Archives For Story

Free iPhone 5 Like Heaven

September 29, 2012 — 1 Comment

I got an iPhone 5 for free!

I was perfectly happy with my iPhone 4 until I saw the 5. I wanted it bad, but my rational side said “Your phone works fine. Save your money.” Sadly, I had to agree. Stupid rational side!

However, by divine providence, the church I work at, Sagebrush, decided to cross over from the dark side! We had seen the light and were switching our work phones from AT&T to Verizon! As part of the deal we were all promised a new iPhone 5 to be held on the day it released!

Heaven

On the morning of the iPhone 5 release, people camped out at  stores nationwide hoping to be the first to get it. They waited in lines for hours. Some got it. Others didn’t.

But I slept in, had a big breakfast, and the slowly drove to the store. When I pulled up hours after opening, there wasstill a line around the building! I thought, “Dang! This is what I wanted to avoid! Now I would have to wait in line for hours!”

Then doubt crept into my head as I saw more and more people getting into line. “What if they didn’t have one on hold for me? What if they just meant that I could get one when it was available? Uh oh. Am I not getting it today?”  Continue Reading…

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I Don’t Want To Look On The Bright Side

August 31, 2012 — Leave a comment

I don’t want to look on the bright side. Lately, after my ankle surgery I have been feeling pretty down. Who can blame me? It has been almost a month already and I still have 2 more months before I can walk again.

I'll be your Crutch (EXPLORE)

I’m a proud guy. So, for the first week after surgery it was frustrating not being able to go to the bathroom without someone helping me get there.

It is killing me not being able pick up my little girl. I miss chasing her around the living room and giving her piggyback rides.

It Is frustrating that I get winded just crutching to the kitchen and back.

I get mad that doing the simplest thing like pouring a glass of water, taking a shower, or taking out the trash has become next to impossible for me without asking for help.

Needless to say, I have had better days. Patience is not one of my strong points. Waiting for my leg to heal is killing me.

And if you have ever been through a rough patch, you know that you always hear the same advice from well-meaning people. They all say, “Look on the bright side.” Continue Reading…

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Camp Preaching

July 23, 2012 — Leave a comment

I’m gone all week at camp. I was looking through old camp files and found this video of me preaching at last year’s high school camp.

The focus of the night was missions. Enjoy.

Brandon – HS Camp 2011 from Brandon Hilgemann on Vimeo.

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I Hate School Dances

June 25, 2012 — 3 Comments

As a teenager, there was nothing I hated more than school dances. I went to all the dances and hated every one of them. Come on, is there anything on earth more awkward than a school dance?

Dance

I hated dances so much that one year I made the decision to officially boycott all dances. The night of the big dance, I looked out my window. I could see the high school parking lot from my house. I watched all the cars rolling in. I could hear the music bumping all the way from the gymnasium. Continue Reading…

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Top 5 Sneakiest Father’s Day Gifts

June 18, 2012 — Leave a comment

Yesterday my daughter, Ashlyn, went to the store with my wife, Taryn, to get a Father’s Day present for me. She was told to pick one gift for Daddy. Immediately, Ashlyn ran to a Buzz Lightyear balloon.

father's day special

Taryn asked, “Are you sure this is what you want to give Daddy?”

Ashlyn replied, “Yeah! Daddy loves Buzz!”

At first, when Ashlyn ran up to me smiling to surprise me with the balloon I thought it was sweet. But as soon as Ashlyn gave it to me she immediately asked, “Daddy, can I play with Buzz?”

Since I really had no desire to play with a Buzz, I let her. And that is all she did the rest of the day. I don’t know who had a better Father’s Day, Ashlyn or me. Continue Reading…

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Bottle Rocket Runner

June 13, 2012 — 1 Comment

“Hilgemann! You’re running the 400!”

It was my first and only year running track in high school. We were at a track meet at a rival school and we were short handed. And these were not the words I ever wanted my coach – who we affectionately called “Coachie” – to throw my direction.

The track runs never-ending

I am not good at running long distances. Most runners run like a steam engine. They set a steady pace and chug along until they finish. I run more like a bottle rocket. I shoot off to a quick start and then everything goes up in flames! Continue Reading…

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Wrong Way Grandma!

June 8, 2012 — 1 Comment

Picture this. I’m riding shotgun in the car with my Grandma. We had just finished running errands at a store. Pulling out of the parking lot, my Grandma turns left down the road. As we are driving along, I looked out the window and that’s when I saw the sign: “One Way.”

Only one way to go

Puzzled, I looked at the sign, looked where we were heading, and looked back at the sign. That’s when I came to the frightening realization… IT WAS POINTING THE OTHER DIRECTION!  Continue Reading…

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