October 30, 1999 – Saturday – 9:57 p.m.

A lovely day.  This has been an unbelievable week for me spiritually.  I am letting go more and more.

I saw Marie Thursday night at a social gathering and today we spent about five hours together talking, walking, driving, and eating lunch.  She is special and amazing and there is an unexplainable peace about our relationship.

The fall colors were beautiful today.  The leaves do change here, though not as brightly as Banner Elk.  We found a beautiful sight where red canoes reflected in a still pond.  We drew in the sand in a small valley between the sand dunes.  We pretended we were in a dray and distant desert.

Tonight I took Chris with me to Bethel Christian Fellowship out in Pungo where the youth band was playing.  It was a nice time of worship.

There is only a month and a half left.  God has much to finish school wise through me, but it always gets done.  He has grown so amazing to me this week.  I’m looking forward to next week.

It is difficult to find the words.

I just say thanks.

 

October 28, 1999 – Thursday – 2:10 p.m.

Something is happening.

How can God’s mercy be so grand?  How can he give me so much?  Another one of my scripts was chosen for the school to see a full draft of.  It is titled Silhouette.

I enjoy teaching the class at church on Wednesdays.  Sterling, Kimberly, Melissa, Lauren, and all the rest are such a blessing.

I showed Sterling and her family the film I made with them.  It turned out wonderfully.

But above all those good things, thank you Lord for Marie.  Please have your way with us God, but even the simple possibility has blessed me beyond belief.

I saw her today in the bookstore and she looked simply amazing.  We laughed and talked and both admitted that we didn’t sleep much the night after our rendezvous with the bright full moon.  I asked her to go for a walk with me at Northwest River Park on Saturday.  She said yes.

You are the giver of all good things my Lord.  I love you so!

October 26, 1999 – Tuesday – 10:08 p.m.

Marie.  That is the name of the beautiful woman I watched the moonrise with over the Currituck Sound this evening.  It was unbelievably majestic, the images of the moon reflecting on her face will forever be with me.

Thank you Jesus.

We went to the Cinema/TV prayer meeting together on Saturday night over at Chris and Jason’s.  Then, on Monday, she thanked me for praying for her.  And today we sat next to each other in class.  She was simply amazing.

Tonight I just wanted to be around her, so I went over to her apartment and asked her if she wanted to find a place in the world where neither of us had been and just sit and talk.  She agreed to come, and I took her to North Carolina because she hadn’t been in the Union’s most beautiful state since 1997.  We drove down to Currituck and found an isolated road near the edge of the sound.

There we noticed a funny orange light in the trees and suddenly realized it was the moon, a bright full moon, and it rose beautifully before us.  A perfect eternal instant.

She let me borrow some music, and I lended her some as well.  I asked her if I could come and find her if ever I wanted to be random again.

She said yes.

 

October 24, 1999 – Sunday – 10:00 a.m.

I can’t believe it has been a week since I’ve written in my journal.  Time goes by faster than ever before.  I’ve continued to pray and it seems like I’m going to spend another year here in Virginia Beach.  Yesterday I spent 15 hours writing scripts and editing film, yet it felt like only three hours.  Thank you Jesus for allowing me to do this work.

I got my hair cut pretty short, and this week we also had our first production meetings and rehearsals for Dang!

Dan, from the bookstore, and I have been hanging out some.  He is a great new friend.  He’s Canadian and so funny.  The Bible study I go to over at Chris and Jason’s is such a blessing.  God is speaking to us about our futures.

I pitched two scripts that I think went over well on Friday.  I pray I get to direct a script I’ve written over the next year.

I have no idea what I’m going to do for Christmas, but boy is it approach quickly.

October 17, 1999 – Sunday – 8:57 a.m.

I’ve been 23 for two months already.  I’ve spent different parts of the last three days over at Zap Studios doing some directing projects.  Yesterday I spoke at the Baptist convention about Christianity and filmmaking.  I met three people who attend and work at a church that meets in a movie theater and use a lot of videos in their services.  I’m going to attend there this morning, Trey, who will play David in Dang!, is going to come with me.

I saw Three Kings and Fight Club over the weekend, two interesting films.  What weird, cynical, post modern days we live in.  Something is happening.

I’ve been reflecting back to that full moon night with Dan and Allen on the backside of Grandfather Mountain.  What was I then?  19?

I need to get away from these flat, overly-paved suburbs.

October 13, 1999 – Wednesday – 4:00 p.m.

I had my television debut yesterday.  The reenactment I did for The 700 Club aired.  Most of all my old Lees-McRae friends saw it.  It wasn’t supposed to be funny, but it was funny to us.

We are nearing the middle of October and that is insane to me.  I feel behind, but I know all the work will take care of itself.  There are basically just two months of school left.

I’m not sure what will happen in May.  Part of me feels like I’ll graduate, but the other half tells me I’ll stick around here longer to finish up Dang!.  I’d love to stick around, but I’m also eager to find out what else God has in store for me.

I spoke with Dan.  He is in Colorado and in the new year, he’ll be going on a skiing missions trip to Alaska.  God is blessing him so much.  I miss my buddy!

October 10, 1999 – Sunday – 6:32 p.m.

This morning I found out who I was.

Friday night I went to the Naro with Mary Anne and Brian to hang out with rich people drinking wine and listening to a four piece string quartet at the opening gala of a film presentation tour of the Library of Congress.  Then we watched Treasure of the Sierra Madre and On The Waterfront.  Both were newly restored 35mm prints.

I went back yesterday to see Sunrise and Letter From An Unknown Woman.  All four were pure perfection!

After church I went to the computer lab to work and I just returned.  But this morning through reading the newest CCM and reflecting back on the Caedmon’s Call concert, I realized that I have been and I always will be a Folk Filmmaker; I will tell the stories of the common people.

October 8, 1999 – Friday – 2:00 p.m.

Last night I cut class and went up to Richmond to see Caedmon’s Call in concert.  Jill Phillips and Bebo Norman performed as well.  Jill Phillips is from Chesapeake!  The show that Lindy and I didn’t get to see…I saw last night.  I went by myself, but I got to see my brother and Dad.

At the concert I hung out with some people.  I met this guy named Jeff and this guy named Burke I think, who is an actor doing a film in the area.  He lives in New York, is a model/actor, and says he is doing a film with Denzel Washington.  And he is a Christian.  I got his email.

It was great to be around other Christians and become friends with them in the span of one evening.  How small this world is.  I love the United States.  Anything is possible.

God is doing separate things through so many, but they are all for his glory.  I expect him to do great things through me.  He died for such things.  We have the favor of God all over us.  He goes before us.  Oh, I love you Jesus.  I hope to show others more of you.  I love the beauty I see in others.  I love all the potential.

Thank you for my story Lord.  I don’t want another one.

October 6, 1999 – Wednesday – 11:50 p.m.

It is close to midnight between the 6th and 7th of October.

I just visited with Mary Jo.  Rob asked her to marry him.  She said yes.  She told me the whole story.  It was completely romantic.

So that is about four weddings next summer; five if Charlie and Kate decide to tie the knot.

I’m beginning a five-section notebook.  It has been over two years since I’ve done that.  I’ve decided that after I finish this third half-dozen that I’m going to just write in my journal like the last one and let them title themselves.  But I may change my mind.  You never know.

I’ve been writing my thesis paper.  I taught a class at church tonight as well.  Emily emailed me and I emailed her back.  It is a new form of communication for us.  So, I guess I didn’t end our story after all.

Sixteen Books of Days now.

Lord may your will be done in my life.  May that always be what I write down in these pages.

 

October 1, 1999 – Friday – 10:30 p.m.

Much has happened in the past week.  Sadly, the Caedmon’s Call was cancelled because Danielle, the lead female singer, got really sick.  So, Lindy and I just spent the weekend in Lynchburg and we were ourselves.  We got a hotel room, ate out, went to some movies, and just hung out.  It was delightful.  What a good friend.

Tuesday and Wednesday were my auditions for DANG!, and they went so well.  I just returned from callbacks.  All is cast except for the role of Amanda.  I’ll meet with two other girls tomorrow and then we’ll decide.  Our callback process was really something.  Everyone said it was the most fun, even if they didn’t get cast.  It was an amazing time for cast and crew and especially for me.

And so, goodbye September.  Three months remain.  What do they hold?

Oh, I forgot to mention that both my scripts were chosen for me to complete and submit. Then they’ll be voted on again.  And my film came back from the lab for at shoot at Sterling’s house.  We have to do one retake, but that’s no problem.  I just love the world of film!  It is home sweet home.

I look around me and this world seems full of so many stories to tell.  But these pages are dedicated to telling the story of Him and me, and about His freedom, and how to find it.