Stories from the Mission... bit 15

God is the ultimate artist. A sunrise is a subtle work of light, haze, pastel colors and being awake enough to even see it. Sunset's are brash, bright colors, and loud, I wonder if science can explain the difference? I mean, both are the same basic thing, just at different ends of our perception. I look forward to asking God why, but realize that it's prolly just how he rolls.
8/8/11
   Just got back from my first meeting with Pastor Green and I told him about my ideas for refrigeration. The fridge I had back at my condo in Schaumburg had gone bad, so during the winter I'd put my perishables near the front windows where it was cold. It occurred to me that we could save a lot of energy if we pulled in cold air to our refrigerators when the weather permitted. The opposite could be done during the summer, venting the heat from the back of the fridge outside, making it so your air conditioner doesn't have to work as hard. A computer with temperature sensors could easily control the vents. In a climate such as Chicago's, you might not even have to run the fridge for 2 or 3 months! He smiled, said he would talk with Mr. Fuller, who is in charge of the buildings mechanical end. I have a feeling he had no idea of what I was talking about.
8/11/11
   Well, three days alter and nothing has come of my talk with him. Lord, please don't let this be a repeat of my old life. I have hundreds of ideas for new products and I dream of getting people back to work through them... it's a deep frustration.
   Pastor Green is imposing. He stands over 6'5". From what I've heard, he used to be an enforcer for gangs and arrived here with two broken hands as he was trying to get out of town. I saw a door open once, but it really looked like it hadn't because Pastor Green was filling it. I went to shake his hand once and it was like grabbing the tail of a full gown Muskie while other guys have described it like a bear paw. He is the one guy that everyone respects and holds him in awe like a Pope. He teaches the second half of morning class and has told stories of how he is recognized anywhere he goes, even all the way to Africa.
   On the other hand, pastor Bower, the man that teaches the first half of morning class, is like a kindly grandfather. One day, Wilbur, a pasty round faced boy from Nashville that asks way too many random questions, asked yet another of Pastor Bower. "What does condemnation mean?" Pastor Bower answered back rather quickly, "Go to hell!", which got everyone laughing. Pastor also has this bright, lime green plastic cup for water that he puts a kind of saran wrap over that he brings out when teaching the class. Somehow he makes it POP very loudly when he takes his first sip, which often wakes a few guys up. I kind of wonder how he does it, but will never ask, you have to have a little magic in life.
8/12/11
   I don't know where I am going, but I have full faith the Lord does.
On the third floor, where the program men stay, there are dorms, staff private rooms and the Weight/TV room. you have to be there a month before you can use the weights or play any games. I stayed away from the Tv for a long time, it had no draw. Today I watched some football, and even it didn't do much for me anymore. It had been a month and a half I hadn't watched TV, the longest stretch since I was 5 I bet.
   I'm sitting on my bunk writing, out the East window I can see the southern Chicago skyline about even with Soldier field.There are some beautiful new buildings there and I'm always surprised at how few windows have any lights on in them. One slender red building of around 50 stories only has 8 lights on. Are they that empty? They are expensive, what do they do to afford them?
   Curtis just came by my bunk, with his big ol grin, asking how he looked in his suit. I tell him he is looking good, just get the bunching out of his tie at the top. He is a good kid of about 19 that I have taken under my wing. He tells me he is glad he came to the PGM and likes everyone he has met so far.