May 31st,
Today was beautiful, woke up a little late but that's alright. The sun is so crisp when it pours over the mountain, sending shadow cowering into the ground ti'll it can claim the trees once more. The air is hot but sweet, like pouring a light fragrance over the sky and watching it roll down the clouds ti'll it spills on the ground. Every now and then a merciful cluster of cumulonimbus pastes itself between my back and the sun, buying me some precious break time in between moving logs. After soaking up a generous portion of the sun I likened to the cold and relieving coolness of the cement floor where I lay smashing my knuckles (in a fulfilling way) detaching, sharpening, and reattaching the mower deck and blades. Afterward I came inside and made a pbj and listened to some Extemporaneous Measures. A good day.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
What's The Deal With Christians And Tattoos?
May 30th,
Holy Crap, run for your life! He's got a Tattoo!
Sound familiar? I know, I know Lev. 19:28 Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord. First, in no way am I out to disprove the Bible, that's impossible. Instead i'm interpreting my viewpoint on how this affects us (or doesn't I should say) and where we mistake it's meaning. This was written for God's sacred people (The Israelites) when they we're moving into their new land that was infested with pagans, heathens, and cults. The caution to not "tattoo" their body was to keep them set apart from the other nations by not looking like them, such as custom to many other surrounding cults and priests. On that alone one might say we are in an entirely different social-graphic setting. This was for an even bigger picture of sanctification though, this rule was established ultimately that they might fulfill it to please God. I've got some news guys, Christ is the new law, He came, He died, He fulfilled what we couldn't perfectly.
So what still stands as our requirements/limitations as modern-day christians? Not the old laws of moses or Israel, otherwise that polyester and cotton shirt you're wearing would be unholy, oh and also cheeseburgers, and side-burns. Yep. What's left is simple, love the Lord, your god, with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul. Which begs the ultimatum of my unstated predicament, is it loving and honoring to Christ when we mark our bodies? That's a sadly mistaken relative question. It's like saying does it honor God to drink alcohol? Jesus did in moderation so obviously there's some allowance, having said that there's a point of stupidity with your own body which is ultimately against God. See what i'm getting at? It's between your conscious and God. If it's defiling to his artwork, us, then it's wrong. If it's not, give it some serious thought before you do it. How do we decide if it's defiling ourselves? I would say simply ask your pastor/mentors advice but sadly we're all pre-decided on our viewpoints. There's the obvious stuff, no demons drowning babies in pools of ceremonial blood and body excrements. But what about a tree on your shoulder? A thorny wrist wrap? Ask yourself these questions and if you're still undecided ask a good friend. Always go on the cautious side and always remember this verse when considering getting one. 1 Cor. 10:31 Wether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Am I legally of age?
If I live with my parents, would my parents support this decision?
Would I be defying the authority God gave my parents over me at my current age?
Would I still want this particular image when I get older?
Is it going to be in a clearly visible area?-that can affect your ability/inability to witnessWould this image bring glory to God?
Do I feel fully convinced that tattoos are allowable for Christians?
Holy Crap, run for your life! He's got a Tattoo!
Sound familiar? I know, I know Lev. 19:28 Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord. First, in no way am I out to disprove the Bible, that's impossible. Instead i'm interpreting my viewpoint on how this affects us (or doesn't I should say) and where we mistake it's meaning. This was written for God's sacred people (The Israelites) when they we're moving into their new land that was infested with pagans, heathens, and cults. The caution to not "tattoo" their body was to keep them set apart from the other nations by not looking like them, such as custom to many other surrounding cults and priests. On that alone one might say we are in an entirely different social-graphic setting. This was for an even bigger picture of sanctification though, this rule was established ultimately that they might fulfill it to please God. I've got some news guys, Christ is the new law, He came, He died, He fulfilled what we couldn't perfectly.
So what still stands as our requirements/limitations as modern-day christians? Not the old laws of moses or Israel, otherwise that polyester and cotton shirt you're wearing would be unholy, oh and also cheeseburgers, and side-burns. Yep. What's left is simple, love the Lord, your god, with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul. Which begs the ultimatum of my unstated predicament, is it loving and honoring to Christ when we mark our bodies? That's a sadly mistaken relative question. It's like saying does it honor God to drink alcohol? Jesus did in moderation so obviously there's some allowance, having said that there's a point of stupidity with your own body which is ultimately against God. See what i'm getting at? It's between your conscious and God. If it's defiling to his artwork, us, then it's wrong. If it's not, give it some serious thought before you do it. How do we decide if it's defiling ourselves? I would say simply ask your pastor/mentors advice but sadly we're all pre-decided on our viewpoints. There's the obvious stuff, no demons drowning babies in pools of ceremonial blood and body excrements. But what about a tree on your shoulder? A thorny wrist wrap? Ask yourself these questions and if you're still undecided ask a good friend. Always go on the cautious side and always remember this verse when considering getting one. 1 Cor. 10:31 Wether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Am I legally of age?
If I live with my parents, would my parents support this decision?
Would I be defying the authority God gave my parents over me at my current age?
Would I still want this particular image when I get older?
Is it going to be in a clearly visible area?-that can affect your ability/inability to witnessWould this image bring glory to God?
Do I feel fully convinced that tattoos are allowable for Christians?
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Behind Enemy Lines
May 29th,
We are not in our element, we are not home, we are lost.
Look at how obsessed we are with living our lives. How much time and effort we put into our physical self, our pleasures and comforts, our job, our car, our homes. Guess what, It's all gonna burn. The time we exert into our belongings is foolishly obsessive when our true, eternal pleasure is being thrown under the bus. Nothing, absolutely nothing we have attained in our time here will be put in our spiritual resumé. When we stand face to face to our creator, stripped of all worldly possessions, one thing matters; that we fearlessly fought for Him. Blunt? Yup. Get over it, it's true.
It's not about what we have here. We are all aliens to this earth and strangers to this soil. We don't belong here, our home is somewhere else. That makes us citizens of a celestial city, trapped in a hostile, physical war zone. It's a disparaging place to be because we act like it's the only place to be, but it's not; there is something better, something absolutely, and unsurpassably perfect. That is heaven, God's place for us and our place with God. If this was all there was, this world with this crap, then i'm done, give me the gun and i'll get it over with myself. Many have, simply not knowing or being able to grasp the fact that all this hurt is temporary and not necessary.
We are indeed behind enemy lines and we must follow The Way out. There's no such thing as staying where we are, we are either captured by the enemy and corrupted by their ways, or fearlessly driving toward our home base. What does a soldier do when trapped behind enemy lines? Calls in air support and then tears his way out with every ounce of ferousity he has giving no heed to the enemy, throwing off the barb wire and sprinting toward his goal. Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Christ is our way out, He is the goal, He is the good race. So call in His air support, (prayer) run for the finish! Push the enemy out of the way! Be brutal, Whatever it takes! As Edna from The Incredibles would say, "Go! Fight! Win!"
We are not in our element, we are not home, we are lost.
Look at how obsessed we are with living our lives. How much time and effort we put into our physical self, our pleasures and comforts, our job, our car, our homes. Guess what, It's all gonna burn. The time we exert into our belongings is foolishly obsessive when our true, eternal pleasure is being thrown under the bus. Nothing, absolutely nothing we have attained in our time here will be put in our spiritual resumé. When we stand face to face to our creator, stripped of all worldly possessions, one thing matters; that we fearlessly fought for Him. Blunt? Yup. Get over it, it's true.
It's not about what we have here. We are all aliens to this earth and strangers to this soil. We don't belong here, our home is somewhere else. That makes us citizens of a celestial city, trapped in a hostile, physical war zone. It's a disparaging place to be because we act like it's the only place to be, but it's not; there is something better, something absolutely, and unsurpassably perfect. That is heaven, God's place for us and our place with God. If this was all there was, this world with this crap, then i'm done, give me the gun and i'll get it over with myself. Many have, simply not knowing or being able to grasp the fact that all this hurt is temporary and not necessary.
We are indeed behind enemy lines and we must follow The Way out. There's no such thing as staying where we are, we are either captured by the enemy and corrupted by their ways, or fearlessly driving toward our home base. What does a soldier do when trapped behind enemy lines? Calls in air support and then tears his way out with every ounce of ferousity he has giving no heed to the enemy, throwing off the barb wire and sprinting toward his goal. Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Christ is our way out, He is the goal, He is the good race. So call in His air support, (prayer) run for the finish! Push the enemy out of the way! Be brutal, Whatever it takes! As Edna from The Incredibles would say, "Go! Fight! Win!"
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
I Just Wont Miss You
May 28th,
Not so dear high school, I just wont miss You.
As great as it's been I'm so glad the drills are over with. It's strange to think that we spend the first 18-25 years of our life studying how to live it. Imagine if you spent even five years learning to drive on a permit before being able to receive your license. Then again maybe that's why we have such ingenious things like the instant brain cancer propagation device, oh umm.... the microwave, or sliced bread, oh and let's not forget the radios that don't actually work as well as they used too, (if you were a 90's kid you'll know what I mean.) Anyway today was my year end test and I'm decently sure I got one of the questions right...wait no, two of em, yah. But really it's odd that we devote so much of our lives to learning how to get a job or manage a checkbook, when the most important things are patiently sitting right in front of us. How about your soul? Seriously what training do we give that for life? It's clear that we're more than physical beings, that can't even be argued. Every war in the history of man kind, every personal account, every hug and every punch, every shot and every plot were based on our personal, intuitive moral sense of right and wrong. So how 'bout it? We're spiritual beings so where's our spiritual training? In the early days of America's pilgrimage every school house began their morning with a recital of the Pledge Of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer. Our constitution say's were a nation under God. Our founding fathers believed in our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (which is clearly an above physical desire) so strongly that they signed their lives to it and were hung, shot, burnt, and betrayed for it. When something goes unimaginably wrong and things get worse than we could possibly imagine what do we do? Pray. Even if it's to a god we didn't believe in yesterday. I wont try and prove God's existence, just the same as I wont try and prove the law of gravity to you, I'm writing with the preconceived concept of God as an existent, present, and moving being. If anyone ever had an argument about that i'd be more than willing to discuss it on a Facebook message.
Yes education is necessary, no i'm not dissing it's potential. We really are better off with an unbiased education in place (far from what we have in our school's today, which is another night's subject). I cannot thank my Mom for all the hard work she's put into my progress and I know it's never really over, just moving on to bigger fish. Those of you still in your education, don't forget what really matters, God doesn't look at SAT scores.
Not so dear high school, I just wont miss You.
As great as it's been I'm so glad the drills are over with. It's strange to think that we spend the first 18-25 years of our life studying how to live it. Imagine if you spent even five years learning to drive on a permit before being able to receive your license. Then again maybe that's why we have such ingenious things like the instant brain cancer propagation device, oh umm.... the microwave, or sliced bread, oh and let's not forget the radios that don't actually work as well as they used too, (if you were a 90's kid you'll know what I mean.) Anyway today was my year end test and I'm decently sure I got one of the questions right...wait no, two of em, yah. But really it's odd that we devote so much of our lives to learning how to get a job or manage a checkbook, when the most important things are patiently sitting right in front of us. How about your soul? Seriously what training do we give that for life? It's clear that we're more than physical beings, that can't even be argued. Every war in the history of man kind, every personal account, every hug and every punch, every shot and every plot were based on our personal, intuitive moral sense of right and wrong. So how 'bout it? We're spiritual beings so where's our spiritual training? In the early days of America's pilgrimage every school house began their morning with a recital of the Pledge Of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer. Our constitution say's were a nation under God. Our founding fathers believed in our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (which is clearly an above physical desire) so strongly that they signed their lives to it and were hung, shot, burnt, and betrayed for it. When something goes unimaginably wrong and things get worse than we could possibly imagine what do we do? Pray. Even if it's to a god we didn't believe in yesterday. I wont try and prove God's existence, just the same as I wont try and prove the law of gravity to you, I'm writing with the preconceived concept of God as an existent, present, and moving being. If anyone ever had an argument about that i'd be more than willing to discuss it on a Facebook message.
Yes education is necessary, no i'm not dissing it's potential. We really are better off with an unbiased education in place (far from what we have in our school's today, which is another night's subject). I cannot thank my Mom for all the hard work she's put into my progress and I know it's never really over, just moving on to bigger fish. Those of you still in your education, don't forget what really matters, God doesn't look at SAT scores.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Be Still
May 27th,
We often underestimate the power of stillness in our lives.
Walking down the stream today, installing the last of our signs, I took a moment to sit back and watch the waterfall. At first thought it's quite inconsequential, but then again how would we ever know if we've never taken the time to do it?
There something to say for the power of quiet and/or meditation, actually there's a lot. Think of this; not too long ago there were no radios, no cell phones, no vehicles, no laptops, heck (and hold onto your seat for this one)..... No Facebook. And you know what, I envy those who lived in such times, to think that you could go an entire day with no human communication sounds like a little slice of heaven to me, imagine the time you'd have on your hands. No, no! That makes me a hermit! How could I ever want a painful solitude like that!? Right? Actually i'd say taking some time here and there to be still, be quiet and listen is just about the most communicative thing we can do. If indeed we are truly looking for better lives, better relationships, and ultimately a better standing with God then we can't afford not to be silent. In fact when we calm ourselves and become silent we hear some of the most important things in our lives. Take an everyday conversation for instance, if I spend the entire time talking and leave no room for their side of the conversation how can I expect to deepen my understanding much less the relationship? The funny thing about listening is that it doesn't take any talking. Our best talks often take place when we listen the most and speak the least.
I personally know a guy who believes this principle quite strongly, in fact before his first public speech he hit the hills for forty days, extreme? Maybe, or maybe he knew something we didn't. He knew that there's a point when we need that peace and quiet. When we give ourselves that time we allow ourselves to fulfill the roll we were originally intended to fill; men and woman humbly standing before God, earnestly seeking him, ready to hear what He has to say. Does this mean we need to pack the bags and go meditate on our lives in Alaska for four weeks every time we get an unsettling feeling? No. But it does mean that there are times God wants us to step away from our music, games, sports, or whatever our filler is to hear what he's got to say; besides I promise it'll be a lot more important than that last level of Zelda you've already beaten twelve times. God would love to talk to us like you'd like to talk to a best friend, no blaring music, phone calls or distractions, just some nice quiet time for a real talk about how things are going. Like I said yesterday God is a personal god, in fact I think he'd prefer to kick back at the coffee shop to a good cup of french vanilla and talk about college, jobs and (it's no big secret guys) girls that make us look like absolute idiot's. But wait, that could take hours? Yup. Sure could. In fact that means we might have to adjust our work schedule so we can get off early, or really dig in to our studies the night before, somethings going to have to give if we really want to make time to hear God.
There is so much to hear from his side of things, in fact He's really got his stuff together and he really know's what he's talking about. Proverbs 5:10 says, Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. He's trying to help us out guys! He's saying listen up so ya' don't die. It's not complicated or sophisticated, he's got all the wisdom and understanding there is and he's dying to share it with us! we just need to take out the earphones, step outside and give him a chance. Try it. I promise if you give him your attention he'll give you His. James 4:8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." That's not fiction, thats real, and he really means it. I have personally underestimated the power and beauty of being still before God. I can say from personal experience the few times I have really given him what I thought was valuable like my time, he has given me something a thousand times better, peace. Peace of heart when I hear him, I cannot fully explain it just as you cannot fully explain what it feels like to free fall from a plane. It's simply indescribable.
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God.
10
We often underestimate the power of stillness in our lives.
Walking down the stream today, installing the last of our signs, I took a moment to sit back and watch the waterfall. At first thought it's quite inconsequential, but then again how would we ever know if we've never taken the time to do it?
There something to say for the power of quiet and/or meditation, actually there's a lot. Think of this; not too long ago there were no radios, no cell phones, no vehicles, no laptops, heck (and hold onto your seat for this one)..... No Facebook. And you know what, I envy those who lived in such times, to think that you could go an entire day with no human communication sounds like a little slice of heaven to me, imagine the time you'd have on your hands. No, no! That makes me a hermit! How could I ever want a painful solitude like that!? Right? Actually i'd say taking some time here and there to be still, be quiet and listen is just about the most communicative thing we can do. If indeed we are truly looking for better lives, better relationships, and ultimately a better standing with God then we can't afford not to be silent. In fact when we calm ourselves and become silent we hear some of the most important things in our lives. Take an everyday conversation for instance, if I spend the entire time talking and leave no room for their side of the conversation how can I expect to deepen my understanding much less the relationship? The funny thing about listening is that it doesn't take any talking. Our best talks often take place when we listen the most and speak the least.
I personally know a guy who believes this principle quite strongly, in fact before his first public speech he hit the hills for forty days, extreme? Maybe, or maybe he knew something we didn't. He knew that there's a point when we need that peace and quiet. When we give ourselves that time we allow ourselves to fulfill the roll we were originally intended to fill; men and woman humbly standing before God, earnestly seeking him, ready to hear what He has to say. Does this mean we need to pack the bags and go meditate on our lives in Alaska for four weeks every time we get an unsettling feeling? No. But it does mean that there are times God wants us to step away from our music, games, sports, or whatever our filler is to hear what he's got to say; besides I promise it'll be a lot more important than that last level of Zelda you've already beaten twelve times. God would love to talk to us like you'd like to talk to a best friend, no blaring music, phone calls or distractions, just some nice quiet time for a real talk about how things are going. Like I said yesterday God is a personal god, in fact I think he'd prefer to kick back at the coffee shop to a good cup of french vanilla and talk about college, jobs and (it's no big secret guys) girls that make us look like absolute idiot's. But wait, that could take hours? Yup. Sure could. In fact that means we might have to adjust our work schedule so we can get off early, or really dig in to our studies the night before, somethings going to have to give if we really want to make time to hear God.
There is so much to hear from his side of things, in fact He's really got his stuff together and he really know's what he's talking about. Proverbs 5:10 says, Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. He's trying to help us out guys! He's saying listen up so ya' don't die. It's not complicated or sophisticated, he's got all the wisdom and understanding there is and he's dying to share it with us! we just need to take out the earphones, step outside and give him a chance. Try it. I promise if you give him your attention he'll give you His. James 4:8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." That's not fiction, thats real, and he really means it. I have personally underestimated the power and beauty of being still before God. I can say from personal experience the few times I have really given him what I thought was valuable like my time, he has given me something a thousand times better, peace. Peace of heart when I hear him, I cannot fully explain it just as you cannot fully explain what it feels like to free fall from a plane. It's simply indescribable.
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God.
10
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Being A Representation
May 26th,
I was originally going to cover "love" this evening but to be quite honest I lack the zeal in more than one way; I did however have something small to say about representing your faith and felt led to share it even if it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
An overly imposing, slightly overdressed man walking around quoting bible verses at people and shouting apocalyptic phrases like "repent before you burn!" seems to pop up in my head when someone mentions a christian protestor/evangelist. Sadly I've seen that same thing many times before and wondered just how many of us automatically link that when someone even says the word "christian". I think there's a larger overarching problem here and although I cannot describe it in whole it seems to me to be a lack in personal relationship.
A true relationship with Christ will ignite the genuine desire to worship, and within that desire to worship is not a guilt driven, nor fear based, but love driven desire to obey, and as we may well know spreading the personal sacrifice God has made for us is something he simply asks us to pass along. This brings us in the simplest way to evangelizing, and this is the heart of it, that we would reach out to others as Christ reached out to us; with a helping hand and a gentle word, giving someone what they need the most when they deserve it the least. This kind of authentic and genuine invitation can only be given by those who have felt that same soft, loving, yet strong and bold tug on there own hearts who then turn and extend the same offer with the same grace to others. The offer of an eternal life with Christ through genuine belief in his name, and his power to forgive.
So the next time you see someone publicly proclaiming their deeds or openly demoralizing the figure of others, perhaps in the name of Christ, instead of instinctually slapping on a label or even just laughing under your breath, think about them as one more person just like you and I; desperately needing someone to stand beside them, put an arm around their shoulder, and tell them a little about a personal god who personally gave everything for you and me and longs to see us live with love and compassion for one another just as he's always done for us.
John 13:35
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
I was originally going to cover "love" this evening but to be quite honest I lack the zeal in more than one way; I did however have something small to say about representing your faith and felt led to share it even if it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
An overly imposing, slightly overdressed man walking around quoting bible verses at people and shouting apocalyptic phrases like "repent before you burn!" seems to pop up in my head when someone mentions a christian protestor/evangelist. Sadly I've seen that same thing many times before and wondered just how many of us automatically link that when someone even says the word "christian". I think there's a larger overarching problem here and although I cannot describe it in whole it seems to me to be a lack in personal relationship.
A true relationship with Christ will ignite the genuine desire to worship, and within that desire to worship is not a guilt driven, nor fear based, but love driven desire to obey, and as we may well know spreading the personal sacrifice God has made for us is something he simply asks us to pass along. This brings us in the simplest way to evangelizing, and this is the heart of it, that we would reach out to others as Christ reached out to us; with a helping hand and a gentle word, giving someone what they need the most when they deserve it the least. This kind of authentic and genuine invitation can only be given by those who have felt that same soft, loving, yet strong and bold tug on there own hearts who then turn and extend the same offer with the same grace to others. The offer of an eternal life with Christ through genuine belief in his name, and his power to forgive.
So the next time you see someone publicly proclaiming their deeds or openly demoralizing the figure of others, perhaps in the name of Christ, instead of instinctually slapping on a label or even just laughing under your breath, think about them as one more person just like you and I; desperately needing someone to stand beside them, put an arm around their shoulder, and tell them a little about a personal god who personally gave everything for you and me and longs to see us live with love and compassion for one another just as he's always done for us.
John 13:35
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Lennard
May 25th,
Wether you had three hours of sleep or not there's always a lot to do, as Memorial day weekend approaches life at the camp goes from busy to insane. Gabriel and I had a list of tasks to complete that day and decided to start with remarking the stream. So here I was in the shop of our barn trying to strap a six foot ladder to my back with rope as Gabriel lay there, totally cemented to the floor,having fell down bound by the weight of his own pack now filled with thirty pounds of "posted" signs, two hammers, and a bucket of nails. We finally made it out of the barn with much struggle and hit the trail looking like a homeless duo straight out of a cartoon with ladders bobbing from our backs and a backpack that would crush a small elephant.
This was all for the purpose of remarking our stream which is becoming an annual task. One of the positions for our signs is on a lovely shale face twenty feet above the water and a flat rock footer, don't ask why. As I'm beginning my ascent with a hammer hanging from my side, nails in my pockets, and a sign in my mouth Gabe shouts for my attention and points to a small snapper turtle no bigger than your palm being helplessly washed downstream. Now there are some things in life that don't need to be done and some that do, this was an absolute must. I threw the sign to the side, dropped my hammer and took a flying leap to the closest shale slide, determined that I would save this young victim from certain doom, all the time keeping my eye on the minuscule black dot now toppling down the waterfall. I waded out to where I could receive him and scooped him up in my hands, before I could even announce his rescue I knew his name was Lennard, it had to be. So me and my new pal Lennard set out to finish scaling that daunting rock face despite loosing our ladder in the waterfall and almost falling to an ugly end several times. Looking back I'd say it can be the smallest things that bring a warm smile in the midst of a cold, wet, tired world.
Wether you had three hours of sleep or not there's always a lot to do, as Memorial day weekend approaches life at the camp goes from busy to insane. Gabriel and I had a list of tasks to complete that day and decided to start with remarking the stream. So here I was in the shop of our barn trying to strap a six foot ladder to my back with rope as Gabriel lay there, totally cemented to the floor,having fell down bound by the weight of his own pack now filled with thirty pounds of "posted" signs, two hammers, and a bucket of nails. We finally made it out of the barn with much struggle and hit the trail looking like a homeless duo straight out of a cartoon with ladders bobbing from our backs and a backpack that would crush a small elephant.
This was all for the purpose of remarking our stream which is becoming an annual task. One of the positions for our signs is on a lovely shale face twenty feet above the water and a flat rock footer, don't ask why. As I'm beginning my ascent with a hammer hanging from my side, nails in my pockets, and a sign in my mouth Gabe shouts for my attention and points to a small snapper turtle no bigger than your palm being helplessly washed downstream. Now there are some things in life that don't need to be done and some that do, this was an absolute must. I threw the sign to the side, dropped my hammer and took a flying leap to the closest shale slide, determined that I would save this young victim from certain doom, all the time keeping my eye on the minuscule black dot now toppling down the waterfall. I waded out to where I could receive him and scooped him up in my hands, before I could even announce his rescue I knew his name was Lennard, it had to be. So me and my new pal Lennard set out to finish scaling that daunting rock face despite loosing our ladder in the waterfall and almost falling to an ugly end several times. Looking back I'd say it can be the smallest things that bring a warm smile in the midst of a cold, wet, tired world.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Prom 2013
May 24th,
I used to think climbing a sheer rock face, covered in ice, and hypothermic with tied hands and a spoon for an anchor was difficult, but now that I've been tux shopping i'm pretty sure I could do it blindfolded. They say dress shopping is difficult and in no way do I discredit that, but when your size doesn't actually exist, it puts a damper on your progress.....actually it comes to a complete stop. Finally completing the suit was comparable to finishing a full 10k. This being my first time actually wearing a suit I must admit, despite my pre-developed skeptic's, it was a surprisingly comfortable fit and I was even able to dance in it, if indeed you can call that dancing.
As juvenile as it may seem to those who have already had their share of proms it's an unmistakably unique, and perhaps memorable experience. I cant be certain but I think I saw an attempt at an irish jig to gangnam style, and the worm to a waltz....? It's a mash of fun, embarrassment, really awkward dance moves, great food, and extensive photo sessions. I know I'll look back one day (maybe we all will) and ask just why it is we went at all, but that's alright, I think I'll remember this and laugh, being glad I had those times to act my age and be as crazy as we all want to be.
I used to think climbing a sheer rock face, covered in ice, and hypothermic with tied hands and a spoon for an anchor was difficult, but now that I've been tux shopping i'm pretty sure I could do it blindfolded. They say dress shopping is difficult and in no way do I discredit that, but when your size doesn't actually exist, it puts a damper on your progress.....actually it comes to a complete stop. Finally completing the suit was comparable to finishing a full 10k. This being my first time actually wearing a suit I must admit, despite my pre-developed skeptic's, it was a surprisingly comfortable fit and I was even able to dance in it, if indeed you can call that dancing.
As juvenile as it may seem to those who have already had their share of proms it's an unmistakably unique, and perhaps memorable experience. I cant be certain but I think I saw an attempt at an irish jig to gangnam style, and the worm to a waltz....? It's a mash of fun, embarrassment, really awkward dance moves, great food, and extensive photo sessions. I know I'll look back one day (maybe we all will) and ask just why it is we went at all, but that's alright, I think I'll remember this and laugh, being glad I had those times to act my age and be as crazy as we all want to be.
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