11 Years in the Making

Hello everyone,

After three weeks of procrastination and watching mindless sensationalized TV shows, I have finally forced myself to write my first blog post. As you can see from the picture to the right, I made it through graduation weekend in one piece and lived to tell the tale. It was definitely surreal being down on the floor of the Spokane Arena instead of the stands, since this was the fourth Whitworth commencement I've attended. I kind of felt like it was someone else's graduation... but no, it was definitely me down there staring up at B-Rob, sweltering in that gown, proudly adorning goggles and a stuffed plush sperm on my head.

Emily, John, and Bauer threw a great grad party for me afterwards, and it was wonderful to see so many friends stop by. And while I was half-expecting the whole backyard to go up in flames, Dr. Mike's pyrotechnic display with rubbing alcohol was a sight to behold.

I have been exposed to Whitworth for so long that it was very hard to say goodbye. This year marked the Brandler family's eleventh year at Whitworth and so much has happened over those past eleven years. And while I think Whitworth should at least name a wing in the new science building after us for the trillions of dollars my parents have pumped into that school, the education and friendships I have gained while at Whitworth were more than worth it. I could not have imagined going to a school that I loved more. Every year was a new adventure and I cherish every day spent there. Even though academics were strenuous and getting punched in the gut with -10 degree weather before 5:30 morning practice was at times horrifying, it made such wonderful memories of college that I wouldn't trade for the world. Even my freshman year, when the swim team was a mushroom cloud of drama like the Real World: Spokane, it was so great to see God's faithfulness over these past four years and how He brought me and my friends through it.

It was definitely odd saying goodbye to friends, because it seemed like the end to any other school year. But it wasn't. It was really difficult to cope with the reality that I may never see some of these smiling faces again, or at least for a long time. Nevertheless, various events of my senior year showed me that it was indeed time for me to move on from Whitworth. But thankfully, I can move forward with a heart full of wonderful memories of crazy bus trips, slip n' slides, and the sighting of the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile (that's right it was in Spokane...and I saw it...and chased it).

Well that's enough sentimentality for a few dozen Hallmark cards. Now I am on to a new excursion. Thank you so much to all who donated to my mission trip this summer. It was greatly, GREATLY, appreciated. I am leaving this Thursday, June 11 at 7:10 am....yikes that's early. Because I have fallen prey to the greasy, mind-atrophying grasp of Post-College Vegetative TV Watching, even getting up and going to the bathroom has felt like a victory of productivity for the day. But for someone as continually busy as me, this time of relaxation has gotten me pretty antzy and ready to start doing something productive again.

I am excited to return to Guatemala and serve these amazing people, this time hopefully with a little more Spanish proficiency. I don't really know what determines if you're fluent in a language, but I hope to be as close to it as I can by the time I return August 3rd. I will not have internet access when I am on the jornadas (clinics) but we will when we are back in Guatemala City.

I thought it would be hard to keep this thing updated, but now that I am finally writing, it's actually pretty fun blabbing on about whatever comes to mind, hoping (though not expecting) anybody to listen to my incessant drivel. (I can see my sisters' journalistic editorial brows furrowing right now at the excessive length of this post...I've always been the longwinded one of the family :).

Well I hope you all keep track as often as you can, and I promise that future posts will be more spiritually and intellectually stimulating. I will try to think of a Scripture verse which pertains to each post. The verse for today's post would have to be:

"The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth." --Proverbs 26:15

I think you know what that has to do with... :/ But I guess I better shove my hand in that dish while I still can because our eating schedule in Guatemala (in the words of the venerable Derek Weyhrauch) is more like "interrupted fasting."

But last summer, even when I was knee-deep in mud, trying to push a wheelbarrow of concrete, almost too exhausted to stand, I couldn't stop smiling. For me, these trips capture the essence of our purpose here on earth: to worship God through serving humanity. And I have a feeling that this time around the smile will only get bigger.

Thanks again for listening,

En Cristo,

Justin