One-Liner

I am SICK. Too sick to relate the trip and how great it went. Sick, sick, sick. My apologies for keeping you in "suspense." (Ha!!!)

Regarding My Potential for Insanity

This weekend I am going to go on a trip on my uncle's retired 80-foot fishing boat, that someone donated to him. It is going to be a two-day voyage and I am regarding it with apprehension. There are going to be 10 people (5 of whom are full-grown males which doubles the space they consume) onboard, most likely two video cameras and several still cameras.

The reason I mention the cameras is just because they seem to detract from what little space is going to be on the boat. I, myself, am going to be behind one of the cameras and I plan to burn up rolls of film, for practice I guess. I think that two days is ample time to use up at least 5 rolls for an avid photographer, don't you?

I am also regarding it nervously because the last trip we went on which was only a hour and a half long, I got thoroughly soaked which ruined the trip. So I plan to bring two jackets, 4 pairs of pants and 4 pairs of shirts, two for each day. Oh and as many socks as will fit in my spacious backpack.

The other problem is that there is no working bathroom which is bad. But I suppose I will fast all day and that will solve that problem.

I am going to work on my self-control because on such a little boat (well it seems little for so many people and for so long) I will naturally tend to go crazy, absolutely "postal" as my cousins say. In order to avoid this I will spend a lot of time on the roof of the boat's house (which is the crowded shelter that has the galley, the crew quarters, the captain's stateroom {which is no bigger than my bed!!!} and the bridge), and an equal amount of time on the deck and a short time below in the engine room. So if anyone is looking for me during the trip, I will be either there, there, or down there. :)

Allow me to explain why I would EVER want to be in the engine room (not to mention that the engine is emblazoned with the unlucky words "K-19".) Well, it is really loud and there are lots of harmful fumes because the engine kind of leaks but it is SO luxuriously warm down in the "hole." Also, I can be sure that I will get privacy down there!! I spent 15 minutes down there on our last trip and it was only 1 1/2 hours long. (Maybe that is why I kind of went crazy towards the end.)

So that's my plan for the trip. It probably won't turn out this way. I don't think it will be a pleasure cruise because someone mentioned that my uncle was bringing sanders and paint so we could de-rust the boat's house and paint it.

Well, I will be sure to tell you how it goes when I get back. (Although, maybe my psychiatric therapist (since I will probably need one when this is over) may tell me it would be too painful for me to look back on the trauma of this coming weekend.)

Bon voyage to all you who are (luckily) staying home with running toilets, spacious homes, and comfortable beds. Send me a postcard!!!

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This is a disclaimer in case Uncle John reads this:

I AM looking forward to this trip. It will test my mettle. I am mostly a brave person. I can handle it for YOU, my precious uncle!!!

(Hahahahahaha!!!!!)

I got published again!!

Yay!! Another website has published me. But they only accepted one of my poems. ("Broken Boxes") Anyway you can check it out at http://www.churchpoetry.com/Broken_Boxes.html. I am really grateful for these opportunities from God. I am still waiting to hear from Guideposts.

I do not mean to be boastful about any of this!!! I am just so excited that God is maybe finally deciding to use me in a bigger way for Him.

I have my Icebreaker speech at Toastmasters tomorrow at 6:15 AM!!!! It is titled "I Am In This War For Good," because my theme is about be a soldier for Christ. I will update how it goes. Pray for me!!!

"Paper Lantern"-A Brief Poem

Brown paper.
Mashed and formed to create an empty ball.
A facade, a case.

Spun around by the slightest breath.
Suspended by the smallest string.
Paper lantern- a shell made
To carry a bright flame.

Skin, bones.
Scratch, molded by unseen fingers,
Into a complex cage.

Spun around by ideals,
Images, emotions, and celebrities.
Suspended by a thread of life, held by unseen fingers.
A facade, a case.

Pretty face, long, lean legs, finite mind.
Brown body- a shell made to carry a soul.

2-12-05
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This poem is imagery. I don't know what picture it will give you. I am not going to explain this poem. I am going to use my "artistic license" and let you discover the truth in this poem for yourself. But like in life, even though it is sometimes hidden, there is always an underlying current of absolute truth.

Christ is THE absolute truth.

REALLY QUICK!!

I need prayer for EVERYTHING!!! :) Currently, I am going to a speech club called Toastmasters, on Tuesdays mornings (@ 6:00!!!). I am trying to get better at communicating. I know that some of you (people who have met and known me) have experienced first-hand how I make verbal mistakes (like getting too intense and sad to say, talking over someone) and so you all, I hope, are willing to have patience with me as I learn these really valuable life lessons in communication. But anyway, I am relatively new to speaking passionately about spiritual topics(because I am CONSTANTLY growing in this area) so I am going to Toastmasters to work on it. Anyway, I have a chance to witness because at least once a month
I have to give a 4-6 minute speech and I plan to use every opportunity to witness to these people at the meeting.

Well this post was rather scatter-brained but it is late. I just want prayer, please and thank-you!!!

Remember to stand fast in the Lord!! Even when you don't understand or disagree just throw yourself at Christ and just TRUST. He, unlike anyone in the world, ALWAYS has our best interest at heart. :)

Below....

That button is the home page of the site I got published on. Look under the site directory buttons under Poet's Pages and then under new poets. I am the second listed. But I have already had 14 visitors to my page there so looks like some you have already gone. Thanks!!!

I am also trying to get publised in Guideposts, which is a huge inspirational magazine. I sent in those two poems and two photos since apparently they publish photos too. I don't think the poems will get published but I am praying!!! (I am hoping one of the photos gets published though!)

I feel like God has given me the ability to write and communicate effectively so I am trying to cultivate that to His glory.

To easily get to my other page....

Wahoo!! I got published!!!

Hey!! I got two of my poems "published" on Cross Way Publication's website!!! check me out at: http://www.christianpoetry.org/selentry-3.php?aid=761

I am so excited. I also sent in my poems and some photos to Guideposts, a HUGE inspirational magazine. I don't think my poems will get published but hopefully my photos will.

(Sorry that you have to type the whole address out. For some reason this set-up doesn't allow links inside of posts. But it shouldn't be too hard to type it out. I will add poems to it as soon as I write them. Keep looking!! Thanks!!!)

Super Bowl and Other Comments

I just got home for a VERY exhausting trip to Astoria, OR to work on an 80-foot retired fishing boat that my uncle is restoring into a sea-plane carrying/God's creation exploring vessel. I got so little sleep the three nights we were there that I am barely functioning right now. (Yawn.)

Anyway, I just wanted to say how entirely disgusted I am with the Super Bowl. Just look at how many "men" freak out about it. Millions do. I wish we could transfer that excitement to a win in the battle of good vs. evil, God vs. Satan. Is it that there is no suspense since we know that the end of the "game" always is 1 billion-0, in favor of God. :)

There is so much more I could say about this but I just had to sound out my anger at this. If you are a guy, and you did NOT watch the Super Bowl (especially if you had the opportunity to) you are TRULY unique!!!!! Congratulations!!!

We need more MEN a.k.a. warriors in this world. We could never have enough soldiers in Christ's army.

(Please forgive the scatter-brainedness (yes, my spelling, I know!!) of this post. I am too tired and angry to say more. Goodnight!!!!)

No Special Reason

Hello. This is my first "journal" like entry. It isn't based on one thing and it isn't brilliant (not like any of my posts are) it is just ME, today, this moment. We all need to write sometimes and just feel free to say what is on our minds.

So here goes...

Today has been a normal day. In case y'all don't know I am a high-school senior, homeschooled high-school senior that is. Anyways, today I have been trying to finish off a particularly annoying subject (for good!), Business English. I have been practicing writing quarterly reports for companies I don't know anything about, memos to people who don't exist, and resumes with a job history I certainly don't have. So it has been fun to try on lots of different hats sort of but I am tired of Business English. Well, enough complaining. At least I got a break from math. Uuugh!!! That is a whole different story.

I had to go to the orthodontist today. Some piece of "hardware" broke. Anyway, I have had my braces on for 5 years and I am so tired of them. But guess what?? I only have 3 weeks left, Lord willing!!! YES!!!!

Before that I went lap swimming. I love swimming. Or did. I was on a team for 6 years and I kind of wore out my passion for it. But I really like going and just swimming for an hour. I especially like lap swim because I am always the fastest and all the old people with stiff joints are amazed, unless one of my old teammates is there, in which case they are the fastest...:) It really makes me grateful that I don't really have any substantial problems. (For people with real problems check out this website....www.persecution.org (or .com))

Anyway. I went for an 8-mile bike ride last Thursday and I really ripped up my knees. Still paying for it. But at least I am not paralyzed.

I am so tired. But I am trying to keep everything in perspective. There are thousands of people who are WAY MORE tired and they don't even have the promise of a fluffy bed with warm conforters to look forward to. I do. Thank you, Lord!!

I think everyone needs to keep their lives in perspective. Especially those of us who have it relatively cushy. Someone always has it worse than us. We can only be intensely grateful to God for our lives.

Speaking of which, why do most people think that they should give God the bad stuff in their lives but withhold the good things? God gave so God also retains the rights to take it away. I think it would be a whole lot easier to always be willing for good things to be taken away than to be clamping on with all physical might. (Maybe then God wouldn't need to take it away.)-->(Just a speculation.)

Well, I really need to get to bed. But I have a few things to do before I hit the sack. Goodnight, one and all.

STAND YE FAST IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT!!!!!!!