Sunday, June 29, 2008
europe, here I come!
Just to let all of you know, I am leaving for Europe tomorrow morning. Now before anyone gets too jealous (Chelsea) let me tell you that my plane leaves at six in the morning, which means that I have to show up at the airport at 4:30 AM. Ouch. I have to leave at that Godforsaken hour because there is only one plane a day from New York to Hungary, and I don't want to miss it. So after leaving at an hour when all self-respecting young people are sleeping soundly, I fly all day long, with a couple stops, until I finally get to Hungary at midnight our time. Unfortunately by then it will be 8:30 AM in Hungary. Ugh. Aside from the crazy time zone changes though, this is going to be an awesome trip. I will try to post stories and pictures, but I'm not sure how often I'll get to post (or how often you want to read about my adventures). Please be patient if I have to resort to occasional gigantic posts, and please keep me and my traveling partner in your prayers for the month of July!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
memory verses and life
As I was growing up my parents taught me many, many bible verses in the form of songs. Even now, I remember nearly all of those songs and verses. I find this absolutely remarkable, because anyone who knows me well could safely characterize me as absent-minded. I once lost my keys twice in one week. Both times my keys were in the same place, and oddly enough, that place was my purse. Don't ask me how I managed to overlook them when they were right where they were supposed to be, and above all don't ask me how I managed to scour an entire store for AWOL keys and then walk several unnecessary blocks after "locking myself out of my car." Yes, my keys were in my purse the entire time, and yes that is still a painful memory.
All that to say that Matthew 6:33 has been on my mind almost constantly of late. This is a verse that I remember singing out delightedly when I was a little munchkin, and I still remember the tune and the verse now that I am certainly no longer a little munchkin. I really take immeasurable delight in the way memorized verses work. Once you have squirrelled them away in your mind, they are filed away for future reference. And when you face a particular struggle, a relevant verse pops up for application to your situation. Amazing, and I love it!
And that finally brings me to my real point. Let me quote some of that Matthew passage for you:
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
This is a simple, beautiful command. It is, I think, beautiful because of its simplicity and the childlike trust it requires. But simple as this principle is, it is certainly not easy to abide by. We know that all we have to do is worry about what God wants, and trust that he will take care of all our other needs. In fact, we know that he will bless us richly and abundantly, rather than merely meet our needs.
I have had many opportunities to observe the obedience and disregard of this mandate, both in my own life and in the lives of those around me. When God is brushed aside in our lives, catastrophe is inevitable. When we postpone our devotions for yet another day our spiritual health begins to deteriorate, and other areas of our lives must also suffer. When we begin to focus on the little things in life, rather than letting God consume our lives, we begin to falter and become weary. We were designed to rest in God, and when we fight against that design, we become burned out and discouraged.
On the flip side, when we fill ourselves diligently with God's word and meditate on it continually, we do experience the fullness of God's blessing. When trials come, we have the strength to endure them because we are filled with God. If we are latched on to God's strength, there is nothing that we cannot overcome. Now I'm not saying that if we only do our devotions our lives will be carefree. That is completely unfounded biblically. But if we are filled to the brim with God, we will have the strength to face any trial, and we will be able to fulfill our telos on this earth.
I want to leave you with the image of Peter, who exemplified both obedience and disobedience to this command of utter trust. When he and his fellow disciples were out in their boat in the Sea of Galilee and saw Jesus walking on the water, Peter asked if he could come out to meet his Lord. Picture Peter walking out in the middle of an enormous sea in the dark. If you want, you can even conjure up a bit of a storm in this mental picture. Now if that isn't scary... But we know from the story that as long as Peter focused on Jesus he was okay. God met all of his needs (such as, for example, not drowning) because Peter trusted him to do so. However, as soon as Peter began to worry about his situation, and tried to handle it in his own strength, he began to sink. Likewise, when we begin to focus on the challenges of life, we will falter. But when we focus on Christ, we will make it through anything because he is taking care of all the little things for us. We don't have to worry about them at all, because we are trusting Christ completely to take care of them.
So I challenge you--fill yourself daily with God. Read your Bible, do a Bible study or devotions, sing hymns, meditate on God's greatness. Then go out and act upon your contemplations! The Bible assures us--and I can testify to its truth in this matter--that when we focus on God all our other needs will be met, and we will be blessed even more richly than we can even imagine. Make the kingdom of God your first priority, and everything else will follow. That is a glorious prospect.
All that to say that Matthew 6:33 has been on my mind almost constantly of late. This is a verse that I remember singing out delightedly when I was a little munchkin, and I still remember the tune and the verse now that I am certainly no longer a little munchkin. I really take immeasurable delight in the way memorized verses work. Once you have squirrelled them away in your mind, they are filed away for future reference. And when you face a particular struggle, a relevant verse pops up for application to your situation. Amazing, and I love it!
And that finally brings me to my real point. Let me quote some of that Matthew passage for you:
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
This is a simple, beautiful command. It is, I think, beautiful because of its simplicity and the childlike trust it requires. But simple as this principle is, it is certainly not easy to abide by. We know that all we have to do is worry about what God wants, and trust that he will take care of all our other needs. In fact, we know that he will bless us richly and abundantly, rather than merely meet our needs.
I have had many opportunities to observe the obedience and disregard of this mandate, both in my own life and in the lives of those around me. When God is brushed aside in our lives, catastrophe is inevitable. When we postpone our devotions for yet another day our spiritual health begins to deteriorate, and other areas of our lives must also suffer. When we begin to focus on the little things in life, rather than letting God consume our lives, we begin to falter and become weary. We were designed to rest in God, and when we fight against that design, we become burned out and discouraged.
On the flip side, when we fill ourselves diligently with God's word and meditate on it continually, we do experience the fullness of God's blessing. When trials come, we have the strength to endure them because we are filled with God. If we are latched on to God's strength, there is nothing that we cannot overcome. Now I'm not saying that if we only do our devotions our lives will be carefree. That is completely unfounded biblically. But if we are filled to the brim with God, we will have the strength to face any trial, and we will be able to fulfill our telos on this earth.
I want to leave you with the image of Peter, who exemplified both obedience and disobedience to this command of utter trust. When he and his fellow disciples were out in their boat in the Sea of Galilee and saw Jesus walking on the water, Peter asked if he could come out to meet his Lord. Picture Peter walking out in the middle of an enormous sea in the dark. If you want, you can even conjure up a bit of a storm in this mental picture. Now if that isn't scary... But we know from the story that as long as Peter focused on Jesus he was okay. God met all of his needs (such as, for example, not drowning) because Peter trusted him to do so. However, as soon as Peter began to worry about his situation, and tried to handle it in his own strength, he began to sink. Likewise, when we begin to focus on the challenges of life, we will falter. But when we focus on Christ, we will make it through anything because he is taking care of all the little things for us. We don't have to worry about them at all, because we are trusting Christ completely to take care of them.
So I challenge you--fill yourself daily with God. Read your Bible, do a Bible study or devotions, sing hymns, meditate on God's greatness. Then go out and act upon your contemplations! The Bible assures us--and I can testify to its truth in this matter--that when we focus on God all our other needs will be met, and we will be blessed even more richly than we can even imagine. Make the kingdom of God your first priority, and everything else will follow. That is a glorious prospect.
Friday, June 20, 2008
all's well that ends well
On Thursday night I went to see Montana Shakespeare in the Parks' production of All's Well That Ends Well. It was excellent, as usual.
In the first scene, as the character Parrolles was introduced and developed , I noticed that my mind was filled with unexpected musings. I addressed myself to a recently arrived thought. "Thought," I said, "What are you and what business do you have inside my head?" "I," it replied, "am a thought springing from a brain that has been toned to critically evaluate literature. I am a thought about what this play really means. And I am sure if your literature teacher could see me, he would be proud." And so it continued through the whole of the play. My head was starting to hurt as I kept pace with this complex play and analyzed it as carefully as I could.
In the first act (I think, I don't know where the act/scene divisions are), I began to notice a striking parallel between Parrolles and Count Rossillian. "Ah," I thought delightedly, "they're foils. How brilliant!" And I watched, enthralled, as this theme developed. Each scene with Parrolles was perfectly executed and everyone in the crowd was laughing, but I wonder how many people saw through the jokes to the real message. How many saw that Parrolles' simple arrogance and cowardly heart were really designed to illuminate similar traits in Rossillian? And why did Shakespeare so hide his meaning and intent? His plays are delightful riddles and full of witty wordplay. They are extremely enjoyable for those who get it, but probably a little tedious for those who don't.
It is not my intent to sound like a haughty member of the enlightened few. I will be the first to admit that I certainly don't see all of the things Shakespeare was doing in this play, and it is my loss. For instance, when Parrolles nearly got himself into a duel with Lord Lafew, I am certain that it is supposed to reflect on Rossillian's disagreement with the king, and his recent "marriage" to Helena. But how? Was Parrolles' refusal to fight a commentary on Rossillian's refusal to face the issue of his marriage? Was Shakespeare pointing out that both men were foolish cowards? Perhaps... Also, the drum scene critiques Rossillian's seduction of the Florentine maid, and probably foreshadows Rossillian's coming examination by the king of France, but I know I missed some of its depth and richness of meaning.
And the ending confused me too! Why did Shakespeare end his story that way? All's well that ends well, but this story didn't end well! It actually didn't seem to end at all, just stop. Does that mean that all is not well because nothing ended well? Oh for a mind like Shakespeare's! Then I could puzzle out his plays, and perhaps even write a few of my own.
Finally there's the question of the theme. I don't think his theme was "the ends justify the means," as the title and scene in Florence would seem to imply. Was his theme "know thyself"? Parrolles and Rossillian both came to understand and accept their true character, and both were finally happy, in a rather disconcerting way. No, I don't think that is the correct theme, or if it is, it is certainly not the entirety of it. Was Shakespeare's theme "seek after virtue and let it guide you"? "Prize wisdom above all else"? "Honor humility"? "Shun false appearances"? Or was it something else entirely? I see I still need to do some pondering on that head.
This evening of mental acrobatics really heightened my appreciation and respect for my wonderful, wonderful literature teacher. It is because of his years of dedicated effort that I began almost unconsciously asking, "what does Shakespeare want to tell us through this play, and how does he do it?" Mr. K, you gave me the tools to evaluate any work of literature, for which I am grateful and of which you should be proud. I hope I never lose interest in literature and never stop questioning its meaning or evaluating it in the light of Christianity. Thank you for giving me that desire, and for developing in me the thinking skills necessary to pursue it!
In the first scene, as the character Parrolles was introduced and developed , I noticed that my mind was filled with unexpected musings. I addressed myself to a recently arrived thought. "Thought," I said, "What are you and what business do you have inside my head?" "I," it replied, "am a thought springing from a brain that has been toned to critically evaluate literature. I am a thought about what this play really means. And I am sure if your literature teacher could see me, he would be proud." And so it continued through the whole of the play. My head was starting to hurt as I kept pace with this complex play and analyzed it as carefully as I could.
In the first act (I think, I don't know where the act/scene divisions are), I began to notice a striking parallel between Parrolles and Count Rossillian. "Ah," I thought delightedly, "they're foils. How brilliant!" And I watched, enthralled, as this theme developed. Each scene with Parrolles was perfectly executed and everyone in the crowd was laughing, but I wonder how many people saw through the jokes to the real message. How many saw that Parrolles' simple arrogance and cowardly heart were really designed to illuminate similar traits in Rossillian? And why did Shakespeare so hide his meaning and intent? His plays are delightful riddles and full of witty wordplay. They are extremely enjoyable for those who get it, but probably a little tedious for those who don't.
It is not my intent to sound like a haughty member of the enlightened few. I will be the first to admit that I certainly don't see all of the things Shakespeare was doing in this play, and it is my loss. For instance, when Parrolles nearly got himself into a duel with Lord Lafew, I am certain that it is supposed to reflect on Rossillian's disagreement with the king, and his recent "marriage" to Helena. But how? Was Parrolles' refusal to fight a commentary on Rossillian's refusal to face the issue of his marriage? Was Shakespeare pointing out that both men were foolish cowards? Perhaps... Also, the drum scene critiques Rossillian's seduction of the Florentine maid, and probably foreshadows Rossillian's coming examination by the king of France, but I know I missed some of its depth and richness of meaning.
And the ending confused me too! Why did Shakespeare end his story that way? All's well that ends well, but this story didn't end well! It actually didn't seem to end at all, just stop. Does that mean that all is not well because nothing ended well? Oh for a mind like Shakespeare's! Then I could puzzle out his plays, and perhaps even write a few of my own.
Finally there's the question of the theme. I don't think his theme was "the ends justify the means," as the title and scene in Florence would seem to imply. Was his theme "know thyself"? Parrolles and Rossillian both came to understand and accept their true character, and both were finally happy, in a rather disconcerting way. No, I don't think that is the correct theme, or if it is, it is certainly not the entirety of it. Was Shakespeare's theme "seek after virtue and let it guide you"? "Prize wisdom above all else"? "Honor humility"? "Shun false appearances"? Or was it something else entirely? I see I still need to do some pondering on that head.
This evening of mental acrobatics really heightened my appreciation and respect for my wonderful, wonderful literature teacher. It is because of his years of dedicated effort that I began almost unconsciously asking, "what does Shakespeare want to tell us through this play, and how does he do it?" Mr. K, you gave me the tools to evaluate any work of literature, for which I am grateful and of which you should be proud. I hope I never lose interest in literature and never stop questioning its meaning or evaluating it in the light of Christianity. Thank you for giving me that desire, and for developing in me the thinking skills necessary to pursue it!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
the way of the sub
For those of you who didn't know, I have been working at Subway this summer. It has been... an adventure. I have had lots of opportunities to interact with very non-Christian people, as well as to show that I am different. Pretty much everyone there knows that I a Christian, and sometimes coworkers have even asked me to explain why I act in a sort of counter-cultural way (for example, why in the world am I still a virgin after I have graduated high school? Apparently it is time for me to move out of that childish phase. That was an interesting conversation for both of us girls!). Please pray that I will be a light and encouragement to all my coworkers and can speak powerfully to their own struggles. And please also pray that I will stay strong under such an overwhelming secular influence.
I thought I would post about my job because it is where I have spent most of my summer thus far, whether I like it or not. Lately things have been even more crazy than usual. Take yesterday for example. We hired a new girl (who is six foot one. Wow, that's tall!) and I helped train her. Maybe it was the two of us together, but no less than six people asked me how tall I was and if I was an athlete. Some days I think I should just wear a nametag advertising my height and the sports I play =P I also made three batches of cookies yesterday, one of which a coworker was helpful enough to burn for me. They were a little too toasty to sell, but I heard they were delicious and that all the staff that evening was grateful for this mishap.
Today was another crazy day. We made 92 sandwiches between one and two alone. That is one and a half sandwiches a minute!! Things didn't slow down much all day. What is it like when we have such a big rush? I get requests like this in immediate succession:
"Kimberlee, could you bring up two packages of bacon? "
"Kimberlee, would you answer the phone?"
"Kimberlee, could you please do cartwheels in the lobby?"
At least some of my coworkers have a healthy sense of humor that makes the hours pass much faster. And I am really enjoying all the people that come through our doors. Not a day has passed that I don't see and chat with an acquaintance or friend, and I am getting to know our regular customers pretty well, which is nice.
As I work away my last hours here in Bozeman, it is easy to get a little depressed and wish I were somewhere else. Somewhere laughing with friends, somewhere a little cooler (it is 85 degrees in the lobby most days, and in back we have two ovens and a 700 degree toaster oven going full blast. It really gets warm.). But then I have to realize that I am not somewhere else, I am at Subway, and I should serve God and my manager wholeheartedly while there. So I still think about all of you when I am washing dishes, taking out the trash, or cleaning, and I miss you all! But it doesn't distract me any more from the job at hand. For the two short weeks I have left, I will work with all my heart, and hopefully I will be able to squeeze in lots of time with all my friends as well.
I thought I would post about my job because it is where I have spent most of my summer thus far, whether I like it or not. Lately things have been even more crazy than usual. Take yesterday for example. We hired a new girl (who is six foot one. Wow, that's tall!) and I helped train her. Maybe it was the two of us together, but no less than six people asked me how tall I was and if I was an athlete. Some days I think I should just wear a nametag advertising my height and the sports I play =P I also made three batches of cookies yesterday, one of which a coworker was helpful enough to burn for me. They were a little too toasty to sell, but I heard they were delicious and that all the staff that evening was grateful for this mishap.
Today was another crazy day. We made 92 sandwiches between one and two alone. That is one and a half sandwiches a minute!! Things didn't slow down much all day. What is it like when we have such a big rush? I get requests like this in immediate succession:
"Kimberlee, could you bring up two packages of bacon? "
"Kimberlee, would you answer the phone?"
"Kimberlee, could you please do cartwheels in the lobby?"
At least some of my coworkers have a healthy sense of humor that makes the hours pass much faster. And I am really enjoying all the people that come through our doors. Not a day has passed that I don't see and chat with an acquaintance or friend, and I am getting to know our regular customers pretty well, which is nice.
As I work away my last hours here in Bozeman, it is easy to get a little depressed and wish I were somewhere else. Somewhere laughing with friends, somewhere a little cooler (it is 85 degrees in the lobby most days, and in back we have two ovens and a 700 degree toaster oven going full blast. It really gets warm.). But then I have to realize that I am not somewhere else, I am at Subway, and I should serve God and my manager wholeheartedly while there. So I still think about all of you when I am washing dishes, taking out the trash, or cleaning, and I miss you all! But it doesn't distract me any more from the job at hand. For the two short weeks I have left, I will work with all my heart, and hopefully I will be able to squeeze in lots of time with all my friends as well.
Monday, June 16, 2008
father's day in my family
Every year, my family packs up for a camping trip over Father's Day weekend. In the past, we've made some great memories (I think I first learned how to fillet a fish on Father's Day weekend) but this trip definitely tops them all.
I have been working a lot this summer, so this year we had to vacation around my crazy schedule. We left Saturday night, after I got off work at 5, and piled into our truck, which would pull both our camper and our boat (it's a sight, for sure). We had been on the interstate for less than a mile when we blew a tire on the camper. Oops. Then my dad realized that the tool he needed was in another vehicle. Oops. Soon enough, a friendly highway patrolman lent us the proper wrench to change the tire, and we were back on the road.
We drove and drove, and had just sighted the lake when we suddenly blew a second tire and flattened another. Unbelievable. We took a little trip and found out that all the tire shops within about 30 miles of us were closed, so we spent the night next to the highway, less than two miles from the nearest campsite. So close, but yet so far!
After a long night of traffic and train noises, my courageous father got out of bed early and went off to get the necessary tires. The rest of us slept in. This, I'm sure, is what every father dreams of on Father's Day. When he got back we ate a breakfast of cold cereal and I sang a rousing round of "Happy Father's Day to You." I almost got voted off the island for that stunt. We were off to a bit of a rocky start, but unfortunately, these were not to be our only issues. All of us got sunburned and most of us were awake in the wee hours of this morning because of one miserably sick daughter. Even with these and other adventures, this has to have been the best Father's Day trip we have ever taken. Why? Because our lighter moments (and there were many) consisted of:
1) Playful slapping wars when the fishing gets boring
(sister 1: STOP tickling me! gentle slap sister 2 (affecting nonchalance and thinking, "well, if that's how it's going to be..."): slap. And so it goes until our mother threatens to throw one of us out of the boat)
2) Hooking and then losing the biggest fish in the lake.
3) Pushing my sister off our tube behind the boat, just because I could.
4) The look on my mother's amusedly exasperated face as she watched this incident and wondered what she should say about it.
5) My dad advising me on proper filleting technique because even after all these years I still don't quite have the touch.
6) Getting poked by flailing walleye fins not once, not twice, but three times. Ouch.
7) A pineapple after dinner. Because a pineapple was a little out of place on this camping trip, and that's what made it so great.
8) Composing a song about my youngest sister being hungry.
9) My other sister learning how to chop firewood.
10) Chatting with the local waterfowl.
11) Hearing the shouts of other lake-users as they jumped into the cold water prior to water skiing. We couldn't quite see this guy, he was so far away, but his yelp was surely something else.
12) I made the same noise, just in a little higher pitch, when I fell off our tube later (though without any sisterly help, I should add).
In conclusion, this trip had the potential of being miserable, but we didn't let it get that way. And that, I think, is pretty cool.
Father's Day camping. It's a good train, you should get on it!
And with that I should probably close. I have to work tomorrow, and I am currently running on a little over four hours of sleep. This trip was a blast, but I don't think I could handle its kind very often!
I have been working a lot this summer, so this year we had to vacation around my crazy schedule. We left Saturday night, after I got off work at 5, and piled into our truck, which would pull both our camper and our boat (it's a sight, for sure). We had been on the interstate for less than a mile when we blew a tire on the camper. Oops. Then my dad realized that the tool he needed was in another vehicle. Oops. Soon enough, a friendly highway patrolman lent us the proper wrench to change the tire, and we were back on the road.
We drove and drove, and had just sighted the lake when we suddenly blew a second tire and flattened another. Unbelievable. We took a little trip and found out that all the tire shops within about 30 miles of us were closed, so we spent the night next to the highway, less than two miles from the nearest campsite. So close, but yet so far!
After a long night of traffic and train noises, my courageous father got out of bed early and went off to get the necessary tires. The rest of us slept in. This, I'm sure, is what every father dreams of on Father's Day. When he got back we ate a breakfast of cold cereal and I sang a rousing round of "Happy Father's Day to You." I almost got voted off the island for that stunt. We were off to a bit of a rocky start, but unfortunately, these were not to be our only issues. All of us got sunburned and most of us were awake in the wee hours of this morning because of one miserably sick daughter. Even with these and other adventures, this has to have been the best Father's Day trip we have ever taken. Why? Because our lighter moments (and there were many) consisted of:
1) Playful slapping wars when the fishing gets boring
(sister 1: STOP tickling me! gentle slap sister 2 (affecting nonchalance and thinking, "well, if that's how it's going to be..."): slap. And so it goes until our mother threatens to throw one of us out of the boat)
2) Hooking and then losing the biggest fish in the lake.
3) Pushing my sister off our tube behind the boat, just because I could.
4) The look on my mother's amusedly exasperated face as she watched this incident and wondered what she should say about it.
5) My dad advising me on proper filleting technique because even after all these years I still don't quite have the touch.
6) Getting poked by flailing walleye fins not once, not twice, but three times. Ouch.
7) A pineapple after dinner. Because a pineapple was a little out of place on this camping trip, and that's what made it so great.
8) Composing a song about my youngest sister being hungry.
9) My other sister learning how to chop firewood.
10) Chatting with the local waterfowl.
11) Hearing the shouts of other lake-users as they jumped into the cold water prior to water skiing. We couldn't quite see this guy, he was so far away, but his yelp was surely something else.
12) I made the same noise, just in a little higher pitch, when I fell off our tube later (though without any sisterly help, I should add).
In conclusion, this trip had the potential of being miserable, but we didn't let it get that way. And that, I think, is pretty cool.
Father's Day camping. It's a good train, you should get on it!
And with that I should probably close. I have to work tomorrow, and I am currently running on a little over four hours of sleep. This trip was a blast, but I don't think I could handle its kind very often!
Monday, June 9, 2008
the nature of friendship
I reread most of C.S. Lewis' The Four Loves a couple nights ago, and it really helped me understand so much better my feelings about my senior class trip. I was struck by the wonderful fellowship the four of us had, and I wondered why it was so spectacular. Thanks to C.S. Lewis, now I know. I am going to quote a selection here from his section concerning friendship, which has long been one of my favorites.
"But two, far from being the necessary number for Friendship, is not even the best. And the reason for this is important.
"Lamb says somewhere that if, of three friends (A, B, and C), A should die, then B loses not only A but 'A's part in C,' while C loses not only A but 'A's part in B.' In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets. Now that Charles is dead, I shall never again see Ronald's reaction to a specifically Caroline joke. Far from having more of Ronald, having him 'to myself' now that Charles is away, I have less of Ronald. ...we possess each friend not less but more as the number of those with whom we share him increases."
I have enjoyed a wonderful community at school generally, but especially in my amazing classmates. Each of us brings out something in the others, so that when we are together, we all complement each other. I noticed that we hardly ever stopped laughing or smiling about something on our senior trip. Part of this is because all four of us have robust senses of humor, but also because we each brought out the most enjoyable in each other. I hope that throughout our lives we have many opportunities to meet and bring out unique things in the others once more, but I can't help but feel that our graduation and dispersion will greatly change our tightly knit community.
I'll let you make the rest of the connections, because I can't really add much to C.S. Lewis. I highly recommend The Four Loves to anyone who hasn't read it (or anyone who has)--perhaps even more highly than I would recommend C.S. Lewis in general.
"But two, far from being the necessary number for Friendship, is not even the best. And the reason for this is important.
"Lamb says somewhere that if, of three friends (A, B, and C), A should die, then B loses not only A but 'A's part in C,' while C loses not only A but 'A's part in B.' In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets. Now that Charles is dead, I shall never again see Ronald's reaction to a specifically Caroline joke. Far from having more of Ronald, having him 'to myself' now that Charles is away, I have less of Ronald. ...we possess each friend not less but more as the number of those with whom we share him increases."
I have enjoyed a wonderful community at school generally, but especially in my amazing classmates. Each of us brings out something in the others, so that when we are together, we all complement each other. I noticed that we hardly ever stopped laughing or smiling about something on our senior trip. Part of this is because all four of us have robust senses of humor, but also because we each brought out the most enjoyable in each other. I hope that throughout our lives we have many opportunities to meet and bring out unique things in the others once more, but I can't help but feel that our graduation and dispersion will greatly change our tightly knit community.
I'll let you make the rest of the connections, because I can't really add much to C.S. Lewis. I highly recommend The Four Loves to anyone who hasn't read it (or anyone who has)--perhaps even more highly than I would recommend C.S. Lewis in general.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
my senior trip
Most senior trips contain a visit to an amusement park, or something similar. My senior trip was a camping trip to Yellowstone National Park, and I honestly think it was the best senior trip I could ever hope for (except Chelsea couldn't make it. Her presence would have made it the best). Most of you have already heard about the ridiculous adventures that made this trip unique (such as, for example, carrying a plastic flamingo around with us, tobogganing down a snowfield on a sheet of plastic, Mark falling into a bog, the bear and moose and wolf sightings, the Frisbees and meals and scrambling around on lesser-known trails, me nearly plunging headfirst into a crazy cold mountain lake...), but I can tell you that what made this trip so special cannot be put in words. We laughed together and some of us cried together, and we all realized how very much we have shared, how well we know each other, how much we mean to each other, how much we enjoy each others' company, and how much we will all miss each other. This is my shout out to the most wonderful classmates and craziest chaperon EVER!
Thank you all for a trip I will never forget.
Thank you all for a trip I will never forget.
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