Multi-Piano

For the second time, Carl participated in the Multi-Piano Festival, which was held this past weekend. Basically what it is is twelve kids (six duets) playing the same duets at the same time, with a conductor keeping them together (you hope). Carl and I both participated in it two years ago, and we had an awesome time. The worst part was the auditions, because you pretty much have to be perfect to get in. And once you're in, you have to be really tough to stick it out. Mr. Cole, our conductor, is the nicest man you'll ever meet; except when he's directing this! Then, to a lot of people, he gets way over the top extreme. He has no problem yelling at you and making you play your part over and over in front of everyone until you get it right (to be fair, I should say that he tones it down for the younger kids, thankfully). For a lot of kids, the thought of that alone is enough to keep them from ever trying out or performing--with good reason. But Carl and I have played team sports forever, so we're used to being singled out and yelled at for messing up. (Never mind the fact that we're both pretty thick-skinned to begin with.) We also love performing, and that outweighs any negatives about working with Mr. Cole. So we stuck it out, learned SOOOO much from it, and got to show off in historic Fargo Theatre in the process! :) This year, though, obviously I couldn't play with Carl, so he auditioned by himself. He got in (in the most advanced group; like we did last time), and they performed SUPER well. I really enjoyed listening to all the performances, and Carl did a fantastic job.
So here are a few pictures from the day. Carl's in the red shirt on one of the back pianos. (And I will point out that he was the ONLY guy in his group--and there weren't any guys in the group before him, either. Way to stick it out, Carl!)

Happy birthday Dad!

It's my dad's ?? birthday today!! I hope you have an awesome day Dad!
I love you!

Today also would have been my grandpa's birthday. It was ten years ago this summer that he went home to the Lord, and I miss him more with every passing year. I love you Grandpa, and I can't wait to see you again!

Ticked off

I'll try to post a full update fairly soon, but in the meantime, I have some steam to blow off. Be thankful you can't see me right now, 'cause there are probably flames shooting out of my eyes.

I guess I'll start by saying that I have been super frustrated with my English class from day one. During the class time, do you think we spend most of the time writing or learning proper writing form or anything like that? No, we spend it writing down "how we FEEL" about whatever the topic is. It's like being in a stinkin' counseling session. Or we'll spend half the time "brainstorming," which really means that the kids toss out ideas for whatever the instructor wants us to think about, and then she says "yeah, that's good." I'm sorry (okay, maybe not), but isn't the instructor supposed to be the one TEACHING????? (On this note, I'll point out that my instructor and my textbook use absolutely horrible grammar all the time.)
Another thing that's frustrating for me is the kind of GARBAGE they're forcing down my throat. I've posted about it before, but it's the absolute worst in English. We have to read articles that are totally pro-homosexual, feminist, relativist, and the like. Okay, I should clarify something here. It's not the fact that we have to read this stuff that gets me upset. It's the fact that homosexuals can write papers totally bashing Christians and the Bible, but if I so much as said one little thing that even hinted against homosexuality, I'd literally be kicked out of the university because of a "hate crime." I'm all for free speech, BUT IT HAS TO GO BOTH WAYS OR IT'S NOT FREE SPEECH!!!! Like I said, I've known this to be the case for a long time, but it doesn't make it any less annoying.
The thing that's got me ticked tonight, though, is something I read in my textbook. It's talking about reasons to be suspicious of sources, and this is what it said:
"Either/or choices . . . Be deeply suspicious whenever you encounter some version of the 'either . . . or' collocation. Writers writing about issues as being black-and-white will typically present one side as completely wrong."
As if it's a bad thing.
DUH!!!!! WAKE UP PEOPLE!!! MURDER IS ALWAYS WRONG; COMMUNISM IS ALWAYS WRONG; STEALING IS ALWAYS WRONG; WRONG IS WRONG NO MATTER WHAT!!! Just because someone said truth is relative doesn't mean they're right. If they are right in saying that truth is relative, then that statement is relative and not always true in every situation. And we could go 'round and 'round with that argument. My point is that some things are just wrong, no matter what your opinion is.

Anyway, that's all for now. Hope I didn't get anyone too riled up. :)

Been busy . . .

. . . to say the least. School's going okay, though it's still frustrating sometimes. I don't have time to say much else, but here are a few pictures from Carl's FB game this past Saturday--which they won, by the way.

16

My "little" brother turned 16 today. Sometimes I can't believe how quickly time has flown. It seems like just yesterday we were building forts out of cardboard boxes and learning to climb trees (or in my case, fall out of trees). Now I'm pursuing a Nursing degree, and Carl is excelling in school and music and is starting on the Varsity football team (yes, I said starting). We don't always get along perfectly, but underneath the disagreements, Carl is by far one of my closest friends. It has been absolute joy to see him grow into the young man of God he is now. Happy 16th birthday, Carl!
I love you bro!

Double standard

I got this as part of an email today.

"The US House of Representatives passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsiblity Act of 2009 (SAFRA) on September 17, 2009 by a party-line vote of 253 to 171.
This legislation eliminates the federally-guaranteed student loan program and replaces it with 100% direct lending from the federal government."

This was part of an email about how to obtain financial aid for college, but that's definitely not what ran through my mind when I read this. The first thing I thought of was:

Matthew 18:28
"But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest."

Not really related at first glance, but think about it. My point is that even though the Federal Government owes WAY MORE money than college kids ever will, it's okay for them (in their eyes) to lend out money and later scream "Pay it back!" even while they refuse to pay off their own debt. Talk about a double standard.

Counting on God

I'm in a fight not physical
And I'm in a war, but not with this world
You are the Light that's beautiful
And I want more
I want all that's Yours

Joy unspeakable that won't go away
Just enough strength to live for today
So I never have to worry what tomorrow will bring
'Cause my faith is on the solid Rock
I'm counting on God

I'm counting on
I'm counting on God
I'm counting on
I'm counting on God

And the miracle of Christ in me
Is the mystery that sets me free
I'm nothing like I used to be
Just open up your eyes
You'll see

~First Assembly

Brainwashing and music

Okay, stop looking at me like that. I know it's a weird title, but it's the best I could come up with. If you can think of a better one after reading the post, feel free to let me know.

I'm not really sure where to start. School is going okay, but then again it's not okay. The academic part is fine (as far as I know). But as time goes on, it becomes more and more evident that, at the heart of the university, it's not about teaching kids new things in their particular field of study—it's a battle over their minds. What they really want is to control your mind by forcing you to believe what they want you to believe. For most students, this isn't new, and they probably would think I'm crazy (no comments!) if I told them this. But since I have been raised so completely different than them, I can see it. And I can feel its affects. Sometimes I come home absolutely exhausted, mentally and spiritually, and I have no idea why! Then I realized that the minute I walk on to campus, I am engaged in a war over my mind. Sometimes it's not blatant, but it's still like someone is trying to wrap their hands around me and control what I think. I guess they figure if they pound their ideas on me long enough, I'll fit into their mold of what I should be. And I've finally come to the realization that I absolutely cannot win. Not on my own. I have to totally and completely rely on God to fight and win for me.

The other part of the title is sorta hard to explain, unless you have the love and passion for music that I do. During the day, I listen to music all the time—yes, including when I'm doing homework. And I love listening to my brothers practice the piano, or plunking around on my guitar. But a few days ago I actually sat down at the piano and started playing. It was the first time I've touched the piano in several weeks. All of a sudden, it felt like all the stress and frustrations of the last weeks just totally melted away. Like I said, I listen to music all the time, but I'd forgotten how much playing music affects my very heart. The passion within me is something I could never fully describe, but when I play, it's as if God is reaching down and pulling all the junk out of my soul and filling it with His peace and comfort. And it's like that any time I hear good, pure music (my faves would be piano or guitar solos), but it's strongest when I'm playing. Hopefully, that won't be a lesson I soon forget.

Real advertisement

This is awesome.

Labor Day Weekend

We had a fun, anything-but-relaxing, long weekend. Friday night Carl had a football game, and Saturday we went down to visit my grandma (Mom's mom). On the way, we stopped visited with some friends, whom we hadn't seen in probably close to two years. That was really fun, and it was a very sweet time of fellowship. Saturday night, all of Sunday, and some of Monday we spent at my grandma's, which is always a great time. We went over to the golf course and hit balls on the driving range, and putted on the practice putting-green.
The biggest thing, though, was the Veterans Memorial Park on Main Street. I got a lot of pictures of it, and it was cool to see that put up.
Anyway, here are pictures of our weekend.

This is the reason the Memorial meant so much.

I'll try to fix the orientation of the picture later. Notice what war it was.

This is a mural that has been around for a long time; this is one of the town's "claim to fame."

Golfing.

Thanks, Robbie, for helping me take this picture.

I love this picture. My camera rocks!