The Challenge.

God has been working on me pretty hardcore the last two days. Ever since I got home from Freshman Orientation at the Uni, I've felt like crap. I hadn't checked my e-mail for TWO DAYS--which is a big deal for me. I check my e-mail at least 10 times a day. Well I get home from F.O. and I have tons of e-mail to sift through.
I noticed I had a XXXchurch newsletter. Honestly I get them all the time and I never even read them. My mouse pointer was drawn toward that e-mail and so I clicked it. I skimmed through it and then saw that there was a blog for Teens. I was thinking: "Wow this is great I love reading blogs and this one will help me with Spiritual issues!
God touched my life that day, like He does everyday. Only this time, I felt it and responded.
I call myself a Christian.
Yet, I have gobs of problems. Yeah, I understand that everyone has problems. But, the thing is I'm so fake. I don't read my Bible, I don't pray very often, and I try to witness but I could do better.
The title of this blog is: "The Challenge."
Brandon Piety a person working/helping with XXXchurch and Ian a blogger from the UK have challenged me, even though they have no idea they have. Brandon through his blog and Ian through his blog.
I decided that for the next week I'm going to post a blog every night. Within that blog will be my thoughts on the day, a scripture from that day that I read, and my thoughts about that scripture.
So tune in if you care to hear my thoughts on random scriptures!
Thanks!

God Bless

Oh! I almost forgot!

A good friend of mine from California sent me a graduation present. It was a very thoughtful thing considering we only met each other once for a week. However, I feel like I've known her for a lifetime! She mailed me an authentic Hollister tee and a deck of California cards. Her one request was pictures. So here they are:

The AUTHENTIC Hollister shirt!

The deck of cards. A symbol of our friendship. Also this is a classic Jon Schneck blog picture... But none of you know who that is anyway... lol

M:
THANKS!

How to Set-Up a Pool: 101

Here’s the blog I promised a couple of my friends about a very… funny(?)…stupid…stressful day of my life. Here’s the basic story:

My parents randomly decided it would be cool to buy a nice, big pool for our back yard. When I say nice, by the way, I mean a metal framed pool NOT one of those crappy inflatable things that get torn up in a week. Of course everyone (my little sister) is THRILLED about this! So she begs Mom and Dad to set the pool up right away. Now I don’t know if any of my readers (if I have readers at all) live around the Midwest or have seen the news lately, but we’re experiencing some extreme weather. So this last Saturday my parents decide they’re going to set-up the pool. They’re being my dad and I…

Now the basic parts of a pool for anyone who doesn’t know:
1) A ground tarp-covers the grass of the area the pool is going to lay on
2) The liner-the part that is actually what you’re swimming in. A bowl made of very thick plastic.
3) Metal frame-metal poles that serve as a frame of sorts (some assembly required (sarcasm on the some))
4) A pump/Filter-self explanatory
5) A cover-self explanatory

We follow the directions step-by-step. We lay out the ground tarp and use about 50 bricks to hold it in place (first red flag). We un-fold the liner and lay it in the middle of the tarp. Then we assemble the metal frame. Here is where we meet our problem face-to-face. Hello! The wind is blowing practically 90 MPH (only a slight exaggeration). The liner is blowing all over the place and the metal frame is barely heavy enough to keep it all on the ground. We decide we need to put something in the pool to keep the liner down. Cue my little sister. My dad calls her out and tells her to climb into the pool. Then we decide we’re going to also start filling it. The problem is my little sister isn’t old enough to be smart enough to understand why she’s in the pool. So she’s basically no help. Finally we decide to call in reinforcements (my older brother who lives down the street) and we also decide to put me in the pool.

Let me re-phrase that: I VOLUNTEERED to get into the pool and then actually be of some help. By this point we have the framing all done but the inside of the pool is so messed up by the wind that I need to smooth it all out. I judge the height of the side of the pool to be about 5 feet. I think to myself: “If I had something to stand on I could easily jump into the pool.” Easier said than done. I stand on top of a picnic table bench and suddenly my idea is utterly STUPID. Almost dumber than setting up a pool in gale force winds. Almost. So my dad is laughing at me and tells me that I volunteered and there’s no backing out. So I jump.

Did I mention that we had started filling up the pool earlier? Yeah. Well, there were a good couple of centimeters where I jumped and I slipped and fell right on my face. Fun right? Well in the end I spent about 6 hours helping set up a pool that should take about an hour and a half. It was fun.

The Beauty. I have yet to swim in it in the four days since we set it up...

So innocent when all is said and done...

Here's an aerial shot of the pool and the picnic table bench I jumped from. Oh! Did I forget to mention that we found the ladder in the box after we had it completely done???

Passion, Annie, Yearbook and MORE!

Wow. I haven’t blogged in I don’t know how long! So much has happened! I’ve taken a trip with buddies from The Crossing to Atlanta, Georgia to a church convention called Passion; I’ve endured many stressful days that come along with being the lead in a high school musical; I’ve FINALLY finished a massive year-long project, also known as the yearbook; I’ve graduated from Southeastern High School!

PASSION.
I don’t even know how to describe it! It was so inspiring. I hope to be able to go again in the future. We left in four mini-vans on a Thursday night after Fuel. I got the BEST van—by far the best. Courtney and Kelly drove. Autumn and Lorree navigated. Bryan and I sat in the middle bucket seats and entertained. I would be lying to say that I didn’t enjoy the trip up there. Yes, it did seem endless and I was tired. And yes I got made fun of most of the time… But I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Once we got to the hotel in GA we just relaxed for several hours until it was time for the first session. Louis Giglio was what I would consider the host. He was an amazing speaker and was able to convict the hearts of many with his stories. The praise bands were… Phenomenal! Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, Charlie Hall, and others led us in worshipping our Father. They were so good. The trip home was about the same as the way there… Only a little more endless and tiring.
Passion Pictures:
#1
#2

ANNIE.
I don’t even know where to begin. Being apart of the musical was the greatest experience. I had SO MUCH fun. Whether it was rehearsals, make-up, or just screwing around with cast members… I will never forget the memories I gained from this experience. As my title eludes we produced a fine performance of Annie. I played the part of Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks. It was definitely tough, but we made it through. The showing on Friday went exceptionally well. I wasn’t nervous one bit. I felt like we just doing another rehearsal. The second night, I didn’t think, went as well. It was still good, I just felt better about the day before. Everyone about had a heart attack on the second show day because CJ, who played a lead role (Rooster), didn’t show up until ten minutes before show time. All in all the musical went well!
Annie Pictures:
#1
#2

YEARBOOK.
Stressful. Proud. Excited. Anxious. These are just a few words that describe how I feel about the 2007-2008 Southeastern High School Reflections Yearbook. It was indeed very stressful. We had deadlines. I spent ENDLESS hours PhotoShopping an ENDLESS amount of photos. I’m proud of what we, the editors (Kaitlyn, Josie, and I) have produced. This year’s yearbook will be the first yearbook in school history to be all color. I’m so proud to claim that I was a yearbook editor this year. Whereas last year I would have been embarrassed to admit that. I’m SO excited for August 8^th to arrive. That is the day the yearbooks will be delivered to the high school. I can’t wait to see the finished product in my hands, in HIGH RESOLUTION! I got so tired of seeing blurry pictures of normal paper. At the same time I’m anxious to see how the rest of the student body reacts to our creation. I’m confident that they’ll like it, but at the same time I just worked so hard I don’t want to be disappointed.
Yearbook Preview:
Page 24
Page 51

GRADUATION.
I have very mixed emotions on this subject. I will tell you one thing though. It WAS NOT just another day of my life. I have too often shrugged off important days of my life as “just another day.” Not this day. Yeah, all of this may sound so cliché, but I will truly miss Southeastern and the Class of 2008. We’ve only been together for 13 years!!! I feel as though they’re family. Sure, I didn’t know all 41 of them as well as I would have liked, and too often I treated some of them wrongly. I told many people that if I could move out on my own and still go to SHS… I’d be set! That to me would be the life. I love this community, and even though I look forward to living in Macomb next year, I can’t WAIT to visit!
Graduation Pictures:
#1
#2

I’ll get back to blogging more often now that my life has calmed down considerably. Thanks for listening! Check back soon!

Pinckneyville Panthers

There are moments that make me very proud of young Christian men. Then, of course, there are other times when I’m very embarrassed by them. This, however, is one of the times I was possibly the proudest!

Here’s the scoop:

Saturday, March 8^th, 2008. I’m in Peoria, Illinois with some friends to watch the Boys 1A and 2A State Basketball Tournament. A team that our basketball boys play during the regular season had made it to the hallowed Final Four. The Lewistown Indians had lost the day before to the future 1A State Champions, St. Anne. I was excited for the Indians to see them play for 3^rd place because it’s a pretty big deal when a school with a population of 200 makes it to state in a sport. I was rooting for Lewistown, but they eventually were defeated and awarded 4^th place. This is still very good.

That’s not the point of this blog; I just wanted to congratulate the Indians.

Now:
The Pinckneyville Panthers: a team that is very well known for their basketball programs. They compete at the 2A level. Anyways, on Saturday I got to watch them play the Olney Tigers. It was a good game, and I think the Panthers were the better team, but the Tigers came out on top. The whole game I had been cheering for Pinckneyville and they had spurts of pure ownage, but they also played a very bad 3^rd quarter… The result of the game was Olney 55, Pinckneyville 46. Pinckneyville also received 4^th in the state of Illinois. Congratulations are also in order for the Pinckneyville Panthers.
Now here is the part to where, if you have lost interest, I want you to return to Earth:
At half-time of the 2A State Championship, they did the awards ceremony for the 3^rd and 4^th place teams. They brought out two tables and a platform. On each the tables were medals for just about every person involved with the two teams and a very large trophy. One-by-one, each member of the team would be called out. Then the athlete would step up on the platform and bend his head toward an official looking person and receive a medal around their neck. Then they would step down from the platform and form a line. Well about half-way through the Pinckneyville Panthers’ line up one of the athletes, after receiving his medal, brought it to his lips, kissing it, and then pointed upward. I thought he was just being an idiot at first. Then the following athlete, after being adorned with a medal, pointed upward with both of his hands. The next couple of athletes followed suit, and I realized what they were doing. They were giving the thanks and glory to God for putting them in this particular position. I was ecstatic to see that these young high schoolers cared enough to stop and recognize that God is the whole reason for living. He is the one that allows us to succeed.

If I were a Pinckneyville Panther, I would have been very proud to wear their colors that day. Not only were they a Final Four team, they had some God-fearing athletes in their athletic department.

Congratulations once again Pinckneyville Panthers.

Ten.

When you’re reading these, make sure you understand that order matters. One is the best and 10 is the worst.

Top 10 things I want right now:

10) A Wii battery charger station.
9) The start of next school year (and the beginning of the rest of my life).
8) No more online classes. They suck.
7) Lower gas prices.
6) I kind of need some new clothes… Especially jeans.
5) My musical lines to be memorized.
4) Quincy and Macomb to be a lot closer to B-Town.
3) Friends who didn’t fight (not that I still don’t love the ones that do!).
2) A girl friend. Someone to love.
1) A closer walk with Jesus.

Top 10 video games I have OWNED:

10) Gears of War
9) Wii Sports
8) Oblivion
7) The Pokémon Series (I can’t pick only one!)
6) Perfect Dark (N64 Version)
5) James Bond: Goldeneye (N64 Version)
4) Splinter Cell
3) Halo 2
2) Super Smash Brothers: Brawl
1) Halo 3

Top 10 Worldly Goals for My Life:

10) Save someone’s life with CPR.
9) Visit every one of the 50 states.
8) Go on a cruise.
7) Become a daily blogger.
6) Come back and visit B-Town in 15-20 years.
5) Build my own computer.
4) Be cryogenically frozen when I’m close to death.
3) Find a wife. Have kids. In that order.
2) Work for a big-time video game corporation.
1) At least visit Europe, if not move there.

Top 10 Favorite Subjects at My High School:

10) Freshman Computers (with FOXALL!)
9) Mrs. Hopper’s English Classes
8) Study Skills
7) Band/Chorus
6) PE (when it’s the badminton unit)
5) Contemporary Literature
4) Advanced Biology (had some fun times last year…)
3) Teacher’s Aide
2) Yearbook
1) French

Top 10 Favorite Things to do in French Class:

10) Do anything besides what we’re supposed to be doing.
9) Screw with the freshman French class during my teacher’s aide period.
8) Go to the computer lab.
7) Mess with random things in Mrs. Freeman’s classroom (i.e. her posters).
6) Cheat while going up against the girls during charades and pictionary.
5) Get Samantha riled up while playing Pictionary.
4) Play Concentration with French vocab.
3) Play "Foreign Family Go-Fish" .
2) BAKE!
1) Watch the "Red Balloon"!!!

Top 10 Favorite Things I like about this year’s Yearbook:

10)
9)
8)
Yeah right!
Like I’m going to give this stuff away!!!
You’ll have to just wait and see…

Top 10 Books I’ve read:

10) "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" by JK Rowling
9) "Shattering Glass" by Gail Giles
8) The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer (couldn’t pick just one)
7) "Brother Odd" by Dean Koontz
6) "Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz
5) "Raise the Titanic" by Clive Cussler
4) The Alex Rider Series by Anthony Horowitz (couldn’t pick just one)
3) "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" by JK Rowling
2) "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by JK Rowling
1) "Right Behind You" by Gail Giles

Top 10 Things You’ll Hear Coming from My Room When I’m Playing Halo:

10) "ZOMBIES! ZOMBIES! LET’S PLAY ZOMBIES!"
9) "POST SLAP!"
8) "INVITE ME!"
7) "TAKE A FACEFUL [of shotgun bullets]!"
6) "I GOT ’BIG BOOM’ YOU TAKE ’CRACK’!"
5) "GET RAPED!"
4) "THERE’S NO DRIVIN’ LIKE POST DRIVIN’!"
3) "I GOT DEFENSE!"
2) "PWNAGE!"
1) "OH MY GOD!"

Top 10 People I Don’t Get to See Enough:

10) Evan Morath
9) Lamoine Christian Service Camp People
8) Adrian Obst
7) The Crossing People
6) Corrine and Eric Crivello
5) Matt Churchill
4) Jamie Tristan
3) Mr. Thomas Tristan
2) Monica Hurt
1) Timmy Stoner

Top 10 Things I Like About Our New High School:

10) Stairs?! Walking?! Say hello to the ELEVATOR!
9) Two FULL computer labs (no more "little lab" and "big lab")!
8) A lobby with trophies. A NICE lobby with TROPHIES!
7) A paved parking lot: Good-bye, pot holes!
6) A bathroom upstairs and downstairs!
5) Everything’s better new!
4) Freeman’s classroom is right next to Mulvaney’s! Ha.
3) A brand new, HUGE "LRC" (learning resource center (library)), WITH—skylight windows!!!
2) Student lounge complete with La-Z-boys and TV’s!
1) Complete wireless atmosphere—bathrooms included.

Remember When?

I figured I would switch it up. Instead of posting my usual random thoughts of the day, I'm posting old photos...
Enjoy: