The Magnificent Farmers' Market

“The train station of Omelas is actually the handsomest building in the town, though plainer than the magnificent Farmers’ Market.”  This image makes me think of how a town/city can be a successful, thriving community. I think that when I read this, I read it all wrong. When I look at it in a different light, I see entrepreneurship and people working for what they want.  I think that I stopped and made up my mind the first time that I saw that Omelas did not have an army of any sort and they did not possess a stock market.  I honestly do not understand why they would not, but that is not for me to judge.   A Farmers’ market is one of those things that I wish was more common. In the north, like Pennsylvania, there is always farmers’ markets and if you are cautious about what you eat, or want some good fresh vegetables, there is no better.  I think that throughout all economies, the best possess two things: 1) they must be strong enough to be self sufficient, i.e. the farmers’ market. 2) Second of all they need a positive income from outside trading. What I mean by this is they need to be selling more than they are buying from outsiders, kind of like the U.S. and China, only opposite.  With Omelas bringing in trains and busses, their economy is undoubtedly much stronger because of it. 

“The terms are strict and absolute; there may be not even be a kind word spoken to the child.”  When I hear this, I think of omens.  Everyone has them, but nobody wants to think about it.  One that I have always had is such that if I have a good and positive day, then some time there after I will have a bad and negative day, so that in the end it will all balance out.  I feel like there always has to be balance in the world.  I know that it is crazy but that’s how I thought when I was in high school.  The people of Omelas, I think, take this kid as an Omen.  Almost as if the worse off he is, the better off they will be.  I do not know why it is that people always hold to these omens, and I am sure that not all people have omens.  But still I feel for the child.

The world is not perfect in any way, but if it were Omelas would be a good city for the most part, the only difference would be that there would be no abused child.  I really think that I can understand both sides of the argument, who walks away and who does not.  I cannot say which I would be, due to the fact that I am not in the element, but I think that regardless I would feel for the child. I think that the reason why nobody helps him is one phrase: “out of sight, out of mind.”  It is so true, yet so sad indeed.

Special Blog Post #2

1)  Re-present the parts of the text you are interpreting.

I think that the best way to tell the Bible and “re-present” it, is to just use it directly tell it, the following is from Joel 2. And I am using verses 13 through 21. I think that these 9 verses really get a good group of the down and the up and leaving it with a positive point. 

Return to the LORD your God, 
   for he is gracious and compassionate, 
slow to anger and abounding in love, 
   and he relents from sending calamity. 
¹⁴ Who knows? He may turn and relent 
   and leave behind a blessing— 
grain offerings and drink offerings 
   for the LORD your God.

 ¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion, 
   declare a holy fast, 
   call a sacred assembly. 
¹⁶ Gather the people, 
   consecrate the assembly; 
bring together the elders, 
   gather the children, 
   those nursing at the breast. 
Let the bridegroom leave his room 
   and the bride her chamber. 
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, 
   weep between the portico and the altar. 
Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD. 
   Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, 
   a byword among the nations. 
Why should they say among the peoples, 
   ‘Where is their God?’”

The LORD’s Answer

 ¹⁸ Then the LORD was jealous for his land 
   and took pity on his people.

 ¹⁹ The LORD replied^[a] to them:

   “I am sending you grain, new wine and olive oil, 
   enough to satisfy you fully; 
never again will I make you 
   an object of scorn to the nations.

 ²⁰ “I will drive the northern horde far from you, 
   pushing it into a parched and barren land; 
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea 
   and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea. 
And its stench will go up; 
   its smell will rise.”

   Surely he has done great things! 
 ²¹ Do not be afraid, land of Judah; 
   be glad and rejoice.

2)  Explain why the text or the aspect of the text that you've chosen to focus on needs to be interpreted.

 I think that this particular part needs interpretation because the entire section before it talks about famine, death, and destruction.  The book of Joel really is a lament; however, there are parts that show God’s goodness and faithfulness.  This is a case where this passage, in itself, is simple, but when it is sandwiched with the weeping and lament, one can very easily read over it.  I think that Joel needs to be studied more.  It is a book in the Bible and to be honest, when I saw that we would be reading it, I was not sure if it was a book that was canonized or if it was something that was “probably written back then” so it must be true.  For that reason I think that is needs an interpretation because of its lack of popularity. 

3)  Tell what you take the work to mean. 

This section of Joel is about Joel telling the Israelites to not give up.  That they need to focus on God and not leave God, like every other time they did.  Joel talked about how God was patient and that He was still there for them. Sure the Israelites were going through a famine that was the worst in many generations, but God still cared. Just think about Job and how much he struggled.  Joel calls for a fast, in hopes that God would take away the famine and bring back the good.  He then calls for basically a church service, or a chapel service.  Joel tells the priests to call out to God.  I think that Joel went with the old adage, “ye have not because ye ask not.”  Then finally after all that, the passage says that the Lord relented and took the famine and bugs away. That very “army” that God sent among them, He removed.  “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.”  God basically calls the Israelites the laughing stock of back in the day.  He is basically calling the Israelites the little nerd kids that get stuck in their own locker, a trash can, or given a swirly in middle and high school.  If a little wimpy kid is smart, he will get the biggest, badest bully of them all and befriend him. Once he does that, as long as the wimpy kid is nice to the big kid, he will always have a body guard.  I think that God could be considered to be the Israelites “body Guard.” When it says that God would drive the northerners into the desert, that is a tough thought but I would rather be in a desert and make it out than be driven into the Dead Sea or Mediterranean Sea and drown.  If so many people died that there was a stench, the Israelites serve an amazing and incredibly powerful God.  Just before God goes and “removes the threat” Joel talks about how God is sending new Grain, Wine, and oil. I think that the Grain, Oil, and Wine are a very important in the sense that without those three commodities, their world would not revolve.  I think that it would be comparable to meat and food for Grain; soda, coffee, and water for Wine; and electronics for Oil.  Just think what would happen if all food were to disappear?  Aside from complete panic, the world would be in ruin and death.  The Israelites did not have water to drink, so they had wine which was safe to drink. I would hate to have nothing to drink if all water was rancid and putrid.  And as for electronics, when was the last time anyone used something that did not use a computer?  I am on a computer right now, and I think that everyone uses some form of electronics all day every day. 

3)  Supply evidence from the text to support your interpretation. 

My evidence supported comes from the part about where God sent the enemies of Israel.  Directly stated is my favorite form of revelation of information.  When I think about what the Grain, Oil, and Wine mean to me, that’s slightly what I put.  Obviously the Bible is not going to directly compare their culture with ours.  This is just a very general comparison, and I am sure that there are better.  I kind of sat back and read it and thought about what this would have been like back in the day, and in the middle of a desert where there was a famine going on.  Then I wrote on it. I don’t think that it was incredibly profound what I thought about and pondered but I think that it is very accurate and that we should dig more into the obscure books of the Bible, such as Joel, Amos, and Obadiah.

4)  Explain why or how the interpretation matters or could matter for yourself and/or for the reader.

Why is this important? Well, the world is not always happy and fun.  There will be times where we will go through a drought or rocky point in life.  We will think that God is ignoring us or that all hope is lost but in all reality God still loves us and is there for us.  I think that life will always balance out.  Sure, someone is struggling, but as that Christian song goes, “though the sorrow last may last for the night, but the joy comes in the morning.”

To be in a convent or not to be in a convent

I think that it is very true in the fact that we really are “Temples of the Holy Ghost.” I can definitely feel the story because of how so many people act around here (and I include myself in this).  It seems as though a lot of people are always picking fun at people of other religions, of even worse, different denominations.  I sure know that I am guilty.  And not to seem judgmental (cause that is definitely not my motive), but I think that everyone at some point in time will pick fun at people of other religions of denominations. 

The cold hard truth is that all people, even those that reject God, are temples of the Holy Ghost.  I just think that a lot of people do not realize that.  The world is our mission’s field and we need to let our light shine. 

The bit about the convent had me.  I realize that people do live that way; in fact, my grandmother went to a boarding school when she was in school due to the fact that her parents were pioneering missionaries to Bolivia.  Do I necessarily agree with the teaching style that is associated with boarding schools and convents? No, but I do think that if a student is in need an intervention due to attitude issues, that would be a viable option. 

The scene in the story with the girl getting angry with the boy and running off to her room struck a note with me.  I was the stubborn child when I was young.  And if I was told to do something, such as doing my homework because I was homeschooled, I would not do it and just sit there.  I see it as the same as the little girl going off to her room.  She wanted to go to the fair but she would not go, just to prove a point. 

Not going to lie, I am not sure exactly what to get out of it. I don’t know if I need to take it for the literal value, or there is some huge, deep, complex meaning.  I guess that either your comment or tomorrow’s class will tell a lot of whether I got it or didn’t get it. But I will say that I did like it.

i think that you will be intrigued by this link

http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/sourcing
I figured that it would be a good website for you to read in response to the essay that you gave for us to read on Tuesday.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

“To throw away the happiness of thousands for the chance of the happiness of one.”  When I started reading this, I thought of one thing, Utopia; which leads me to think of communism.  Communism does not work, plain and simple.  I am VERY anti-communist and I have no use for communism.  When I get past my absolute hatred of communist, socialism and all such things and actually look into what I get out of the story, I get the following:

1)      It is against my religion.  It openly talks about nude priests and priestesses, and how they will “service” anyone who desired it.  As a Christian I KNOW that sex outside of wedlock is wrong.  I will not listen to or tolerate something that I am so adamantly against. 

2)      Talking about keeping a child locked up in a tool closet is not sufficient care giving.  Abuse to anyone, especially children and women is wrong and sadistic.  Anyone who abuses children like that or even supports that by writing or reading in approval of such behavior needs to be taken out behind the wood shed and “taught a lesson” that they will never forget. 

3)      The communism, I just can’t get out of my mind.  I feel like anyone that chooses to read this and doesn’t feel like they are being anti-patriotic has something wrong in their head.  This story stands to abolish everything that this country, the United States of America, stands for.

If I wanted to read a story that talked about how wonderful communism in theory is, I would have gone to a secular university in California that taught the Communist Manifesto, but I didn’t I came to Southeastern to get a good, God-centered education. I sure know that it would have been cheaper to go the first avenue.  There is nothing that I approve of in this essay.  I know that you will think that I am being closed-minded, or perhaps that I did not get anything out if it. But I most definitely did.  I was made surer of how I feel about anti-freedom teachings.  As for me, myself, and I, I will support the US and not turn into a Communist, Anti-American.  I feel as though this story and thoughts like it directly threaten my freedoms.  I will keep my Second Amendment rights (and all others). I heard it said on a TV show and I fully believe it:”when guns are outlawed, I will become an outlaw.”  When my freedoms are outlawed, I will be an outlaw.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG 

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Not

I PLEDGE ALLIGENCE TO THE FLAG OF THE COMMUNIST STATES OF AMERICA.

What do YOU get out of it?

What do I make of it? Well, to be honest I think of this story in the same sense of the movie, Nanny McFee.  I don’t think that this story has the same moral as Nanny McFee, but I will say that it is close, with the whole part of someone coming who is in really bad shape and then leaves and is all healthy. Well, then again on the second thought, Nanny McFee was about a lady that was ugly and turned beautiful, so I guess that if one trades looks, in Nanny McFee, and replaces them with health from A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, they are very similar.  

What meaning do you get out of it? Um, well, I am not really sure, but I will say that it is definitely odd.  I think that one possible translation could be such that we need to be open to helping others, no matter how weird they are, but I do not suggest fencing them in and using them as a side attraction. I also think that we may think that life may give us someone to help, and then we realize that they helped us more than we intended to help them. 

To be honest I don’t think that it does matter. They are some superstitious writings about mythology.  I think that they are good stories, but nothing more than that.  I do think that this does exemplify his upbringing, especially from his grandparents, due to the fact that that is probably who told him all the stories.  I think that is says that you should write what you want to write about.  If you have a passion for stories loosely based on mythology, then great, you should write about it because that is what you love. If you have some other passion like guns, history, or shopping, then why can’t you write about that and enjoy writing? I know I could be totally wrong about the interpretation, but that’s what I get out of the introduction and the about the author section, but to each his own.

Poetry of the Park, Mountain, and other Nature

"I went to Lake Bonny Park for this field trip, and I stayed there for at least 45 minutes."

Nature

By J.R. Koratich

As man moves in,

Nature moves out.

As man moves in,

The birds move out.

As man moves in,

The beauty moves out.

The Birds, Bees, and Fish

By J.R. Koratich

As the birds flutter about

Their song flutters about, and out of their mouths.

As the bees buzz around

Their calm peacefulness frightens and worries us.

As the fish swim in the murky, polluted lake,

We fall asleep as we stare into the water.

The Mountains

By J.R. Koratich

We look off into the mountains

We see their beauty, and their detail.

We fail to see their size.

We look out and we know not

Their immense size and detail

We see the waterfalls off of the mountains.

We are in awe

We boast of movie stars

We boast of shows on TV

Why not boast of the beautiful nature?

Or better yet, the beautiful God that created them all.

the mountain waterfall

the mountain waterfall again

I agree that nature can help you get close to God.  I talked in my last post about how that is how I get close to God.  Do I necessarily agree that that “poetry is prayer”, no not at all.  It is an extreme.  I do not think that there are many extremes.  There are many forms of poetry, and yes there are some that have prayer in them, but all prayer is not poetry.  I think that what Mary Oliver said, or what was trying to get at was true, that some prayers can have poetry in them, or even that some poetry is a prayer, but not all.  I think that nature is a good avenue to God through it all.  How can a person look down a huge valley and not see the handy work of God.  When I was on a cruise this summer up to Alaska, I saw some sights that were absolutely stunning.  Waterfalls have to be some of my favorite scenery because of their power, size, and just all around beauty.  Two times on the cruise when we were in port and on a tour the guide said that if we took a trail that we would see a waterfall.  One time we had to run a mile or so in just 20 min (which included picture time) round trip so that we could get up close and personal. 

the glacier waterfall that I had to run over a mile to

The other time was just a quiet walk back among the trees to this waterfall.  The waterfall that we had to run to was off of a glacier.  The bright blue in a glacier is truly beautiful.  I will say that this walk at lake bonny park was nice.  It was calm and quiet.  I was saddened when I saw the trash and junk in the lake, but that’s what man does when he is not careful.  That walk was very enjoyable, mostly because I love those types of walks.  Just a question, why don’t we read any Frost? I think that he is a very great poet. I suggest that you look at this one, it is probably my favorite poem. The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

nature is beautiful

Nature

Nature is beautiful.  I do not think that the only way to appreciate nature is through being ultra green.   In my opinion conservation is what God would have us to do. Conservation in my opinion is being a good steward of what God has given us.  When I think of conservationists, I think of hunters and fishermen.  No person in their right mind would abuse something to where their children and their children’s children cannot even partake of the activity at all.  What I am saying is that every hunter, fisherman, and nature enjoyer will do everything to protect that which they love.  For me, I love to shoot and would love to go hunting, so I am more than happy to give money to organizations that help protect that, and I mean more than just the right.  The great Bison was almost extinct, but fortunately they are making their way back to “hunt-able populations” I will call it.  The fishermen are the same way, thanks to the department of fish and game; they keep it such that we will always be able to have the species that we have today. 

Nature is also where I feel closest to God.  There is no more beautiful sight in the world than being able to look on top of a mountain or tall hill and look out and see all that God has made.  Two times come to mind when I think about how beautiful nature is.  Well on the second hand I just thought of another one.  The first was up in Idaho.  I was with my uncle, aunt, and cousins for a few days and we went on an ATV trip for a few hours.  They live in the far north panhandle of Idaho.  We set off and when we finally reached the top I simply looked out, and I could see for miles.  There was a city that I could barely see and it must have been 5 or 6 miles away. I thought to myself, “Wow, this is beautiful”.  The second time I felt really close to nature was when I was with my mother and sister on a road trip. We were crossing into the Tennessee state border; it was on top of a tall hill (east coast people call it a mountain), and I looked out when we were pulled over for my mom to take a picture.  I said to myself “how can people not believe that there is a God that created all this”.  It was so beautiful just looking down into the valley, I cannot describe it.  The third time was when I was on a retreat with my youth group in Tennessee.  We were walking on this trail that day.  We walked out of the bus and started down the trail.  We started going down and not up which surprised me.  I got chills because of the rushing wind and shade. And I thought to myself “natural A/C”.  I do not know why but I love nature and I love being in it.  One of my dad’s closest friends is a pastor in the Seattle area.  Every year when he goes to plan his sermons for the year, he goes to one place, Mt. Rainer.  He goes up hiking for a week alone up there. I guess if it works for Moses, and it works for my dad’s friend, John. Well I guess it works for me too, and I think it definitely does.

The Salmon are all going to be dead tomorrow!!!

The sky is red. Gravity does not exist.  Cars are killing the earth.  The earth is billions of years old.  O and one more thing, the salmon population, yea it will be gone tomorrow.  You have probably already dropped me another letter grade for that ridiculous series of phrases, but I assure you that Robert Hass has done the same thing.  This takes the cake; it involves my two MOST HATED TOPICS, evolution and tree- huggers.  I love the outdoors, and I was excited to share stories about when I was on top of mountains and I could see for miles and see all of God’s beauty, but can I do that, no, I have to show how this,… gentleman,  is so very sadly mistaken.  I LOVE the outdoors, it may sound like a contradiction but hunters and fishermen are the most eco-friendly people I can think of.  Hass made comments about how cars are killing the earth when I have to make the statement that cows give off more carbon dioxide in their flatulence.  I will leave the salmon topic until the end where I think you will be interested in my discussion. 

To be honest, the whole evolution topic just solidifies my lack of toleration to this person.  How narrow minded can one be to think that we come out of pond scum?  I reject it on the grounds that we go to a Christian school and I fully believe that it is wrong.   Cell reproduction is something that I saw when reading and sat back in my chair and said, “Wait that is wrong” I am not a logically minded person I must add so for me to think that immediately is slightly crazy.  I did some research and I found this:” the mass of substances produced (products) by a chemical reaction is always equal to the mass of the reacting substances (reactants).” (http://www.mi.mun.ca/users/edurnfor/1100/atomic%20structure/tsld004.htm)

If Hass is right then EVERY SCIENCE BOOK AND EVERY PROFESSOR is wrong. 

I have personal proof discrediting Hass about how the salmon and every other fish is dying and being fished out.  At my home in Port St. Lucie, there are a few jars of fish in the laundry room. Those jars are filled with salmon FROM SEATTLE, where Hass said that “Pacific salmon nosing against dams…to Seattle and Portland.” The salmon population is back. A couple years ago the state of Washington opened back a salmon season back up, the first in years, and the reason why was because of the fact that the salmon population came back.  It is strong again and why might you ask, well it is because of conservation and FISH LADDERS.  Yes, those very ladders that Hass said was destroying the population are actually helping the entire species of salmon.  With hatcheries in Alaska the probability of salmon hatching and living to spawn is significantly higher. It simply makes sense, if the fish is larger when it leaves the hatchery, then it will be less likely to be eaten by something bigger. Now I need to make sure you understand that I am talking about hatcheries and not farms, there is a huge difference.  Hatcheries are where the eggs and laid and fertilized, the adult humanely dies through the introduction of an electric shock (the salmon dies after it breeds anyways) and then when the eggs hatch and get large enough, they are released into the wild to go out into the ocean.  A farm is where the egg lives into a fully grown salmon and then is sold to a food warehouse.  Farms are illegal in Alaska, whereas I actually got to visit a hatchery. 

I assure you that I am not a person that hates everything I just have difficulty when this liberal, tree- hugging, evolutionist makes these crazy comments that disobey the laws of science, and uses theories as a law. There is a huge difference between a theory and a law in science. 

disabilities or differences

I went into today figuring to be bored seeing as how I had already been there and saw the whole property.  I was pleasantly surprised however.  The most prominent thing that I realized today was that AFI did not just take in mentally handicapped; they also take in physically handicapped people as well.  The guy that drove the golf cart, John, surprised me when I found out that he is a client there.  The first time we walked down to the lower facilities, we walked by him and I just figured that he was simply an employee.  I did not appreciate all the political comments that were made. I do not know if you were intending to make them but I felt like they were made when they should not have.  I apologize if that was not your intent, but it sure seemed like it was.  Onto other topics, I do think that reading the boys next door did help me with the AFI field trip.  It made me open my eyes more to those with mental disabilities.  I think that in future classes if you will do the same AFI trip I think just a small story about a physically disabled person would be a nice add on.  The only reason why I say that is I was already expecting everyone at AFI to be completely mentally disabled and I had not even though about physical disabilities.  I do think that the group we were with was very social. It was a pleasant sight; I can honestly say that some of them are more social than me at times in life.  I did like what our tour guide, Ashley?, said in the end about wishing that they didn’t have to deal with government funding so that they could run the institution as they want. I think that that would be best for both the community and the clients.  My opinion on the essay that Dr. Fettke wrote has not changed at all. I still think him to be slightly bitter towards the Pentecostal church.  I did enjoy the field trip in general though and I think it is a good way to make literature come more to life and be easier to understand, especially for those who do not pick up on the “life” that literature has.  One last thought, I thought that the selection Edgar Allen Poe was funny.  Such a twisted story, it was funny to read that story again.  I do slightly like that story simply because of the twisted bit.  “The Cask of Amontillado” has to be my favorite Poe story, have you read it?

our (the church) sad attempt at helping those in need

Ok I will say it. I struggled with it.  I really, truly, tried to understand it but I struggled with the entire essay.  I probably took it the wrong way but I felt like he was bitter at the church, well the Pentecostal church to be specific.  It is the job of the church and I feel bad that the Fettke family has not been supported by the local church, but I think that Dr. Fettke should not be generalizing.  Not all churches will turn him away and not all churches are allowed to be held account to what he said and the accusations that he made.  I still do not feel like the government should be giving our tax dollars for any means, not just the mentally handicapped.  I know that they cannot just “up and leave” but they need to be weaning everyone off the government.  The church needs to step up to the plate.  I do not think that the church helps enough.  I think that places like the dream center is a good example of what can be done to help the community.  I understand that you probably feel like I am a selfish brat who wants tax cuts so that I can keep more of my money, but I must remind you.  If I pay less to taxes I will have more to pay towards tithing. So in full circle I would still be helping those in need through cutting taxes.  If you still feel as though I am selfish, I apologize for my leading you to feel that way.  I simply think that the church could be better at allocating funds than the government. In turn families like the Fettke’s will not be so bitter towards the church.  I assure you that I did read this story openly but I could not help but see the singling out the Pentecostal church for not helping as much.  Generalizations can very easily be wrong and I truly wish that more churches did help people with disabilities.  I really want that I just do not think that it will happen any time soon.

Keys are keys and doughnuts are doughnuts.

Keys are keys and doughnuts are doughnuts.  I don’t know but I feel like the story ended slightly, abruptly.  This story was very good at bringing to light the fact that there is a large community of mentally handicapped people, and it is sad to read about stories about them because they are good people, they just need to be taken care of.  I do not really know what the committee was trying to get out of Lucien but I am glad that he got the funding from the government.  (I am about to get on my soapbox) I know that the government helps out and what they do is good, but, and I emphasize BUT, it is not the job of the government to give aid to people that are mentally handicapped.  It is the job of the church and the job of non-profit business. What you said in class about the government not being able to just pull out is very true and I fully agree with you.  Ok enough said.  When jack was talking about the sex policy that was in place, I completely understood why it was in place, but my question is was that truly what Norman had in mind with Sheila.  From what I can tell he just wanted to hang out, but I really do not know what is in their minds.  I know that mentally handicapped people’s minds work differently, but how different do they work?  They have minds like children but do they have any sexual desires such that a no sex policy should be in place?  I find it interesting that all the women were sterile or they were given birth control.  I guess sex is even a caution that needs to be taken into consideration with mentally handicapped people too.  I definitely still feel that people that help people like Norman, Arnold, Lucien and Barry are good people.  I do not have any problem with Jack leaving in the end, I can understand how that has got to be a tough job and strenuous on ones mind.

Some people are blessed

At first I had trouble understanding why in the world we would be reading this story.  Then I realized that the group of guys was mentally handicapped.  People, like Jack, that have the calling to take care of mentally challenged people are truly blessed.  People that are mentally slow, from what I can tell, have the tendency to be very happy and peaceful.  Of course there are also some that tend to go the other way and lash out violently. 

There was one student earlier this year that I saw walking around campus that was very nice and calm most of the time.  I never go to know him on the grounds that I had such a hard time understanding what he said.  One day I heard someone crying hysterically.  Walking down the stairs was this kid followed by a couple security officers, a few police officers, and a social services person (I think).  I don’t know what happened that day but from what I can guess is someone was poking some fun and he lost it.  It is one thing to pick on someone, but to pick on someone that is mentally slow is just plain wrong.  I am not someone that always helps out at places like AFI but I definitely have a lot of respect for those people.

  Last year, in my CCU small group, my group went to AFI to go take a tour and meet Dr. Fettke’s son. It is a very saddening sight to see so many people that will never have a fair chance at life because of how they were born.  My grandma always says that life isn’t fair but it does not really help.  I regret to say that I at times take my mind for granted.  I don’t even study sometimes and I get by with B’s but those people do not even have a chance to go to a real school.  May God bless all those who give their lives to help those who are mentally slow.  They are good people.

Instruments Singing

Ok, I have respect for this story.  At first I was apprehensive, but then towards the end, it wasn’t so bad.  I will jump to one place, simply because I laughed, along with Alexis when we read it.  The part with the street evangelists was absolutely hilarious.  “Not a soul under the sound of their voices was hearing this song for the first time, not one of them had been rescued” really rang true to me.  It makes me think about not only how street ministry can be ineffective, but also how ministry in general can be ineffective.  The part about the tambourine was what caused both me and Alexis to laugh.  It is so true and funny, I am a visual person and I can totally see that happening.  I can see these three nuns and the father of the church out in the worst part of New York trying to win hearts for God and raise money for the church.  I am not at all undermining street ministry but I do find it funny the opinion of one of the “lost souls” that the group it trying to save. 

In the end, the last scene in the club was something that I could connect with it.  I played the violin for five years.  Any musician can truly bring his instrument to life.  A violin is nothing unless it is in the hands of a musician.  A Stradivarius violin is quite possibly one of the greatest violins in the world.  In the hands of a student, a Strat is just another violin. In the hands of a violinist that can use the proper vibrato and bow strokes, a great violin can be “danced with.”  A true virtuoso, on the other hand, can literally breathe life into the instrument.  A warm tone and beautiful song pour out of the instrument and can bring tears to the listener’s eyes.  I truly could feel how the conversation between the performers and their instruments progressed and developed.  I liked this one; I could actually understand it and feel the story in the end.  This story was a well written story for sure.

painting

here is my picture that i painted from Joel.  it represents the grain, wine, and oil mentioned in the book.

Graves and Greiving

"I went to the Lakeview, Roselawn and Tiger Flowers cemetery complex for this fieldtrip, and I stayed there for at least 40 minutes."

I must say after reading the part in chapter 2 with the man and going to the cemetery to visit his “mum,” part of me says to let it go. But then I sit back and realize that it isn’t really possible to ever let them go completely.  Every day is a struggle when you miss someone that you love.  Whether it is the death of a person or death of a relationship, loosing someone is very hard and difficult.  I have never really had to deal with much death fortunately.  I have all four grandparents left still and for that I am thankful.  I can definitely see how a man who loses his mother, visited his mother’s grave so that he can still have some form of a connection with her.  Another reason why I personally would groom and upkeep a loved one’s grave, especially someone I was especially close too, would be in a form of respect.  So that others who were there at the cemetery would see how great of a person was buried there that someone cared enough to take care of the area around the grave.  I struggle with cemeteries, especially when it is the grave of a loved one.  My great grandparents are buried up in Washington and whenever we are up in the area we go to the local store and get some flowers for them; it is never anything extravagant, but with a place filled with death, like a cemetery, life as little as flowers helps brighten up the area.  I didn’t know my great grandfather very well because he died when I was very young, and even though I did not know him very well it still yanks at my heart strings when I think about my loved one being buried there.  And I am not even going to start about how I feel about my great grandmother’s grave.  I couldn’t get over it for years after her death.  I prayed for weeks that winter to be able to see snow. And then she passed away on January 7^th I think.  The funeral was to be held in Idaho so my family flew up north.  It started snowing within 30 min of our plane landing.  It snowed the entire time we were up there and stopped the day we left.  When pondering the snow later I felt as though God said “well you got your wish.”  It took me years to get over it and I still struggle.   When we left the cemetery, Alexis asked me how I would be able to handle it when I lose my immediate family.  I will be flat out honest I get very sad and depressed very easily.  I watched the Pixar movie, UP, one night with my family.  I cried my eyes out and to this day I still can’t watch it.  Why? You ask. Because from the first scene all I could think about was losing Alexis.  It may be immature or whatever but that is all I could think about.  When you love somebody more than anything, like that man loved his mom; you will do anything to keep a connection with them.  There is one thing that I fear in life more than anything, and that is losing Alexis.  I had trouble at the cemetery. I felt as though I was not able to truly get anything out of it, for one it was not kept up at all and I did not know anyone that was buried there. If I knew someone there I could go and mourn or reflect on their life.  We came reverent and left reverent but I had some trouble reflecting and reacting upon the cemetery.   

Throw me a Zynax

DISCLAIMER: I am not intentionally negative, I probably should have said this in the beginning on my first post but I did not think it to be an issue, and I did not think that people would assume that I was, that was my fault.  I just naturally see the bad. 

                Now that we have gotten that out of the way, Let us begin unpacking this sad and depressing story.   As I have stated before, I feel as though this story was very depressing.  I know that you have questioned me and said that not everything in life is happy and positive, but I must say to you that not everything in life is sad, negative, depressing, and otherwise upsetting.  You must be able to see it from my perspective; our readings have a severe negative twist.  I am going to show the negativity in our past stories because that is how they are all intertwined.  There was the story about the two couples having different opinions about love, the example with Terri and her abuse being “love.” Your essay about darkness (I did feel as though it was written very well and did like it); there is also the story about Sanjeev and his wife, well this one was probably the most positive (even though he wanted to lock her in the attic but that was just funny).  Joel, although it had some (namely one) positivity, was negative with drought.  I am sorry, but this one takes the cake. This is the most depressing literature that I have ever read.  I feel like there is nothing else that I can write about because of all the sadness. 

Please Professor Corrigan, THROW ME A BONE.  All I ask for is a chance.  Give us something to read that is not LOADED with sadness.  I understand that life not happy, in fact it rarely is.  BUT, and I stress the word “BUT,” there are a few times in life that are positive.  For some it is shooting, others finding a good book to read, but everyone has a time that is positive and happy.  Why are we not able to read about that?  I look forward to the future and the positivity that you will have us reading. Thank you

Now… Time for a Zynex.