Across America.

Christmas with the Cousins!

December and January were a really awesome time with family and friends.  After delivering some bibles to Queens...

I spent a couple weeks with my grandparents catching up on life and resting.  I then went to spend Christmas with them and my aunts and cousins in Colorado.  Highlights included watching movies on New Year's, chats and puns with the Grrs and Aunt, leading Christmas eve worship at the house, and getting to share with two groups of middle schoolers at the church in Littleton.

I then spent three days with my buddy Will and his fam in Grand Junction.  Will taught me a lot about photography, updates, and so much more, and his fam was really supportive, even his 1-year old was like "IT'S JAMES!"  I also got to share with a big group of middle schoolers there who really got into my stories and songs.

Both the Colorado youth groups were really cool.  It was such a pleasure to get into their worlds, just for a little bit, and hopefully I changed their minds so the next time someone asks them how many of them are missionaries or leaders, more hands will go up.  And one of the youth leader's testimony's of being a runaway rebel pastor's kid, but now coming back, was really encouraging too.  

Photowalk with Will

I then went onto the DFW, where I mostly met with old friends and chatted with them.   It's a delightful bunch of nerds I have for friends, and it was really interesting hanging out and chatting with them about politics, life, and philosophy.  Highlights were chatting through "getting to know you" questions with my buddy Ryan and his girlfriend, as well as playing Catan and chilling with the Howards and recording this song:




Later I got to go to McAllen to visit my old roommate Kelsey.  We mostly chatted and threw frisbees, which was awesome, but we also got to go kayaking at South Padre Island, which was really cool, especially since it was...warm in January!