June 1, 2000

Dear Friends,

Well, I can't believe this. John Wayne is currently hiding in my closet. He is running from the Hollywood gila monster. Here I was, finally caught up in e-mail, and this happens. Does anyone know of an effective John Wayne reppellent?

Anyhow, I just thought I'd give you all a quick update on my week. Work went great on Tuesday, for all of you that I haven't told. I actually got into some worthwhile conversations with co-workers. Like, more than "Hello." or "Help!" or "Where does this go?" I was really happy. I pray that God can use some of these relationships for His purposes.  For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul? Eternal things are soo much more important than everything else. Granted, that includes a lot. But it does, nonetheless, help keep things in perspective. I don't work just to get as much money as I can, I work to serve my Jesus and to show Him to as many people as possible. And it seems like that might be starting.

I had a great day yesterday. I got a lot done on my web page - I'm learning a lot - and I got a lot done one the Agape computer program thing. Oooh, learning is fun! I pray that work will go well today, too.

If you think of it, could y'all pray for a Colin Fullilove in Texas. He is with a group called People for Missions but is going through a very tough time right now. Thanks.

Later! God bless and keep fighting the fight for the King!

Your brother in Christ,
David Alan Hjelle

May 30, 2000

Captain!

We need more power! She canno' do 'er, Captain! The dilithium thruster crystals wonn stop us in time - the massive wall of e-mail up there is comin' too quick! [Editor's note: Scotty apparently wasn't aware of the English grammatical rule that quick, when used as an adverb, really ought to end in -ly.] We half been travellin' at warp nine and have too much momentum! She canno' do 'er....

Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I know next to nothing about Star Trek, so I probably really ripped on it for those of you that do. I guess it is another attempt at humor, but I don't think it went off nearly as well as my last time around. Sorry, again. Will you forgive me? :-)

My attempted parody does illustrate an important to understand fact, however. I am, once again, severely behind in e-mails. If you've sent me a note of any sort, you can expect a personal reply within two to four weeks or by the upcoming finals week, whichever comes first. One of these days I'll really be caught up on e-mail for good. Or maybe not. :-)

What have I been up to as of late? Too much stuff, I think. (I can't believe this! A whole summer and I'm not even sure how I'm going to get all the projects I arranged done! Then again, does that really surprise anyone that I would do such a thing?) Let me see. I've been continuing to work on the Agape Caring Pregnancy Center computer, working at Fleet Farm, thinking about revamping my web site (finally!) with new technology like HTML 4.0 and Cascading Style Sheets, if I get the chance, or at least a new look, probably helping out with the Salvation Army's "Summer in the Park" program here in town - like a vacation Bible school, thinking about picking up my trumpet again (finally!), trying to get together with friends as much as possible, thinking about catching up on e-mail, thinking about cleaning my room, thinking about grabbing another C.S. Lewis book from the library to read, hoping to start a Bible study with friends from home here, yeah, you get the picture. Here and I thought I'd have all this time...

I'm still trying to figure out what my friend Jenna has so aptly described as "God's groove" for me for the summer. Things finally made sense at Dordt, as far as where it seemed God wanted me to be used, and then we all left. Now I'm rather clueless again. That is probably the most frustrating part about work - I don't want to just go to work to make money, I want to use it as a mission of sorts. Trying to figure out how exactly to do that is a different story, since forming relationships and friendships takes time. Especially when you are trying to do lots of work putting up stuff on shelves and helping customers and whatnot and not really able to share with anyone around you - even in normal conversation - what you believe. I guess I felt the same when I came to Dordt, actually, and for last summer. It just takes time and prayer and perseverance, I guess. God knows what He is doing and I have no hope of really understanding it. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV.

Well, I pray that you are all doing well this summer. Some of you I'll talk to soon and others maybe not for quite a while. Keep your hope in the Lord, He will renew your strength, He will push you when you need it and carry you on towards the goal. Fight for the King, our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, with all that you have.

Maybe I'd get more done if I tried following my college sleep schedule...

Love you all.

In the Awesome Name of Christ the King,
David Alan Hjelle

P.S. My high school, Hillcrest, had graduation this weekend. That was fun - I got to see a lot of old classmates and friends and go to grad parties and the school band and choir concert and yeah. Yahoo!

May 20, 2000

Ahoy, friends and countrymen!

I regret to inform you that my good ship (okay, it's an inner tube, but please don't let that spoil your impression of its majesty and regal status) The Hjelle Roll has been overcome in the most perilous stretch of sea known to man or beast and has endeavored to do further exploration of said sea's depths. I have since been afloat on an ocean and have seen nothing for many days. I should have, for I realized (~* gasp! *~ too late) that a great breaker of a tidal wave was about to wash over me and drown me in a flood of e-mail. I nearly have perished - but, by God's grace, I am conquering said wave and will soon try to get back to all of you. In the meantime, however, I shall inform you of the events of my summer excursion thus far.

First, I've been trying to read a lot - C.S. Lewis in particular. (You'd never guess from the above paragraph that I just finished The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, now, would you? :-) ) I'm working at a store Fleet Farm, which, for those poor souls that are not Minnesotan (I must apologize for my other personalities bragadocio - how astounding! - #189.), is basically a Wal-Mart for farmers, a store where guys actually like to shop. :-) I've been missing friends like crazy. All of a sudden I don't have 1,400 people my age around me all the time. Boy, I thought it took work to see friends from Southview. (I think you guys know who you are!) But, across town seems so far away. (Hey there, bucko! Thems pilgrims don't wanna hear y'all wimpering about that! - #132.) I'm starting to get used to it, though.

I'm going to be doing some computer work with the Agape Caring Pregnancy Center here in town. I'm also planning to help out with the Salvation Army or with a youth group here in town if I can. I was planning to start that this week, but I got sick Tuesday, went to bed as soon as I got home from work (or pretty close to it :-) ), slept most of Wednesday and through till Thursday, and am starting to feel better. (Finally!) Well, I got a lot of reading done. :-) Now, I can't wait to get out and do things worthwhile. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly God wants me to do this summer. I guess I just don't want to be useless - and it feels that way sometimes without having things to do all the time, or at least things with people to do all the time. (I miss listening to people, and goofing around, and acting strange, and, well, yeah. You get the idea.) I've been a lot of things: depressed, tired, sick, happy, lonely, etc. But, God is good and He'll show me where he wants me. At this point, I think I should be glad of a little break. I'm getting itchy, though. Maybe I should hike downtown and hangout sometime. That could get interesting. :-)

I am enjoying my job though. The people at Fleet are great to work with. A couple Christians that I know of, but mostly just good workin' people. Hopefully they can see His joy in me and His peace - well, Jesus in general. One of my co-workers, a couple of years younger than I, said one weekend he was going to go get drunk and get laid. The only way he knows to have fun. How sad. And having no hope beyond that, either; no reason to live. I really pray he can see Jesus through someone.

My way of thinking and dreaming seems to have changed so, too. The stretching to grow up quick at Dordt (you know, get married, get a job, etc.) seems to have slowed down a lot since being home. I don't really know why, or if it is good. God knows what He is doing - I guess I'll have to take it as He deals it.

Those of you around in Fergus here - I'm going to try to get together with as many of you as I can - lots - this summer. Really! (I do want to try - but I'm finding that I'm horrible at starting things like that. Grr...)

Well, enough of me. I think it is bed time.

Good night, all y'all!

God bless every one!

Your brother in Christ,
David Alan Hjelle

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