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.