Mr. Blue Sky - ELO

Yes!
As much as I prefer rainy or snowy days to sunshiny ones, things are pretty in the sunlight. Besides, we get rainbows with sunshine! *giggles* ^_^

Ack, Kandi side, forgive me. She hasn’t seen the light of day for …….. a while… (OO)

*Ahem* Let me back up.

Ye have not heard from me for a few weeks now, but I have been busy. As usual, but that’s not the point.

I spent three weeks hosting my roomie, during which time we have done a lot of sightseeing. We went to places I had not been to for years and years. We went to some places I have never been to, or at least don’t remember going to. As some would say, we “did the tourist thing.” Methinks I don’t like the tour guide role too much. Not my thing. I prefer doing other things. Working with my hands, using my talents, learning new skills. In any case, that was an interesting escapade.



How about some awesome/saddening news?
I’m finished with my field lab! Yes, tis both awesome and sad. Awesome because of all the work I put into it and all the experiences I gained from it. Sad because it’s over. Sad and relieved, there are always weird mixed emotions about having to stop doing something you enjoy, despite having a set deadline with work that needs to be accomplished. I have enjoyed working with the church here. It has been very uplifting and I am eager to continue working when I return. Hopefully, I can help the congregations in the States.
I finished my lab with just over 160 hours, a report on the history of the church in Ukraine, a daily journal, and a book report.

I really enjoyed the book. Word usage in some part was… harsh. It could have done without that. Overall though, I thought the book did a good job of showing the reader the painfully obvious mistakes many people make when they go to other countries.



Here are some of the notes I took while I was reading the book:

We need to know the enemy we fight. We need to know where they fight, how they fight, and why they fight if we ever want to stop the war. Killing a soldier only allows another to take his place for the same cause. Changing the way one thinks is harder, but provides far better results.

Abrupt honesty can be hard to take, but, hurt emotions aside, it is generally more appreciated than polite deception. (At least it should be)

Things would get done a lot faster if nations treated each other as equals and were willing to put in the effort to get the job done, rather than waste time, resources, and peaceful negotiations with politics and expensive plans.

It just goes to show that people pay more attention to your example than to your words. You can reach and teach people without saying a word. In the end, it’s how you lived your life that counts.

How rare it is to find people willing to help others no matter what the cost. Why oh why can’t people see through the lies they are being fed? Truth is a high price to pay for complacency.

The writers know what they’re talking about. They know the price, the stakes, and the consequences. People have the capability to change the world for better or for worse. Painting a pretty picture without regard to the actual struggles one should be involved in, will only attract the wrong kind of people. If you want hardworking people dedicated to the cause, be clear about it. It may not attract very many, but those you do attract will be the ones you’re looking for.

“Only occasionally will the battles be violent; but the sum of these tiny battles will decide whether our way of life is to perish or to persist.” ~ The Ugly American

Hosea wrote, in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

I pray I am the kind of example I need to be to change the world for Christ.

Move Along - All American Rejects

Hope is the thing with feathers 

That perches in the soul, 

And sings the tune--without the words, 

And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard; 

And sore must be the storm 

That could abash the little bird 

That kept so many warm.
I've heard it in the chillest land, 

And on the strangest sea; 

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

~ Emily Dickinson

Europa – Globus

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

~ C.S. Lewis



An intriguing quote...

Sometimes… I forget we are at war.

I forget about the armor I have been given and the weapon I am to use.
One thing I cannot forget, I cannot go back.

Many know of physical battles, but this is so much more than that.

I am responsible for protecting my soul, my family, my friends, and my name.
Every day I am reminded why I cannot afford to let my guard down.
And yet… I still manage to forget.
I for get we are comrades in arms. I forget there is friendly fire. There are prisoners. There are spies. There are those who are AWOL. There are casualties.



Do I forget because I want to? It’s possible, but I don’t think so. Each time I am reminded, I kick myself for forgetting.

Do I forget because I am distracted? Most likely. Satan uses all the tricks he can, and he has many of them. Wolves in sheep’s clothing, an angel’s guise, false teachers, and all those opposed to Christ. What else would you expect from one going about as a roaring lion seeking those whom he may devour? He will stop at nothing to take as many of us down with him when our Lord returns.
So why are we not more careful?
Why are we so easily beset and ensnared? Even so soon removed from Him that called us, just as the Galatians.
Every day we have a choice, though most of the time we don’t’ realize it. One makes that choice through a series of choices made through the day.

Whether you decide to take time to read the Bible and pray in your hectic day. Whether you decide to stop and help someone in the middle of your schedule. Whether you decide to go about your day with a positive attitude. All of these are “minor” decisions that we make every single day. Most of the times, without realizing it, we make the wrong decision.

“I’m late for class, I can stop and pray later.”
“I don’t know what to say to them. I’m sure they’ll be fine tomorrow.”
“I have a headache, I was up all night studying for a test I probably failed, and this assignment needs to get done in ten minutes. I’m really not in the mood to talk to anyone right now.”

See? It’s simple enough, isn’t it?
You’re not the only one who’s been down that road (or one similar to it).
Believe me, this applies to me as much as it does anyone else.

I have done my best not to stray from the path.
It is difficult at times. Some times I think I can’t see the path at all. It is in those times I realize I’m not really looking for it.



Guard yourself. Guard your tongue.

Maybe some would say I take life too seriously. After all, these are the “best years” of my life. Right? Personally, I don’t think I take it seriously enough. Sure, it’s ok to relax every now and then. There are times to stop and smell the roses God gave us. There is a time and place for everything. Ecclesiastes 3 tells us this well enough.

One of my favorite devotional songs is All In All.
It gives me hope.

I really like Psalms 3, particularly verse 2, 3, and 6.
It reminds me what I’m fighting for.

Psalm 143:8
“Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”

We have always been at war, whether we realized it or not. We have decided whose side we are on, whether good or evil.
If you chose good, you swore your allegiance to the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Victor of this war.
You know the consequences for denying your loyalty and abandoning your duty.
And yet… we forget.

There is Always Hope for we are Never Alone.
The battle belongs to the Lord.

Strength and Honor!

Moondance – Nightwish

Ok, so I went more with a blue/grey theme. Blue beats red in my eyes anyway. ;)

It’s been raining for the past four days and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. This song seemed to fit with the nature of rain, wouldn’t you say? Starts out slow, just a few drops at a time, and then before you know it, it’s coming down in torrents.
There are times when the rain comes down steadily, but softly. Those times I simply enjoy standing in the rain with my head turned to the sky. The soft pattering sound calms everything and it is as though anything riotous and polluted is washed away, leaving an open clean world in its wake.
Then there are other times that the rain comes with thunder and lightning (and if you’re in TN, tornadoes >_> ). A magnificent display of light and sound so powerful, you’re far safer watching it from a sheltered place. You can’t help but to be excited by it, either in terror or enthrallment: your choice.
I’m reminded of a verse in Matthew.
Matthew 5:45 “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (KJV)
I love the rain.

On a random side note: my favorite part of November Rain is from about 7:00 to the very end ^_^



I’ve passed the 100-hour mark on my field lab, putting me at 102 hours now.

Thursday last week, I went to a cancer children’s hospital with my sister. We were helping out a lady with her art lesson. We crafted little beads out of clay and made necklaces with the girls. The boys made little ornament things from the clay.
I enjoyed my time there, despite staying silent for the most part.
It’s not much, just to be there to make little clay figurines and such with the children. It’s not a cure. I can’t promise them a healthy life. I certainly can’t promise them tomorrow. But it’s a way of giving them hope. Hope that, through this momentary happiness, they can find the strength to keep fighting.

A few verses from Proverbs come to mind.
Proverbs 15:13 “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
17:22 “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
18:14 “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?”

That’s the way I see it. My sister and I are scheduled to go back on Tuesday. I’m looking forward to it.


I’ve gotten some major writing done over the weeks. I’m getting closer and closer to the bridge that spans the first major gap in my writing. Note I said first, as in the first of many. :P
Kudos to SA for the many much needed word wars.
On that note, I thank EDJ for his *ahem* “moral support.” Just don’t be expecting any non-explosive cookies anytime soon.
Misty! Where be ye, lass? If I didn’t’ know any better, I’d say EDJ burned yer house down again. Ye needs to stop poofing so we can get some work into ISC before the summer is over.



Green Thunder for the win ^_^

Diary of Jane – Breaking Benjamin

Bah, I really couldn’t decide between using several different songs. Everything ranging from Don’t Fear the Reaper to Europa crossed my mind. I eventually settled on writing three semi-scattered sections with three songs.
Ah well, for those of you who can actually listen to the music on here, you can stay and listen to it all you like, I will warn you though I have a song for every shade of color on the spectrum. Consider this blue/grey to red. It won’t be for long though. Who knows, the next one might be pink… *wrinkles nose* A very dignified shade of pink, mind you. None of that candy coated stuff.

*ahem*



Anyway…

There’s always a melancholic sort of peace listening to soviet funeral music. It’s as if this last glorious musical piece is to somehow annul the physical loss. Everyone in the neighborhood can hear the brass playing at the funeral, especially since the funerals are conducted right outside the apartment entrance. I woke up this morning to the melodic sound. It’s somewhat ironic, being awoken from the dead of sleep by the music being played at someone else’s funeral.

*pokes EDJ* I somehow blame you for the irony >_>

I’ve always found the phrase in this song “die for anyone” intriguing.
Probably because of my... habit… of wanting to help people with their problems. If someone’s sick, hurting, angry, sad, I want to be there for him or her. Regardless of the cost or damage I may or may not receive, I want to help them and I will do everything in my power to help them.

I’m still trying to find my place in this world. At least, that’s what I find myself thinking. Then I have to stop and admit there is no place for me here. I don’t belong here. WE don’t’ belong here. It’s that simple. This is not our home. At least, not permanently.
I grew up with a very different way of life. One in which I am ever so grateful for. I cannot express how deeply thankful I am for my parents and the way they reared me.
Back to my point though, this is the only life I know. It’s the only life I’m fully capable of living and it’s only natural that I would want to follow it.

But sometimes, the sneaking little suspicion that maybe this isn’t that path I’m supposed to follow shows itself. Maybe I’m supposed to be doing something else. Though this doubt is usually eradicated swiftly with the knowledge that I’m already doing what I should be doing. But then I’m reminded that no living person knows what the future holds. Which just brings me full circle. In the meantime, I do what I do best. Whether that is helping with plumbing, sawing through drywall, signing up to clean, or just being a listening ear or attentive eyes, that’s what I’ll do.


Moving on…
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

I’ve been reading through the book “The Ugly American” lately for my field lab.
I’m impressed so far. It is nothing like I expected, yet everything I would expect. Now let me explain that. I didn’t know what to expect upon opening the book. Some rant about Americans by a foreign author maybe? I don’t know. But as I read it, it was painfully obvious how ignorant of particular situations people can be. Not just some random war that they have nothing to do with, but occurrences in which they SHOULD know better. They have no excuse not to know the situation they are involved in.

From what I’ve read so far, each chapter in the book focuses on a different individual and shows the events unfold through their eyes. The setting is roughly the same for them, as they all are connected in some way to a particular country and the politics thereof. However, through each of these eyes the reader sees just how blind some of the individuals really are. Particularly the ones from America. Not all Americans are that way, but admittedly, Americans have a reputation of either not knowing or not wanting to know. About the people, the culture, the hardships, all very real life situations for millions of people around the world. Yet this attitude of trying to “Americanize” the “uncultured” people of another land reflects very badly on every American when the only representatives out there are the ones pushing this system.
Maybe some people can’t help it. Some Americans, probably subconsciously, feel they have to be someone else when they’re in foreign land. They play the tourist. That’s fine and all that if you actually ARE a tourist, but otherwise, be yourself.

Here’s a quote from one of the people in the book to kind of help you get my point:

"The simple fact is, Mr. Ambassador, that the average Americans, in their natural state, if you will excuse the phrase, are the best ambassadors a country can have,” Magsaysay said. “They are not suspicious, they are eager to share their skills, they are generous. But something happens to most Americans when they go abroad. Man of them are not average… they are second-raters. Many of them, against their own judgment, feel that they must live up to their commissaries and big cars and cocktail parties. But get an unaffected American, sir, and you have an asset. And if you get one, treasure him – keep him out of the cocktail circuit, away from bureaucrats, and let him work in his own way." (Lederer)

At least put in an effort to understand the people you are around.
All the little mistakes the Americans made along with all the little victories the Communists gained really made it seem like the Americans were inadvertently handing the country over the Communists on a silver platter. Ignorance is not bliss. Neither is it excusable or acceptable.

*Exhales* Ok, I think I’m done harping on my own people. But please… just use a little common sense sometimes, please?



*sigh* Alright, I’m done.

Now then, for a little more pleasantness. I at least want to end on a happier note. New worlds are always a sign of hope, right?
Back on track then.

I’m 80 hours into my field lab. This week that has mostly included helping my father cut out and fold 40 directories for our congregation. I already told you how much I’m enjoying my book for required reading. I’ve been writing various notes as I go through the chapters to make the book report easier to write later.

Our bathroom still has a hole in the wall. New problems keep us from really using the toilet on that side of the apartment. As far as the running water in the basement, we haven’t heard anything. They must have taken care of it for now because we haven’t heard any complaints either.

I’ve finally had the inspiration to practice playing the piano again.
*pokes EDJ again* Thank yer original for me for that one.
Anyway, I printed out notes to a song I really like and have been practicing that. Asides from my family, who shall have to endure it until I am sent overseas again, I’m keeping the song I’m playing a secret. I’m pretty sure I got the easiest version of the song. It’s 6 pages long, but I’m already on the second page. Which is pretty much zooming through it, considering my normal note-reading pace. The left hand is a little tricky, but I’m happy with my progress. ^_^

Writing.
Ah yes that thing where people put words together to make tales worth reading. I’m working on it. Hanna’s prequel is moving along nicely, but I still haven’t bridged the gap between what I have on the separate blog and what I’ve written for JuNoWriMo. Writing everything from Shard/Hanna’s perspective can be a little draining at times. I’m looking forward to the lighter parts. Parts filled with the interesting and surviving characters.

Now then, I do believe I shall take my leave.

As Hanna so aptly put it, “If you need me... do without."






Lederer, William, and Eugene Burdick. The Ugly American. New York: Norton & Company, 1999. Print.

Waving Flag - K'naan

I probably should have updated this a while ago, but it’s been crazy since I’ve been home.

Potluck, Ladies’ Day, guests, jetlag, plumbing, cleaning day, dish days, cherries, hot water, cold water, word wars… yeah. Busy.

I’ve already gotten more than 55 hours in for my field lab. I haven’t even started reading my book for the book report yet.

My siblings have certainly made me feel at home



Notice how many sheets of paper they used? That thing is HUGE! :P

Getting back on track has been like trying to follow a sleep-deprived writer's train of thought.
Try it sometime.

But even now, I am soooo glad to be back home.
It's like time traveling back to my own time-period.
...not that anyone other than Marty McFly would really know how that feels, but you get the point.

Oh how I've missed the simple things of home, such as properly built swings. I have no earthly idea why Americans can't make a decent swing set. Sure, half the time our swings are broken and missing, but when they're there, they're awesome! I can swing, crochet, and listen to music without losing my balance for almost an hour. And when I stand up, my legs don't feel like they're going to fall off.

Ok, I've finished my swing rant.



Anyway,
The Ladies' Day we had went exceptionally well. my sister, mother, and I led a few songs and each presented a lesson.


Over the past few days, we've only had hot water on one side of the apartment because a pipe somewhere or other broke. So I've been told. The only way they could get to it was through our bathroom, so we had to have our toilet moved and part of the wall taken down so they could get to it. They fixed it in one day, so that's commendable, but that left us to move our toilet from out of the bathtub and back where it belonged. Though we're going to need help reinstalling it. As soon as we got cold water on the other end of the apartment, they shut off the hot water for the building. A normal procedure around this time of year, but the timing was exceptional, don't you think?

********** UPDATE **********

So around 11pm someone comes to our door telling us that there’s water running in the basement. At 1am, my mother and I go with a neighbor lady to try and get someone to turn the water off. We’re on the first floor, so we can hear the water running outside our door. The stairway to the basement is locked, with a heavy-duty soviet padlock, no less. We go to the entrance next door and call all the people on the neighbor lady’s list of people to call in such cases. No one picks up their home phone, no one answers their cell phone, no one answers the door. We’re at this for a good 30-45 minutes. The lady decides that there is one other person she can call, but she left the number in her apartment. Now, we have yet to hear if anyone can come over and shut the water off. In the meantime, my mother’s doing laundry before we run out of water. I love how every day is an adventure. ^_^

********************


On a side note, I've been writing more. One of my goals this summer, and for this month in particular, is to get my ISC prequel done. I have notes all over the place that I've been meaning to fit in to an actual story format. It's coming along nicely, but I'm still writing in scenes instead of chronologically. Though the last four or five scenes have been written chronologically, so I'm making progress. ^_^

Oddly enough, I've been thinking more about world history. (( Random Prussia mention )) Wars and battles, mostly. Though that may be because the latest scenes I've been writing have been more battle oriented...


Another random note, I need to get back on a regular sleeping schedule...



Strength and Honor!

I’ll Make a Man Out of You – Disney

Hah, you who are Freedies should have known I’d use this song.

You who are not, Freedies have a tendency to sporadically burst into song, usually Disney or Journey. This is one of the more popular songs and one in which is fun to sing when you have a decent sized group of people to sing it with. ^_^
Besides that, when I stop to think about it, this song fits pretty well with the topic.

Now, to the heart of the matter.
This is the second post today. Yayness. I was going to add this to the last post, but I realized that Freedies deserve their own space. Freedies are naturally a distinct group of people.

I think what I’ve come to realize is, most Freedies are students at Freed, but not all students at Freed are Freedies.

There is something special about this group of individuals. Something that sets them apart.
Certainly, Freedies know how to have fun. They’ll be the ones making the late night trips to Waffle House, having epic battles in the Wal-Mart toy sections, and asking for curfew extensions to make a last minute run to Wal-Mart for a fishbowl. Carnivals, Slip-n-Slides, Disney movie nights, Boog Busting, Makin’ Music, retreats, banquets, club cheers, intramurals, not to mention the million and one times the lion has been painted, just married pranks, and the suchlike are not uncommon on and around campus.

Even so, Freedies have a serious side too. They are devoted to helping people grow spiritually, academically, physically, and socially. They are dedicated to helping those around them as well as improving themselves in these areas. Freedies strive for a purpose greater than themselves. In dire times, they rise to the challenge, even without being asked. They go on mission trips (stateside and abroad), raise money, raise awareness, and donate both resources and time to disaster relief projects. They give of themselves freely in order to serve God and their fellow man.

I got the chance to work with a group of Freedies yesterday. We helped clean out trees from out and around a destroyed house. Two severely bent trees were the only things supporting what was left of it. The chaos was incredible.




Driving down the road, one could see a few perfectly untouched houses, but then come across what can only be assumed was a house because of all the debris. One part of town, perfectly fine, the other part of town, demolished. It wasn’t just a straight line of destruction either. The town we were working in had hills and valleys, which apparently created multiple vortexes (at least, I think that’s what the biochem major of the group said… something along those lines anyway). There was one place where a whole hillside where the trees were stripped, broken, or missing, yet in the midst of it stood an entirely whole house. With the house we were working on, one would move a log, a piece of roof, some branches, and decapitated doll to find a box of unbroken china. One tree that was moved had a shingle embedded in it. Of course, this is all coming from someone whose only experience with tornadoes came from watching Wizard of Oz for most of her life… but still, that’s got to be impressive by anyone’s standards. When they’re talking winds beyond 250 MPH, you know it’s bad. Even so, there are places that have had it far worse. The death toll increases and there are still many people unaccounted for. Jobs, homes, and lives have been lost.

We rise to the challenge. Ready, willing, and able to serve.

I was only there one day, but that message rang loud and clear. Now that I think back, there were many times that this message was presented directly to me and around me. I regret being too caught up in my own life to see the message sooner. I was so caught up with what I was supposed to be doing, that I failed to just relax, leave it in God’s hands, and do what I do best: do my best and serve others.

Freedies made me proud yesterday. I didn’t know all of them that well (the ones I did know were only familiar through Makin’ Music), but it didn’t matter. We were all there with the same goal: to help people in need.



Yesterday morning, I was waiting for a call. It was a call from a mother telling me she was on her way to pick me up and take me to the work site. I was impatient. I was excited. I was ready. I wanted more than anything to get over there as soon as possible so I could do as much good as I possibly could. All that was running through my mind was Isaiah’s response to God’s call, “Here am I; send me” (Isa. 5:8). Why aren’t we all that excited about God’s call? He has called every one of us: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Why aren’t we all as eager and willing as we should be?
In the end, I don’t think we did as much as we would have liked, despite doing a lot. We all came back looking nasty, feeling worn, and smelling like smoke, but we did all we could do for that area. It will take time for a broken place to heal.

~ Strength and Honor ~