Life this past year...

Well, it has been awhile since I have written, but I am back and ready to talk about what has been going on in my life.

As of today, I am three semesters away from graduating from the best college ever! (Texas State University- for those that don't know where I attend) This was my first full year at Texas State, not to be confused with my first year at college all together, but these past semesters have been full of new things and opportunities. For all of the people wondering, no I did not go to any parties, or get in trouble with what some call drugs. None of that, but the new things like going to my first home football game or living in an apartment with my best friend.

I started my journey at Texas State with 15 hours and an eager heart. In the fall I took some great classes: Mass Media and Society; English Literature to 1865 (not that great of a class lol.); Spanish 1; Visual Communication; and Statistics. I did pretty well and was happy with getting 4 "B's" and an "A".

This semester was a lot better school wise. I took 15 hours and achieved full major status, which means I can take upper level courses toward my major. My grades were a lot better than the fall, 3 "A's'' and 2 "B's". This gave me a 3.65 GPA and landed me on the Deans List!! What what!! I am proud of this accomplishment and I am glad that all my hard worked paid off.

All in all, this school year has been quite a journey. God has shown me a lot of things, some of which I recently learned. It's funny how that happens. One lesson learned is how to live away from my mom! haha I thought dishes magically appeared in the cabinets and the sink was alway empty... Well, that is definitely not the case! Sorry mom; I love you so much, and I now know how much of a servant you truly are.

Another lesson learned is... no matter what happens just have faith... and accountability. There were a lot of ups and downs this year and there were times where my faith was shaken, but the thing that helped me was my roommate/best friend Paul Gilmore, even though he didn't know sometimes that he was helping me. He continued to shine the light of the Lord which encouraged me to do the same. Thanks man for being there bro. The other one was Caitlin McClanahan, my amazing and beautiful girlfriend, she always pushes me to be a better leader and points me to Christ. Every time I talk to her there is always encouragement that takes place. She lifts me up and makes me happy!

This summer I will be working at Daycation for my 4th summer in a row as Assistant Director. This is a great opportunity to show the kids who Jesus is and how much he loves them. It is amazing how he works and I can't wait to see how he works this summer.

This past year made me learn that God is in control and is above all. He was there for me when I was fully relying on him and he was there for me when I was furthest from him. He has shown me forgiving and unconditional love. He is in control of my life and in control of... My Poreia

New home, new Poreia

It has been a while since I have written a blog, and I think that it is time for one.

There is a time in everyones life when they need to spread their wings and try to fly away, and this is my time. I am now living in San Marcos going to my dream college Texas State University. This has truly come within God's timing. I thought I was ready last year, but I was not. I still had a lot of learning to do. I had to get my GPA up, I had to learn what responsibility was (that is something I am still learning), and plus I met the girl of my dreams.

I moved up here on thursday the 19th, and it was awesome. I first walked in to my Apartment and just smiled because I knew what was about to come. My move in only took about an hour max, but the organizing a little bit longer. After it was all finished Paul (my roommate/best friend/everyone knows that already) our significant others and I went to eat some burgers! Then, we came back and did some more organizing, and watched a movie and that was that.

Now was the goodbyes! (This was something I was not looking forward to) I looked at Caitlin and just stood there and looked. There was a lot of hugging... a lot of tears... and a lot of I love you, and I will be in Houston before you know it. It was just as hard for me to leave her as it was for her to leave me. She means a lot to me, and I don't like leaving her...

After a while of thinking and being in this somber mood, I realized that I was in my new home. A smile came and I knew it was time... To play video games!!! Then when Caitlin got home we talked and had a good conversation, and then went to bed.

I said all of this because this was my day, but now I am just writing. I am writing what has been going through my mind these past few days. God has truly been showing himself to me. Being alone will do that I guess. I have been looking at this new opportunity and thinking that God has a purpose for me here, and I am in my specific room, in this specific apartment complex, in this specific university for a reason. There is not luck or coincidences with God. Everything is done and planned and for a reason.

I don't know what God has in store for me yet, but I know that he has something. I am ready and looking forward to it. Yeah, life is going to be different, but with God I know that I can withstand anything. As of right now, in this very second, I am going to sit back and relax and enjoy this new journey... Sit back and relax and savor this new.... Poreia!

Time To Graduate

Today I was in San Antonio for my brothers graduation. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America aka the CIA! I know! This morning the constant noise coming from the shower and the aroma of the hotel room woke me up with a smile on my face. I just knew that today was going to be a great day. To say that this graduation was an accomplishment would be a understatement, for my brother this graduation was Milestone. He worked so hard during the time there and finished with a great bang.

Growing up I always looked up to him, and I have always tried, in a way, to be him. He has qualities that I envy and that I admire. Being his little brother was not easy at all growing, but now as we have grown up so has our relationship. I can now say with all that I am. I LOVE MY BIG BROTHER AND I AM SO PROUD OF HIM!

-Shawn Tripputi aka little bro-

My Poreia

As you can see, I have changed my blog name to My Poreia. The word Poreia is greek for a journey that is on going with: Purpose, Pursuit, and Undertaking. I wanted a new blog name for a couple of reasons.

1. I really didn't like the name in the first place. It wasn't original

2. I wanted something Greek because I just love how there are so many different meanings for just one word, and I wanted to be unique in that.

3. and final I wanted something that would fit me and that would express who I am and the journey I am on.

This new heading is supposed to illuminate on the journey of my physical life and my spiritual life. God knows that I have been struggling lately. I have been on the spiritual roller coaster of being on spiritual highs and lows. Even though it is tough to be on this ride I know for a fact that I am on it for a reason.

I know there were a lot of words that I could have chosen from, but this one really hit home with me. I think it was those three words that popped out. The first one, Purpose. I am on this journey because I have a purpose. The second one, Pursuit. I constantly pursuing what God has for me. I am always trying my hardest to understand an follow in pursuit of the beautiful one that created me. The last one, Undertaking. There is no restart button, I can't go back and do something again. The journey that I am on, the roller coaster has already begun. I have taking the challenge when I accepted Jesus into my heart. I have Undertaken this Journey.

I have been trying to feel comfortable with writing on blogs or just writing period, but with the help and encouragement of my family, friends, and God I have been able to write what really is on my mind and express it in a way that I feel.

This is my journey.... This is........ MY Poreia.

An amazing week in Nashvegas

This past week I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Nashville, Tennessee. In the beginning of the trip I was one of three people in charge of leading the trip. At first I was super stressed and really didn't think I could do it. However, God just totally came down with this super big S on his chest and rescued me. Lol. This trip was full of curveballs, twists and turns, and ups and downs. And many more cliche things like that. Here is the whole trip and all the things that God taught me.

Well, like I said before, Me and two other people were the original leaders of the trip, college kids leading college kids. It was scary for me, but I had to do what I had to do. Then, God called in the relief pitcher, Dan Rieke. Dan was our interim College pastor until we received our new college pastor, Nate Stuart. Dan came in and took over and did everything in just a week, and what seemed to take three people multiple weeks to do, he did in one. Amazing. After having all the plans ready to go it was real easy to relax and just wait for the trip to start, but it was at that point that it all changed. Two days before we left for the trip, I got some information from Don Mutton, who is in charge of the singles ministry at HFBC, saying that Dan and his wife Lauren were not going to be able to go. Back to stressing out.

Then I get some new info with good and bad news. Lauren being sick could not go still, but since she was getting better Dan was going to be able to make it. So, not stressing out as much. But again plans never seem to go according to plan. I get an email on the day before we leave that Dan can not make it because Lauren was no longer feeling good. Not only were Dan and Lauren not going we were going to miss two huge leaders, and now Nate has to step up and we would have to get a new leader that no one really knew. Stressing out again. If that didn't seem enough. We were going to travel be vehicle and our original plans was to take two twelve passenger vans, but a couple days before Dan said that there were none in the Houston area that were available. So, the plans changed to driving three Sedans, but that fell through because there was only two leaders that could drive. So... We had to settle with one sedan and one ford explore for 11 people. Stressing out a little bit more.

If that wasn't enough Nate was in Georgia with the church staff on this big conference and his plane got delayed and he was not going to be able to land in Houston until 2:30 am and we were leaving at 5:oo am (not enough sleep for a 15 hour trip). So, we pushed the time to leave back to 8:00 am, and while paul and I were telling the news to everyone that was going on the trip more news comes. Ricky, who I was really excited to get to know more on this trip, wouldn't be able to make the trip because he had Bronchitis. Trip is now down to 10 people. This is starting to get ridiculus.

I have never gone through anything like this, and I have gone a lot of mission trips. Nothing compares to this. I felt that the Devil was really trying to attack this trip, and it wasn't just me that felt this. Many people in this group felt the same way. Why would he not want things to go according to plan, why?

To Be Continued...

So, I was asked to write something for this thing called Pulse. Pulse is a college gathering that comes together every other monday, and just chill out and grows together. So, the topic of this week was Celebration. So, my college pastor asked me to write what Celebration means to mean. So, I wrote this.

What does it mean to celebrate?
To know and rest that Jesus gave me a clean slate
It doesn’t matter how much I’ve sinned
I can now make decisions not wondering what could have been
And all the praise that I will give will go to him.

Because celebration is more than a party
It’s more that turning an age so that you can drink Bacardi
It’s more than that, It’s more than that
When I turn to Jesus I know that the rest of that is all wac

When people win a championship, they don’t care
That they’re running, crying with arms in the air.
Because in that moment they take all the pride
Celebration is definitely something we should not hide

What will you do in the moment
Will you sing at the top of you lungs
Will you celebrate the one who has already won

I heard from a wise man this
This is something that you don’t want to miss
“At the core of celebration is Joy.
Like a child playing with his brand new toy
Uncontrollable happiness that beckons action”
Now that is the definition of my word Passion.

Now what is worth celebration?
To know that I’m in the process of sanctification
Now that is something I can shout nation to nation
I hope people will celebrate that in the next generation

When the time comes how will you celebrate
I pray when it does come you will not hesitate.

My hearts prayer

I guess that it has been a long time since I have done this blogging thing, but a voice just pushed and pushed and pushed for me to continue on this journey of blogging. So, I have had somethings on my heart and mind. I was recently inspired to write  some poetry, and so I just put my mind on paper. Here it is...

I know how to be a good christian

But it seems to me that I don't listen

When I look a round I see all these distractions

I wonder if my witness is killed by my actions

I see the qualities of my brothers and I become so envious

But when I really think about it I start to become so curious

Because I know that isn't the life jesus had for me

I just wish that he would come down, open my eyes so I can see

That my life has more worth

That Jesus loved me even before my birth

I need to be comfortable in my own skin

That no matter the race I would love people as my own "kin"

God, open my eyes

and Teach me the things to change peoples lives

When you're with me you make my happy as though a kid with an ice cream cone

But I sometimes feel that you're not around, and that I'm alone

There are times when my heart feels so hollow

But God you know my heart and that I want to follow

God be with me!

As I yell, that is my plea.