April 19, 2016:

Today has been good. This morning, I went to Starbucks where I wrote a bit more of my travel account. Afterwards, I went to the storage building and got some boxes for my packing. Then, I went to the gym. One of the guys at the gym was kind enough to store the boxes I brought at the front desk until I was done. I worked out pretty hard. Tricep extension, 17 and a half pounds, twelve reps and 15lbs 12 reps. Shoulder lateral raise, 10 lbs, 12 reps. Bicep curl 30lbs 2 sets 12 reps and 10 reps. Another curl with 25 lbs, 12 reps. Then, I did chest press. I lifted 175 about seven times. I’ll save this for the beginning of my workouts from now on. Because I am usually more agile with this and can lift that. Another two sets on chest press, 130lbs 12 reps. Then, I did abs and stretches after which I went in the sauna for a while. After, I packed some books and then, went to Mass. On the bus to church, I saw one of the guys from my RCIA class. He’s a really cool guy. I said hi and stood to move past him because a lot of people were coming on the bus, one with a stroller. I wanted to give up my seat so she could sit. I was having difficulty standing and so just got off the bus and waited for the next one. Benefit of having a metro pass. Anyways, it was getting pretty busy. At church, I went in for Mass. Afterwards, I met a wonderful man from Uganda who came and spoke to me for a great deal of time. We talked about God and he told me he was a PhD student. It was encouraging to see the way that God is using him from what he told me. After he left, I saw a woman who I met at Bingo the other night. She came and talked to me. She seems really nice. She goes to chapel every couple of days too. She said that she was going to be at choir on Saturday, that she liked singing. I said out loud a couple of times today, “Get behind me Satan, you have not in mind the things of God.” It’s a rebuke but I think it’s important to note that he says this to Simon Peter with deliberate rebuke but not harshly to his disciple. He understands why he is being tempted. Yet He has no time for the evil one. I am not saying this to offend anyone. I feel I have been very pleasant over the past couple of days in my day to day encounters. I am having a lot of difficulty walking. I think this is partly because of the shoes I am wearing. I’m getting used to them. I also think it is because I am not sleeping well. In spite of this, I feel I have been very reasonable with people. I notice some people giving me dirty looks and everyone else simply ignoring me. I think it’s important to know how this sort of crime is different from a lot of others. All of us have stumbled and have been stumbled. The amount and intensity of the degree of stumbling I have been through is what makes my situation unique. There is a reason I am having difficulty. In no way am I excusing myself. I know that I should be doing better. I want this. And I will accomplish this. I should have disclosed years ago. I ordered some food this evening. I am feeling very tired. Things may not make entire sense right now, especially to you Christian brothers and sisters. I promise they will. Maybe not tomorrow. But everything that is happening is for the best. I could have trusted sooner. I hope one day, you will be able to empathize. Their crimes were not my fault. I was not to blame. It is my fault, though that I was unable to trust sooner. Everything will work for the best, though not the way it was supposed to, it will end well.