Graduations

I can sympathize with all of those who are taking big steps toward adulthood: I am still taking them. I looked toward my graduations (high school and first year of Bible school) with certain fears. These came mostly because I didn't know what was next, and people were going to ask what I had planned. I would make my indefinite thoughts absolute to appease their questions, but it did not help too much. Finally, in my high school year, I wrote a poem that expressed my thoughts and concerns, as well as some advice to myself. The poem appeared in the yearbook anonymously, so that it would be read without bias. I now dedicate it to those who, though not necessarily are graduating, but are this year taking steps of faith into the world of "more growing up." Some people in my mind specifically are Aaron Donato, SaraJo Mangum, Karen Wakim, Amanda Johnston, and Andrew Anganes. Here is:

"The Schoolboy's Time"

I remember the day that I stood in the door
Of the school that had mine always been.
I briefly glanced down for one look of the floor,
Then looked up, facing outside not in.

I paused for a moment to reflect on the day
Of my youth and its security.
The pause seemed forever as my breath died away,
Till my thoughts met my eyes on the lea.

The school day is o'er and there's plenty of light
To fulfill all my fanciful joys,
But the fear that I'd lose one small weight of delight
Made me stop and consider my ploys.

My school mates are running about in the lea,
Caring naught as they foolishly play.
Their silly endeavors will soon make them see
The quite futile and unfruitful day.

My heart yearned intensely for joy that would last
Till my head I lay down on my cot.
My choices were great, and time soon would be passed,
And whose help I could use I knew not.

A strong hand then fell on my messy, brown hair,
And the School Master looked on my face.
He asked me if reasons I wanted to share
For just standing alone in that place.

I gave Him my reasons. He gave me a smile,
And He told me that He was quite glad
That I wanted to do something that was worthwhile
And redeem all the time that I had.

I asked that wise man what to do with the day
So that I would content be tonight.
He told me to run home and do not delay
So as not to lose much of the light.

He told me to finish my duties and chores,
But I said that I wanted to be
The hero and legend of battles and wars
And that chores were not great things to see.

He smiled then so kindly it cut like a sword
And He kindly said to me again
That the duties to family, friends, and the Lord
Reward more than the praises of men.

The Elab Speaks

Here he is...the Elab. Yeah I decided to finally post something because my big bro said it would be helpful. I didn't know what to write about until I tried logging in to the homepage. I just couldn't get it to recognize me. I was racking my brain to figure out my username until I looked at my user profile and remembered that it was Elab not Ebal. So I wasted five minutes trying to enter my username. Anywho I'm going to put in a poem I wrote on the back of my bookmark.

When we see power,
As under one sun,
We see the power
Of the only Son.

He is great.
We are small.
To create,
He is all.

God, give me breath
So that might I
Sing till I rest
Under the sky
In final death.
God show me thy breadth.

The sight of the sun can blind. But the sight of God slays.

Cassie

I cannot remember the first time I met Cassie. The first memories that I draw right now are at her first year graduation from NSTM, which was my brother Caleb's four-year graduation. I think that must have been the first time I had seen her. However, that meeting was less significant than an earlier event and a later event. The earlier event that I am speaking of is hearing testimony of her through Benjamin. He talked of her often, and I learned certain things of her. The thing that stood out was that she was mature for her age. Now I had always seen Benjamin as one who was mature for his age, and wondered what kind of humble, stoic person this "Cassie" could be. Of course my young mind pictured maturity in this way, and it took me for a loop when I did finally meet this girl. It was not until about two years later that I got to know Cassie a lot more, which was when I stayed with the Anganes family for a month or two of weekends while I was in a choir with her. I then saw, through her, that maturity is not so much behavioral. It involves deep awareness of the world around you, and the people in it. Cassie was not ignorant of who she was, who we were, where she was in this world, and what she had to do. Now I know her much more, and appreciate her greatly. She given me my needed advise, undeserved praise, and simple friendship. I don't think that she and I have nearly as much in common as some of my other friends, but that doesn't bother her or affect much of how she interacts with me. She's a great sister in Christ, and I just love her for it!

So I did something for her on the guitar. It's all for you, Cass; hope you like it!

Contest Results

The time has come to end the quiz contest and declare a winner. The winner that I, the quiz administrator, declare is....

CASSIE!

There were two scores higher than hers, but I have declared them as phonies, or invalid as I don't know "Unknown" who got a 100, or any "Mike" who would be taking this quiz and know me better than I know him. Cassie's prize, of course, is a blog entry dedicated to her, which will be posted tomorrow (Tuesday, the tenth).

Concerning some "questionible" questions:
Q#2. Many people thought that my favorite classes in High School were Computer and Creative Writing, however I never took a Creative writing class, and computer class consisted of navigating Windows and making the school yearbook.
Q#6. Don't ask me why I looked so fondly back on when I got my dog, it was just an awsome event for me.
Q#9. Ok, most people have seen the scar on my elbow that I got from playing football on the pavement, however that is on the right elbow. I got the scar on my knee from a bike accident almost 15 years ago (that's what makes it significant).
Q#10. The most controversial question. What is the difference between "Unknown" and "Not sure". Here are some simple answers to that. First, "Unknown" means that it cannot be found out, or has not been found out. It also implies that it was not "Paul". For me to say "Not sure" is to say that I'm undecided in the debate of the issue, i.e. it could be Paul, or unknown, or Barnabus, or otherwise; I'm still undecided. My belief is that the epistle is "Unknown" however, it is somewhat unfair to say that I'm 100% sure of that. Thus, if you chose "Not sure" you may give yourself 5 more points with my sympathies for a confusing question.

Thank you all for participating.

New Member

I hope that you all will give a big welcome to my good friend and youngest brother, Abel. I have invited him to share his thoughts on this blog, and he has thankfully accepted. Posting beneath his "Elab" alias, he will bring more deep and thought provoking thoughts and writings that are similar in subject, style, and purpose to my own. So I will start to make some transitions to make room for him.

Please use the comment function to welcome him...