade that day for your weight in pearls. I love you. and couldn't be more proud. It has been my ultimate pleasure to watch you grow and bud and blossom into a Man after God's own heart.
