SIBLEY

I am going on a trip to Sibley State Park, it is gonna be fun. I am going to be there from today, sunday, to next sunday. I obviously wont be posting any of the days I am gone.

Play

So over the summer I am in a play that my church/old school (St. Marks) puts on every year. I have been in it since kindergarten. And now this is my last year. the play is Alice and Wonderland, but contrary to how it may sound, I think this is the best play I have been in so far out of my 9 years, because a lot of the older 8th graders (such as myself, there are about 7-8 of us) are veterans, and even though none of us got the lead role (either because we had already gotten it before and you can only get a lead once, or because it is a female character. I happen to be both, for I was the main character last year) we get to play the not so big roles that we can really spice up a lot to give the play a great boost. I am very happy with my part. when I was young, in about 2nd grade, I was in this very play. The kids under 3rd grade are in the chorus rather than having speaking lines, and I still remember to this day, every step of the Oyster dance. the Oyster dance is sung by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, and the kids all get flippers and snorkel thingies to dance around in. It is really cute. I still have my snorkel and flippers to this day. In fact, I was just using it yesterday in my new pool. The best thing about it though, is that my friend and I are Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. We get to totally goof off, having our own voices, walks, poses, phrases, and on and on. It is actually quite challenging. But that is why the director put us there, because we did so well in try outs, that he knew we could handle it. And even though it isn't a HUGE part, I am happy with what I got and I think it will be a lot of fun. I will have info on when it is, if anyone wants to come and see it!!!

Hunger

   During 9:30 mass today, I realized that I had not eaten until sometime in the afternoon the day before. So I was hungry. Physically. Then I realized, that I should have a second hunger, one for Christ in the Eucharist. I should have a hunger that can never be full for God in my life, for his body and blood in me. As I went up for communion and received God, I wanted it more than I had ever in my life. And that is how it should be every time I have communion. The nice thing was, that after that I was not hungry anymore. I was full...... For now.

Urban

 I just got back from a retreat in Minneapolis. It was great. Every day, we went out to different work sites to give service to various people or charity groups. We painted, helped out at Good Will, gardened, and basically did everything that the person we were helping needed. But every night we met for 2 1/2 hours and talked about the poverty in our world. It was very eye opening, and very touching. I think I am going to want to go and do something. I don't know what, but I am sure God will guide the way.  But besides the work and stuff, it was also fun in between activities. we had a water ballon fight, (I brought them) we sprayed each other with spray bottles (the kind that you use for cleaning)- I brought that as well, and we had one heck of a fun time spraying each other, and each other's room with the HIGHLY potent awesome AXE body Spray!!!

Grad Party

   OK, I just got done with my sister Katherine's Graduation Party.... Man it was a lot of work!!!! But a lot of fun.... I am really gonna miss her when she goes.

Just a thought

  During the Trinity Class of 09 graduation ceremony, with all the speeches about success and all, I was wondering if you can be selfless to yourself. Like if you deny your own wants because you are thinking of someone else, yourself! It is an interesting concept, you aren't really thinking of someone else,  but you are putting aside your wants or desires for yourself. Like if you want to eat a piece of cake or something, but you know it will be bad for you and you don't. I don't know, it is something to think about.

Saints and Soldiers

  Saints and Soldiers has got to be my favorite movie now. It is a WWII movie about some American troops who escape their German captors, while the rest of their company is mowed down. The soldiers then meet up with a British airplane pilot who's plane was shot down when he was carrying vital information across enemy territory. When they meet, the decide that they have to try to get through enemy lines to get the information to the Americans on the other side, or die trying. 

I find that to be a good story, but I think that there is more to this movie that the synopsis tells. I don't want to ruin anything, but I must applaud some of the movies features. One of the main soldiers is named Deacon. His name isn't REALLY deacon, but that is the name his friends gave him because he doesn't like coffee, is a very strong Christian and  had been on mission trips to the "enemy" in Berlin. Another soldier, is a medic, and he has strong views against Christianity, There is a scene where Deacon and he are talking and the medic asks Deacon about if he thinks that there is a life after "this one."

Deacon: yes I think there is

Medic: well I don't. when I was back in Bern a little while ago, I was tending to this kid. He was shot up pretty bad, and I knew he didn't have long.  But he kept sayin' "please God, Please..." and he was so serious, I thought it would work, but then, twenty seconds later he was gone.... and when I looked into his eyes, There was nothing there, and that is when I first realized, "this is it."

Deacon: that's funny.

Medic: What could possibly be funny about that???

Deacon: No, not FUNNY funny, it's just.... I was thinking the something similar... When I was back in some city not long ago, I was holding a kid, and he was shot up pretty bad, and he was lying across my lap. And I remember him praying. And I was praying to. And we prayed for a good while, and then he died. And that was the first time, you know, I had ever really watched someone die. But when I looked into his eyes, I knew he was in a better place.

There are so many moments like this and even grater ones too, where the men grow in their relation ships, and the Medic, who in the beginning hated all Germans, and whenever the had a prisoner, wanted to shoot them, in the end treated a wounded officer. I again don't want to ruin anything, so I am limited on what I want to say, but the nobility that these men show to each other and their enemies is remarkable, and they are all truly close. There is one part where the British Guy, Whimbly, is sitting around a fire with the others, and he asks what their "big secrets are." Deacon is the first to speak "I never kissed my wife until the day we were married." and then a couple of the other guys say what they have to say. but the medic and Whimbly himself don't tell... Not until the end where they are all shot up and are probably about to die and they tell. and at that moment, everybody was very close. It is such a great movie. the medic in the end grows in his relationship with God, and is transformed. I never knew a movie could have such beauty.

 I would recommend this movie to anyone over the age of 10 or so. I don't think it has any swear words, I cant remember any. But it does have a bit of scary images. I cant tell you when, because that would ruin the story, but they really aren't that bad. Otherwise, there is a bit of gunfire, and a lot of people get shot. one man at the beginning of the film, had been shot up and was screaming as the Medic was working on him. there is also a bit of blood, but only when someone is getting looked at or worked on by someone. I think, that even though this move isn't as good of a "fighting" war movie as Saving Private Ryan, I think that Saints and Soldiers lives up to it's name, and is a far better movie. But I will let you find out why. So go and see it! you can watch it on www.Hulu.com in the movie section.

Forging report

  As many of you know, I plan to do some forging over the summer. So far I have had one day where I did some real productive things, but in that one day I ran entirely out of coal, my heat source!!! So now I wont be able to forge untill I can get some more.... But It really is worth it, I love to do it and it is a good activity to do with your friends. I should have some pictures of my forge up in a little bit.

Thinking about....

When I was playing soccer by myself in a completely desolate Field of green grass, My mind wandered away from soccer to more important things. After a very interesting line of thought, I asked myself the question: what is the opposite of Love or Goodness? my first response would be hate or evil, as it would be for many. Buy as I thought about it, I discovered that love and Goodness, comes from God, who in himself is a being, and that being is based in Goodness and love. Therefore, if anything is to be "hate" or evil, then it must be in some way connected to the opposite of God. Now that is a scary thought, an opposite to the good and all powerful best friend of  ours. but even Lucifer was created by God, and God created all things, therefore, something God created would have to be the opposite of him, and or evil, but that is not possible because God is based in goodness and love and so neither evil nor an opposite equal being would be able to be created. then we can see that, (like in light where you cant make the darkness darker, but you can take away light and you receive darkness, and yet you can make light lighter), that God is in all things, and that "evil" or bad or "hate" is just an absence of God (or in my analogy light). Then how can there be an opposite of Love or good?.... I am still thinking, maybe my thoughts will change, but if you have any comments or thoughts, be sure to let me know! NEXT UP: "Is The devil Pure evil or does he just have an absence of God???"   Ohhhhhh boy... Time for another walk...

God bless.