random thoughts... My name is Aaron, sometimes called Max because it's my middle name. I recently married a beautiful woman who just so happens to be the love of my life.

After church today, Leslie and I came over to my parent's house. Okay, first off, let me just say that this weekend has been the most nervous times for me in a long while.

I'm the intern worship leader at my church, and, because of circumstances that have cropped up, I've had to lead more often than I'm used to on the actual weekend. I usually only need to lead the Friday night Recovery band. The times I have to do the whole weekend, Friday, Saturday (two services) and Sunday (another two services), I'm usually wiped out in a coma by the time I get home. This weekend is the third weekend in a row, so far. But that's not the reason I was so nervous. I was nervous because I was co-leading with our Small Groups Pastor (who sings and play guitar as well), we were adding lots of different elements to the "usual" set, and because I was going to be singing a song that's rather high at one pivotal point.

It went really well, by the way. The first song, A Thousand Hallelujahs, by Mark Roach, was good. That was the one that made me the most nervous (because of the high notes at the end of the bridge). Then we did No One Like You, by The David Crowder Band. That was the first time we've done that song with the "big" church. We used to do it a long time ago when I was with the High School Band, but I think it went over really well with the adults (the band really liked it too). Then we sat the people down, Randy (the co-leader guy) started playing Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone), by Chris Tomlin, and I read a scripture lead in. That was kind of nerve wrecking also. I'm not really used to speaking in front of people. Ask me to sing for hundreds of people and I'm fine. Ask me to say something and I get rather anxious. Randy led that song by himself because it's way too high for me to sing well. But we switched it up at the end and I sang the last verse. It was awesome, if I don't say so myself. I sang it real soft and smooth. It was cool. Then we did Here I Am to Worship with Call, by Hillsong. That went really nice too. Somebody came up to pray, and then we ended with Trading My Sorrows, by Darrell Evans (I think).

All in all, it was a really great set. It went over well with the church, the band liked it, I had fun, and it glorified God. That equals a great set in my book.

Okay, back to the original reason for this post...

Barbecue, banana pudding, and Scrabble.

My brother, who some of you know was stabbed recently, is still here at my parent's house, recuperating. I called him up after church to see what he was up to and he said they were gonna watch the game and barbecue. Leslie and I were so in; we were starving! We met my mom at the store, picked up some grub, and headed over. We had fajitas, sausages, chicken, Mexican rice, guacamole, ranch style beans with bacon and fajitas mixed in, and other assorted snacks. It was beautimous! My stomach was thankful. I also made some of my famous banana pudding. It's super easy to make, so there's really nothing all that special about it, but everyone fawns all over it when I make it (oddly enough for something so simple), so I make it as often as I can ;)

Then we brought out the Scrabble board Leslie gave me for Christmas. It's come in handy. We played it with my brother when he was in the hospital and he's been looking forward to a rematch since then. My mom also wanted to play because she skipped out when she had the chance. Some of my extended family also came over to watch the game. Leslie's been worried that they haven't really warmed up to her yet, so this has given us a really good chance to open up with them a little bit.

We're still here and having fun. Scrabble is awesome.

Check in with ya'll later.

Below is a picture taken from their backyard by my dad. It's hard to believe this is South Texas. It looks like a scene out of Twilight, set in Forks, WA. See the movie, it's good. Read the books, they're better.