Volume 124 Issue 79
kansan.com
Friday, January 20 2012
LOCAL
ENGINEERING A NEW BUILDING
SPEAK
--your mark, to make your difference. One chance, but you don't understand this," were the first words of their first song. How ironic. I didn't understand, that was the truth, but I knew the more I sought God, the more I would learn.
Odd God
// DREW WILLE
I found God in a building behind a gentlemen's club when I was 14.
DREW MEETS THE WEDDING VOCALIST KEVIN KIEHN AFTER THE SHOW
The Music Hall was a dimly lit, cinder block building located in Fayetteville, Ark., six years ago. Who knows now what's become of that dark gray building that gave my life so much light.
It was a hot July night, and my sister had taken me to there for a Christian rock show her friends were playing. She was living in Arkansas at the time, and I was in town visiting. I wasn't totally sure about the whole "Christian" thing. I didn't grow up going to church and I was kind of afraid of being around Christians. I think I was more afraid of them knowing I was Bible stupid.
I remember talking to myself in my head the entire way there, making up dialogue that I was sure would take place.
"So, do you know who God is?"
I would answer back in my head, "Yeah,
that's Jesus' dad, if you're not counting
loseh, or are you?"
You know, throwing the questions back at them seemed like a good way of getting out of answering any Christian questions they'd throw at me.
And then before I knew it, my sister and I had pulled up to this sketchy looking building for this Christian concert, just behind the more sketchy gentlemen's club.
I was so nervous. I remember hopping out of my sister's Tahoe and running over to her side of the car. I became her shadow for that next hour or so.
As she walked around the parking lot to talk to everyone she knew there, which I could have sworn was everybody, she would introduce me. With every introduction, I became more relaxed.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
"Maybe these Christian people aren't so scary after all," I thought to myself as my sister and I walked into The Music Hall to watch the second band, The Wedding, set up to play. At that point I wasn't sure if my being there was a blessing or curse - I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
As Kevin, the vocalist, grabbed the mic, the room grew quiet. It was eerie, and I remember looking to my side to see what my sister was doing and she was gone. So there I was, alone in a crowded room waiting for my sister's friend to speak.
Kevin gave testimony. The Wedding had finally gotten signed after years of hard work and he thanked God repeatedly for all the things that'd been happening in each member's life. He even said a prayer for the men at war in Afghanistan.
I didn't even bow my head to pray, although I knew that's what you were supposed to do. I was paralyzed. I felt this numbing sensation take over my body and I began to cry.
Do you know when you know someone so well, they don't have to say a word for you to make sense of what they're saying? That's how I felt, but it was the other way around this time. God knew me so well, that I didn't have to say a word. He knew I needed Him, and I was right where He wanted me. I was finally surrounded by people who believed in Him, and I finally realized what it meant to love a God who gives people the desires of their hearts.
As I began to weep. The Wedding began to play. "One shot is all you've got to make
After getting myself together, I found my sister and told her that I had felt something wash over me during Kevin's testimony and that I wanted to learn about God and whatever I had been missing out on.
I've never seen my sister smile so big. She let out a little laugh and said, "I think you, little sister, have finally experienced the Holy Spirit."
"The Holy what?"
Whatever that was scared the shit out of me. I had no idea what that was or what it meant, but I kept my cool. I mean, I had already drawn enough attention to myself by wearing a hideous, iridescent skull and cross bones tee with bleach splatters on it, which I bought at Wet Seal only hours before (my failed wardrobe attempt to fit in at this concert) and from crying.
So I played it off the best I could, but my mind was racing with thoughts of everything I was experiencing. The weird thing was, I wasn't scared to talk to anyone after that. I even remember going up to some people and asking them where a good church was in Fayetteville because I wanted to go in the morning. It's like my hard shell had been cracked.
When the night came to a close, I walked away from that place with a handful of friends I still have in my life today. I walked away from The Music Hall with a new love and respect for music. Better yet, I walked away from that show a Christian, with a strong will to begin living my life for something bigger than myself - God.
I'll never forget that night in Arkansas. My newfound love for God led to many years of church, volunteering for my church, going to spiritual retreats and eventually, my baptism at age 18.
Looking back on this experience reminds me of how blessed I am and how odd God can be. I've been on both sides, Christian and not. Some people have religion forced on them growing up or are never exposed to it. I was blessed enough to have a mother who wanted me to find it on my own.
Christians aren't scary to me anymore, that's a given, but my view on those who aren't, or believe in something totally different, is this: I've been there once; your life is yours and you should live it how you see fit and I'll stay the same, not judging what you choose to live or not live for. Before I was a Christian, life was good, but it's better now that I've found meaning for myself.
PHOTO BY JAKE ATCHISON
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for parking in city parking garages and long-term city parking lots in downtown Lawrence," the news release said.
With the construction of an apartment building at 9th and New Hampshire Streets and the proposed construction of a hotel across the street, parking downtown may soon become more limited.
Matt Cole, an employee at US Bank on Massachusetts Street, estimated that 10 of the 50 bank employees will purchase parking passes.
"Most employees park on top of the garage." Cole said. Cole doubted more employees would buy passes.
Purchasing of parking permits varies from business to business.
"We've purchased permits since the parking garage was built," Debbie Anderson said. Anderson said that when the business first purchased permits both the roof level and third level of the garage were open to permits. The roof level is now open for free parking.
to affect her parking.
The office of Curtis Anderson Optometrist purchases parking permits for the three employees that work the most often.
Anderson said the only time she has trouble parking in the garage is during parades.
"That made me question whether we were getting our money's worth" she said.
Edited by Nadia Imafidon
winter weather has kept most of the snow and ice away, but one thing not absent this winter is traffic accidents.
Records from the Lawrence Police Department show 796 traffic accidents occurring from November 1, 2011 to January 16, 2012. This number is down 36 accidents when compared to last winter which had 832 traffic accidents occurring from November 1, 2010 to January 16, 2011.
The average December temperature in 2011 was 35 degrees for Lawrence, five degrees warmer than it was in 2010, when December's average was 30 degrees, according to weatherdatapot.com.
Sergeant Michael Monroe,
from the police department's
the numbers for the last month s would have been higher, however, I don't think the difference in the numbers is significant."
using factor in the lower number of accidents," Monroe said in an email. "I think during a 'normal'
uted to rewer accidents, Monroe said the ultimate reason the numbers are close is because weather
Larry
Krull
"If you're going the proper speed, if you keep it in the center of your lane and you don't follow too close, then you always have time and space to react."
LARRY KRULL
Owner of the Midwest Driving School
owner of the Midwest Driving School, believes one reason the numbers are so close is because of effective planning last winter.
"I would give credit to people being smart enough not to go
doesn't play the largest role in why accidents occur.
"Inattention is the biggest cause of accidents in Lawrence." Monroe said.
Weather didn't play a role in Kendall Clark's October accident, but lack of attention did.
"We were coming back from Wendy's on 23rd, and I was messing with the radio," Clark said, a sophomore from Augusta.
"My friend yelled, 'We're stopping,' Clark said. "By the time I
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Amanda Gage
"If you look in your rearview mirror, you always have someone right behind you," Krull said. "I think getting rear ended is the most common in Lawrence because of that."
Regardless of the weather, Krull believes paying attention makes the biggest difference, and most accidents or serious injuries can be avoided by doing a few basic things.
"You have to focus on the road," Krull said. "If you're going the proper speed, if you keep it in the center of your lane and you don't follow too close, then you always have time and space to react."
CLASSIFIEDS 73
CROSSWORD 4
- Edited by Amanda Gage
SPORTS 8
SUDOKU 4
CRYPTOQUIPS 4
OPINION 5
contents, unless stated otherwise. © 2011 The University Daily Kansan
Don't forget
Student Union Activities is screening "Paranormal Activity 3" this weekend
Forecasted calls by University students. For a more detailed forecast, see page 24.
Better bundle up!
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