my next post will be from Africa!

Farewell United States.... Bush, sorry I'll be missing your state of the union buddy... you'll get over it.
Farewell Michigan... I won't miss the snow.
Farewell Muskegon... what's there to miss here?
Farewell Friends... Farewell Family... I love you all and will miss you terribly!


Stay tuned for the next chapter in my life! It'll be a doozy!

keep your eye on Grandma

so funny

So, I'm hoping this isn't a story that at the end you're like "I guess I had to be there", but I laughed so hard... okay, so I went to my brother's basketball game tonight (the last one I'll be able to see, single tear) and he has two kids on his team who are brothers. Their dad, who is of Dutch heritage, is very 'into' his two son's athletic events and achievements... On the way home from the game my brother told me that when this dad gets a little worked up, he'll start spouting off to his kids in the Dutch language... which I thought was pretty funny... but it gets better. Nick was telling me that the team was all in the locker room before one of their games and this particular dad poked his head in, not being at all subtle, got his one son's attention and said, "Zorgt ervoor u een rithuis na het spel krijgt!" (well, something like that I'm sure) His son nodded and his dad then quickly exited... Without missing a beat, Nick turns to him with an inquisitive look on his face and asks, "Did he just cast a spell on you?"

updates are good

I know I haven't posted in a while so I just wanted to leave some images of who I've been hanging out with these past 6 days or so... I have 5 more days left here in the wonderful U.S. of A... I'm getting a little nervous, but I'm still excited for the opportunity and ways God will surely stretch me while I'm in Africa. Please continue to pray for this whole situation... especially my finances... I still need a significant amount of money to make this happen. I know God will provide everything I need for the time He allows me to be out there...
Thanks again to everyone that's been encouraging me and praying for me... and for those of you who have given resources and finances, I am so grateful! I'll miss everyone so much...
Okay, so here are those pictures I promised!

I miss my girl...

sleeping is just not an option at these things

Last night my small group guys and I had a sleep over at the church... we jammed with our guitars, played madden 2006 on PS2, watched movies and saw Kyle run around naked... Just thought I'd give you all that visual.... anyway, I wasn't able to get a pic because my camera battery died last night, but here's a picture from our last sleepover about a month ago... thanks for hanging out guys... I'll miss our talks and crazy things we did... Especially the Fury game... "NOBODY CARES!!!"

my last 'scary movie' night

James and I have made it a tradition to watch a scary movie together about every 4-6 weeks... last night was the last one for a while.. we watched 'Dark Water' which in my opinion was not so much scary as it was Dark.... and Watery..... thus the title. Anyway, I'll miss you buddy, and thanks for hanging out... keep taking care of Charity, and when I get back... let's keep this going man!

earlier tonight...

Jon, Jerry and I discussed the importance of growing a mustache and the affects it has on women, the misinterpretations of 'how dad's shouldn't wear a YMCA shirt and blow a whistle', the theoretical existance of Musky Joe and how its phenomena has leaked into the lives as such one: Larry Zarko, The ruthlesness vs. the hospitality of Muskegonites towards traveler vagabonds, and finally, the intricacies and strategic placements of bumper stickers entitled 'honk if you have not had sex with Bill Clinton' on not-so-common vehicles such as the Duster... Please feel free to contact Jerry Depoy Jr.directly for any clarifications in these matters.

lunch

Today I met Jay and Aaron for lunch to talk about website stuff for Jason... Aaron left before we took the picture, sorry Aaron... I kind of look retarded in this pic, but oh well... here's another pic of Aaron and I with our matching ibooks in my old apartment that I miss... thanks for hanging out guys.. I'll miss you.

this could be you

Tonight I hung out with Shaundra and Sarah... they actually called and set up a time to get together. I have 12 more days before I leave, so if you want to get together I promise I'll post a picture of us together on my blog... and then you'll be famous. These days are flying by... wow, I'll be out of here before I know it!

two weeks

It is exactly two weeks to the day that I am leaving... It all kind of hit me last night as I was lying in bed. I know I'm not leaving for a huge amount of time, it's only 3 months, but I've never done anything like this before. I've always wanted control of my surroundings and my circumstances. I have to give that up and journey into the unknown and that makes me just a little nervous. This will definately be a stretch for me, but will ulitmately help me to grow in unique ways. I praise God for that!
I feel like there is so much that I want to do and so many people I want to connect with before I leave. I've been telling people that they have to get in touch with me if they want to hang out or talk before I go because there is no way I'll remember everyone! If you are reading this and we don't get a chance to connect in these two short weeks, then I apologize... but it's only because you didn't call me!

I have a new addiction

If any of you are myspacers, feel free to visit mine. If you don't have one, get one!

If anyone is feeling extra generous...

...feel free to visit my wish list. These are some materials that I would love to bring with me to Africa.

survey

Okay faithful readers... it's time to voice your opinions. I have several story-lines/subjects/topics that I ramble about here, but I leave here for Africa in just a few short weeks (once I'm there, that's all I'll probably blog about) and want to give the readers what they want until then... so, you let me know, by submitting your votes in the comment box, which subject matter intrigues you most and what you want to hear more about in this short time before I leave...

1. 'The Jason Holdridge Project' and other 153 Records related material





2. My undying passion for street signs that display the name of my true love (I mean my love life)







3. My Texas Hold 'em skills and how I always win all of Nate's chips









4. My appreciation for my wonderful family










5. More thoughts on worship



















6. My thoughts on why Ryan should look into a career in modeling


So, let me have it people... what are you dying to know?

what I'll miss most

This is my brother Nick. I'm proud to call him my brother. I was at his game tonight and realized that there are only a handful more games that I'll be able to watch him play. For one, he's a senior and in his last year, but also the fact that I'm leaving in 3 weeks for 3 months. I remember so clearly when I was his age, practicing my jumpshot for endless hours out in the driveway... and Nick, my shadow, would always be there rebounding and passing me the ball for as long as I was out there. He wouldn't dream of making me fetch my own loose ball. He was faithful to the end... even if it was raining. And when I'd see him out there on his own I'd be sure to try to teach him the mechanics of shooting a basketball. "Keep your elbow in Nick, square your feet up to the basket and bend your knees." Then I would rebound for him... until he got it right. I loved coaching that boy. And now I see him play and realize he no longer needs his big brother to show him how to shoot, dribble or defend... so I just watch... I watch with great pride... When he is in the game I notice that I sit up a little straighter in the bleachers and scoot a little closer to the edge of my seat... Even when he doesn't have the ball, all my attention is on him. I love these times... He's played in these games since he was in elementary school and now it's nearing an end.
This is my brother Nick. I'm proud to call him my brother... it doesn't end with a basketball story. When I look at this young man, where he is and what he has become, I think to myself that I wish I had it together like he does when I was his age. I'll never find someone his age more confident in who they are... I'll never find anyone who is as consistent... I'll never find someone who makes good decisions on such a regular basis... I'll never find someone who can make me laugh so easily with a quick-witted remark... I'll never find a friend more faithful than Nick... He'll be faithful to the end... even if it's raining.

thoughts on worship: part two

(read part one here)
Undignified Worship...

David worshiped like this... We find in 2 Samuel that he was so excited about the Ark of the Lord coming back to Jeruselem that he danced like a madman. Even when people despised him for this he said: "I will celebrate before the Lord, I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes" (Ch. 6, v. 21, 22). The craziest part about this to me is that he was the King, people looked up to him and saw what he was doing and scoffed... He didn't care. Nothing was going to stop him from his display.

True worship forgets itself. True worship recognizes intimacy between one man and God, tuning out everything else. True worship is an undignified response to our God who loves us more than we will ever know or comprehend. It's not a show. It's not a performance, but an outpouring of our love for God with no hesitations or restrictions.

I think king David had it right.

the album

'The Jason Holdridge Project' is almost complete... I can't wait to hear and actually have in my hands the final product... click here to sample just a morsel of what you may hear on the album... and then you must let me know what you think.

Africa Update

2:13 am

Virginia will surely want to kill me for posting this picture of her for the entire blogger nation to see, but it is one of my favorites... I took this of her one night as we were saying goodbye before I went home from Nate and Lindsey's. That's where her and her family were staying the past 2 weeks. She thinks she doesn't look good here in her 'comfy clothes' and all ready for bed, but that's when I think she looks the cutest. Knowing that I would not have many of those moments over the next 8 months I decided to capture that particular moment in time... I hate saying goodbye... Now she's gone again and I'm left with just memories, images and anticipation of the next time I'll see her. I'm in love and I don't care who knows!

the last 9 days......

Faith and Julia...


me eating danielle's face...


Virginia and I...


Danielle, Micah, Virginia...


Micah and I...





The Moncivaiz Fam...


Benji, Virginia, Danielle...




My girl

Afro-blog

If you want to follow more closely what is going on with my trip to Africa, please visit here. If you know of anyone else who may be interested in keeping up to date on it feel free to direct them there as well! thanks friends...

busy busy

this is the longest I've gone in a long time without posting anything. I apologize to my faithful few. I have had a crazy week... with the holidays, a youth retreat and spending more time with this person than I thought I would be (I can just imagine what the Rudd boys are thinking about that one)... more to come on that turn of events... stay tuned.
Anyway, I need to get back to doing whatever it is I do these days... which I guess is getting ready for my trip... I can't believe how much preparation there is for this... it feels like a full-time job.
More to come on this past week and pics soon to come!