This Girl Is Following Me Everywhere I Go

aaaaalright.  so a lot of you have pre-requested that I blog so you can stay updated on us.

Nosey aren't ya?

 ah what the heck...  I enjoy updating you on the adventure lifestyle.

while all of you (meaning most of you) live your stable, planned out lives.

Polly and I are just doing what we can.  Not really having too much idea of what life is going to look like on the horizon.

I get jealous of you, you get jealous of us. That's the way it works I guess.

One thing I am getting good at is thanking God every time he gets us to whatever the horizon happens to be.

oh. By the way, I want to say a HUGE thanks to Jake Dugard for re-designing my blog.  He did a great job didn't he.  - rhetorical question,  because I know the answer.


So what has been happening?

Well on Sunday night, Polly and I loaded up and drove to Little Rock and stayed at my Uncle Tracy's house so that we could get a little head start on our drive.

Monday we drove straight north to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and then headed west to stay the night in Chamberlain, South Dakota (which is right on the Missouri River).  For lunch on Monday, we stopped by Kansas City to see my brother Steele.  He was kind enough to treat us to some authentic Kansas City BBQ.  What a guy right?

yum

On Tuesday, we got up and after dusting a sub-par continental breakfast off our shoulders, we drove to Billings, Montana where we stopped at Montana Brewing Company (it was a re-visit for me).  We started with the sampler then Polly got a Taco Salad (all you tech students who eat on campus can eat your hearts out) and I got the Black Jack Bison Burger...because it was so incredible two years ago that I remembered it.

With full stomachs we headed to Cabela's to buy some Bear Pepper Spray.  I tasted it, it's not too bad.

Annnnd then we drove north to Great Falls, Montana where we stayed the night.

Wednesday morning we left our Holiday Inn and drove to Canada....well sort of.  When we got to the border they did background checks on us, which took like an hour.  They probably re-checked mine like 10 times because I look so dang lethal.  Then they told us that we weren't welcome in Canada because I was packing heat.  So they sent us back across the border, and we drove to the nearest town, where we went mud riding in the Honda on their mud streets until we found the nearest honky-tonk.  In this honky-tonk was a guy named Danny.  I convinced Danny that he needed a Smith & Wesson .357 magnum, and he bought it for $300.  It blue books for $345 so I feel like I did ok.  Then we drove back to Canada, and this time they let us in.  Even though they still probably didn't like letting a lethal looking foreigner like me in their turf, and I think they suspected that Polly was smuggling in fruit and firewood.

ANYWAY. we wasted no time driving to Banff where it has been gloriously CLOUDY the whole stinking time.  But we have still been able to catch glimpses of Banff's beauty...

Our first night in Banff we stayed in this very trendy hotel called Banff Aspen Lodge.  Super cool place.  We ate supper at a place called The Keg...we thought it was going to be like burgers and stuff, but it was actually a really fancy steakhouse that we were not prepared for(financially).  We ordered their cheapest items and enjoyed our meal, and we tried to keep in mind that it wasn't the restaurant's fault that it wasn't what we thought it was.

The next day (Thursday) we had a "Rocky Mountain Continental Breakfast" featuring local bakery bread and the hotel's homemade granola (they were supper eco friendly).  Then we headed to Lake Louise and Lake Moraine.  I hadn't been to Lake Moraine before, and I am glad Polly and I went because it was amazing.  On our way back from Lake Moraine we saw a rushing river that we thought was cool so we stopped the car, threw on our hiking shoes, and tumbled down a SUPER STEEP piece of mountainside to get to the river.  It was worth it.

oh and Polly got up in a porcupine's grill to get a pic of it.  I have to give her props for getting as close as she did.  Even though they can't do anything, I didn't expect Polly to be fearless like she was.

2 slaps on me for underestimating.

After getting a little snow on our shoes and a lot of dirt on our rear-ends, we took the party back to Banff to check into our new hotel, the Brewster Mountain Lodge.  It is very....lodgey.

We did some Facebook picture posting, then went out on the town.  First stop - Maple Leaf restaurant (because we earned a $25 voucher there when we booked at Brewster) where we had fondue for two and asparagus tempura.

Then we walked down to the Banff Brewing Company to have a pint while we watched the Bulls get beat by the Heat.  We think the NBA finals will be a good series, and we have decided that we are going to root just a tad more for the Heat, but we can be happy with a Mavs win because they deserve a championship.

ok

We love Banff!

Tomorrow we will begin our journey through beautiful British Columbia.  We are planning on making it to Fort Nelson, BC.  Then Saturday we are planning to drive the last leg of the journey to Skagway, Alaska.  I hope to blog again at Skagway or on Sunday when we get to Juneau.  Hopefully we will have more pictures of wildlife to post.

Tug-of-War

As my time in Ruston reaches its end, I feel a tug-of-war emotionally.  Polly and I are leaving behind family, friends, and our church. 

I think if Plette hadn't just left I wouldn't feel quite as ready to leave as well.  I feel a little bit like the last man standing, even though that will actually be Jake when I leave.  I realized yesterday that no one is left that I was friends with freshman year except Jake, and of course Beggs.  However, I don't see them much these days anyway.

I miss the heck out of the blue house boys, Plette, Bailey, Christian, Potts, and others.  I think that living in Ruston just makes their absence in my daily life more obvious.  

Then there is my job. Man- I really do hate my job. I'm a college grad and my job title has the word "boy" in it. I am surely struggling with rage because of the disrespect I am surrounded with at work. I should take it as a lesson in humility, but man it's hard for me.

Looking forward, I am so excited to move to Alaska with my wife, and then move to Branson with my wife. I'm excited about going to the Kanakuk Institute.


Peace out Ruston.... is tugging me one way.


Then I'm reminded of what I do still enjoy here. My family- Jeremy(the president), Emery(first lady), and Luke(first baby), and of course Phoebe.

Also, my church which has been a home base for me in hard times and in great times.

My wife and I walked out of College Life for the last time yesterday, and I was really really sad.  But even through the sadness I feel encouraged by what I saw as I cast one last glance at the scene of post college life social circles.

I think back to my freshman year when College Life was "Access" and was held on Tuesday nights. There was probably an average crowd of 12-15 in a circle while Jordan Smith led worship on acoustic guitar. I remember feeling like I was pretty tight with all the people in attendance.

Now, College Life is way different, but still so good. To an old guy, it seems fresh and packed with potential. I want to stay and still be a part of the worship service that I love so much. It is so full of life and growing.

Then there are great friends that I've become so close to in these recent years and months.I have so much hope in the guys that I have gotten to mentor. That they will be men of God. Men of integrity. I want to stay and see what they do for the rest of their time in Ruston.

And to be honest. I like my house, and only paying $375 to rent it ain't bad at all.


I'm comfortable here, so why not stay... is tugging me back.


I have no doubt as to whether I will stay or leave. I have both loved and hated living in Ruston, but it is very clear to me that the time has come for Polly and I to leave. I don't know if 1 person will read this blog, but if anyone who I've known while I've lived in Ruston reads this; I'd like to say that it has been a pleasure.

*picture me and Polly on the back of the train with deuces held high....you're yelling good-bye, but we can't hear you because the train won't quit blowing that damn horn.

Come as You Are

The title of this was almost "Come Strong"

Then I realized that I couldn't come if that was the case.

So I'm coming as I am to this blog- eating frito lay BBQ sunflower seeds and drinking a vanilla coke, while my wife drives us home from Lake Charles in the Tahoe.  Mellowed out in "Desert Song" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

And if it wasn't for the fact that I know Josh Garmon, Daniel Shaw, Stephanie Dugard, and a FEW others; I would say that there is nothing good in central Louisiana. 

Back to my title. 

As much as I want my wife and the people close to me to think that I am a strong person, if I'm honest with myself- I can't think of myself as strong.

Fears, responsibilities, relationships, and the future are just a few things on a long list of things that make me feel weak just thinking about them.

I believe that we all have things that make weaklings out of us, and I also believe that the things that potentially make us weak are the things that drive us for most of our lives.

I think that I would be able to live a much more meaningful life if I ran to God in prayer and praise as soon as I start to feel weakened by stressors.

Comfort and renewed strength are things that I've felt when I've run to God in the weakest moments of my life. However, I always try to be strong myself before I take my weakness to God.

He tells us to come to Him as we are. I am certainly glad for that because I usually come to Him weak, arrogant, stubborn, and close-minded.

A friend recently challenged me to not ask God for anything in prayer, but to instead only thank God for what he has already done for me and what He will do for me.

This has revolutionized the way I spend time with God. Sometimes I can't even say anything to God because I'm so used to only asking Him for things - even things like wisdom, open doors, and to see His will. Now I thank Him for what wisdom He has given me, the opportunities that each day holds, and that He cares about what I do with my life.

I've become much more aware and thankful for where I am in life. I've also realized how ungrateful I actually am and our culture is.

I encourage you to try this.
AND
I hope that when you are weak, tired, arrogant, selfish, or whatever else you are; you will come to God just like that. Because the only requirement He has is that you Come and Believe.

He's waiting to scoop you up out of whatever it is that has your soul in a bind. 

Regrets and Other Thoughts

First off, I want to apologize for the lack of transitions in this blog. This is the result of some reflecting I did on Sunday afternoon. I really just wrote what I was thinking, so it's more of a stream of consciousness than most of my other posts. Even though I do think that many of my posts have some of that feel to them.

I don't buy into the whole, "I have no regrets" idea.  I do wish that I hadn't done a lot of things that I've done.  Yes, the case can be made that I wouldn't be who I am today without those things.  To that I say, I'd rather be someone who hasn't hurt people in the ways that I have and lead people to do things they had no business doing.  I also would rather not have to live with the memories of these things.  
I am thankful that Jesus stepped in to take God's punishment for me. Talk about unfair though.  God erases evil without erasing people. All because of what Jesus did for humankind.  The day that Jesus Christ died is the most important day in human history.

At times when I think about the way I am, my thoughts float between how I don't like the way I am and that God made me like this so there must be a reason I'm like this. 

There are also sometimes when memories that I don't often think about invade my thoughts. Random things that I will not forget, but I don't necessarily know what the memories of those experiences mean.  Like today in church I started thinking about Sigma Nu pledge retreat.  "I will cling to the old rugged cross" made me think of clinging to the tree in the middle of the rocky island in Lake Ouachita, and how I would have rather that trip never happened.  I appreciate the active member being nice to me and offering me a sip of whiskey and coke while I was being hazed, but I wish that he would have instead told me that I didn't have to do all that nonsense and it would be a lot easier if I just told the people hazing me to go drown themselves.    
 

MAN, God really scooped me up out of that stuff.

Back like Tiger?

I haven't blogged in quite awhile.

I'm sorry

because a lot of yall told me to keep blogging.

I've been busy, and I've been lazy. I do not aim for either of those to be a habit, but I have a feeling that busy will be habitual.

Oh well.

So what's been on my mind?

Well, awhile back I was wanting to blog about pop music. So I'll give you a brief run-down of what I was thinking:

J-Lo's song "on the floor" sounds like her best attempt at her version of a Ke$ha song.
Katy Perry is crazy popular right now but she won't be remembered for long because she has zero songs that are actually about something. She just sings words, no meanings. Yes, I know all pop music can be described this way, but it seems like the artists that are remembered are the ones who had at least one song that was about something.

I started reminiscing about pop a little, and I decided that I miss the days that the charts were always full of Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliot, Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, No Doubt, Mariah Carey, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, and Ludacris. (may all of your radio smashes be happy in their retirement)

I know some of those artists are still found in the charts these days but not like they used to be.

Oh yeah, and Usher used to be so much better than he is now.


(random theory- the train that goes thru Ruston is the Hogwart's Express)


My wife and I went down to Mexico for our Honeymoon a week or two ago. I highly recommend all-inclusive resorts. - especially Excellence Playa Mujeres. Forgive me if I do not go into details of our honeymoon, as those are quite private.

I'll just say that my wife looked so sexy in the two new bikinis that I bought her, that I thought a few times that some people were acting like they were taking pictures of the resort's lush scenery so that they could secretly take pictures of the super-model that was laying next to the guy reading Harry Potter.

Tiger Woods played well yesterday. So people(me) actually cared about golf for a moment. The great debate of whether or not Tiger will win another Major tournament continues to rage on. People keep saying that Tiger is back, or Tiger will never be back. I don't know if he's back, but I do know that I like golf if he does well. If he's stinking it up, I'm about as interested in golf as I am following celebs on Twitter, or watching Cake Boss, or drinking motor oil.

that all for now

Be Loved?

You know, never does the Bible tell us to "be loved by other people."

  it tells us to love the Lord and love our neighbor.  In the words of one of my mentors, "love up and love out."

Man the Bible tells us that God loves us. So why are we running around looking for love from other people? We think that His love isn't enough.  If we believe the Bible, then looking for love elsewhere is a contradiction.

We are supposed to be love to other people.  That takes some personal sacrifice because a lot of times people are hard to love.

We are Christ's people to love. He sacrificed His life for us because He loves us, and believe me His love is way more than enough...

There was a time in my life that I really relied on the love that one particular person had for me.  This person would do anything for me. It really became unhealthy because they would idolize me, and I would idolize everything that I could get out of that person.
I was really focused on manipulating the relationship so that I could gain whatever I wanted out of it, and man I looked like the happiest most fortunate dude on the block.  That was just a facade though because on the real I was never satisfied --always looking for the next thing that I wanted.

The Lord ended up showing me that I was being a huge jerk.  He made it clear that I needed to stop all the nonsense and get myself focused on Him only.  That can sound like a noble calling or revelation, but I was anything but noble.  I did not want to give in to God's will at all. It took me months to work up the courage to make this decision that would shift my life completely into an unknown place, and I was mostly scared that I would be lonely.

I remember praying over and over again for wisdom to know if I really had to stop that relationship in order to do God's will, and then I prayed for strength to go through with it.  I remember pleading with God to comfort me, be there for me, and not leave me hanging in the aftermath.

He was there for everything I needed Him for and more.  Man He just scooped me up, and to be honest I've never felt like He let go of me since. I know He's got me.  (I've felt distant a times, but never felt let-go-of or not-loved)

After experiencing His love and being focused on only needing Him, I can firmly tell you that there is nothing else you need as far as being loved.

And He totally showed me so much grace because He blessed me with another chance with someone else who made my wildest dreams seem tame.  

You see it really is true that when we mess up it's because we are living like we need God and _____(something else) to be happy, satisfied, or complete.

It's God and nothing else.

Faith that God is enough.

FAITH

OBEDIENCE

GOD.


alot of you are living with things or people that you need to give up --and you know you need to give them up, but you're scared.
i know you are because i've been there, and i was scared. I know it's not easy (i don't want to sound like a prick).
but i promise you that it's worth it to give them up.  He says that whoever loses their life for Him, will find life.

lose your life and start over. it's better when it's His way.

Who am I?

My life has drastically changed over the course of 1 week.  I'll give you a time line of how it went down:


Tuesday. February 22, 2011: Completed my coursework to receive a degree from Louisiana Tech in Family and Child Studies, and interviewed for a job at Dillard's.
Wednesday. February 23, 2011: Job hunted.
Thursday. February 24,2011: Met my oldest brother's girlfriend for the first time and got to see my friend Mary who came in from Juneau, AK.
Friday. February 25, 2011: Set up chairs and tables for Saturday, and went to my rehearsal dinner at Squire Creek. I spent most of Friday surrounded by my brothers, all 10 of them.
Saturday. February 26, 2011: Became the husband of Polly Thomas Pendergrass.
Sunday and Monday. February 27 and 28, 2011: HONEYMOON. new orleans. *Adult rated content*
Tuesday. March 1, 2011: Became the proud uncle of Luke Tyrus Pendergrass at 5:21pm.


This morning I was thinking about who I am in relation to other people. Here's where this train of thought lead: Who am I?

I am Andrew Mark Pendergrass.
Husband of Polly Thomas Pendergrass
Son of Tyrus Lamar Pendergrass and Patricia McKinney Pendergrass.
Son-in-law of Tom Thomas and Barbara Thomas
Grandson of Tyrus and Darlene Pendergrass and Joanne and George McKinney.
Grandson-in-law of Mom and Pop Bond and Pa Joe and Granny.
Brother of Tristan Pendergrass, Jeremy Pendergrass, Christian Dunn, Elzie Hollins, Craig Turner, Nathan Welch, Michael Plette, Steele Shippy, Tyler Wallace, and Matthew Cassity. (and yes, we all look alike)
Brother-in-law of Seth, Kristen, Scott, and Phoebe Thomas, and Emery Pendergrass
Uncle of Seth Aubrey Thomas Jr. and Luke Tyrus Pendergrass.
Big Brother of Sutton Davison, Kyle Johnson, Young William Stagg, Steven Turner, Josh Garmon, Kevin Prater, Daniel Shaw, and Matt Nelson.
Body Guard of Chris Hanchey

Member (not technically) of Crossroads Church
As I type this I just got a job. So ...Employee of Squire Creek (for the third time).
Resident of 109 S. Sparta in Ruston, LA
Future resident of Juneau, Alaska and Branson, Missouri (not at the same time).

my life has truly truly been blessed by God. I would without a doubt never have been born if it were not for Him working in my Dad's life.  So since I absolutely owe my very own existence to Him....

I ask the question again, Who am I?

A debtor of God?

No, my debt was paid with Jesus Christ's blood.

Who am I?

I am a Slave of Jesus Christ.