an important question...

bryan and i watched the LOTR trilogy over break. in case you were wondering, it was epic. but you probably already knew that. watching the movies did, however, cause me to question something.

how did they choose which hobbit to board Oceanic Flight 815?

it's an important thing to consider and for your reading pleasure, i've considered it.

let's first knock out what everyone else is thinking, isn't Frodo Baggins the most likely candidate to board flight 815? we all know the island chooses the people, and Frodo was chosen for the greatest task in all middle earth! if the ring chose Frodo, why not the island? well, folks, let's not forget about another island...the one that all the elves sail off to in the end. yep, Frodo goes with them, and there's no coming back from there. which, i believe, is why the island didn't couldn't choose Mr. Frodo. plus, he's kind-of girly looking.

so, what about Samwise Gamgee then? the best friend, the loyal companion, the big-hearted, home-loving hobbit also known as Rudy. why wouldn't the island choose such an upstanding halfling? well, i propose that dear Sam had perhaps too much heart for the island. i mean, think about it, he would have over shadowed Jack in an instant. i can just see the disaster that was avoided...Jack would be all like, hey, we should do this and Sam would be all like, Mr. Jack, i'm just trying to help and everybody else (with Sayid leading the charge) would be all like Jack, i'm turning in my jersey if Rudy can't play.

ok, i'll admit it, we just watched Rudy a couple weeks ago too. but you have to admit, ever since the Goonies, Sean Astin has been type-casted as awesome, and the island just isn't big enough for Sam's heart.

then there is Peregrin Took, affectionately known as Pippin. the pipe-loving, barrel of ale he was, you have to admit he was loyal. for instance, when he stupidly touched that skeleton in the mines of Moria, thus causing the huge attack that ensued, he loyally fought with the fellowship. and when he stupidly looked into the seeing stone, he luckily didn't think of Frodo and the ring. and when he stupidly gave his allegiance to the crackpot steward of Gondor, Denethor II, he did end up saving Faramir's life. oh what am i saying, Pippin was the biggest fool of a Took there ever was.

we all know that it is Meriadoc (Merry) Brandybuck who gets chosen by the island and if the reasons above don't support Merry for the Island in 2004, consider the following. who was brave enough to ride out to battle with the soldiers of Rohan? Merry. did any of the other hobbits fight in a real battle? hecks no. and who knew how to party like a rockstar? Merry. and who was a perfect shoe-in for a herion-addict character than a hobbit that can smoke a whole barrel of South Farthing Longbottom Leaf in a day? Merry.

case in point.

aspirations and other things

this morning i got out of bed at 5:30am. that hasn't happened for a long while. it didn't even happen when i was working outside of the home. it certainly hasn't happened since my office became my laptop.

why can't every morning be like this? i'm sipping hot chocolate, listing to the Film Score Pandora Station, and writing. I'll probably pick up my knitting needles later this morning before church, but that's hours away.

but seriously, i would love if this morning was a reality in my life. oh discipline, why are you beyond me? someday, i will catch you.

have you ever noticed that we tend to make all these wonderful, perfect plans in our heads about our lives, be it day-to-day schedules, or life-long plans, that never seem to be as important, when caught in the moment you haven't yet brushed your teeth for the day?

i notice that a lot. i had a plan. i wrote it down! it was all there, what happened to the day? why do i still have my pajamas on?

somehow, by God's grace, no doubt, i still manage to accomplish everything. i still work my three jobs. i still make dinner, or at least, eat something. i still spend time with Bryan. i still get all my ministry stuff done. i still sew and knit and write.

but, at least for me, i'm always stuck on the fact that it could all be more efficient; i could do so much more than i'm currently doing, you know?

i suppose that's my lot in life, though, being who i am and being gifted with the personality i have. but i can dream, right? i have aspirations, you know.

i want to write. and i want people to read my words. a lot of people.

i want to make things that people enjoy and want to show off. i maybe even want to make a side-income making things.

i want to counsel people on budgeting. i want to help people my age get a grasp on simple things like paying their rent. i want to help money make sense to my generation.

i want to go to college. (your mom goes to college)

i want to take some classes and learn how to do things. like prepare taxes. and quilt. and write (better).

i want to write children's books, and finance curriculum, and screenplays.

and i really, really want to ride in a hot air balloon.

i'm already feeling overwhelmed by my plans for myself. but i'm not taking a single thing off my list. my dreams may change, and there is nothing wrong with that, it doesn't mean i'm giving up (i say this more to myself, than you). right now, i want to have these goals. i like hard work, challenging myself, and accomplishing impossible things.

and there you have. aspirations and other things. (see how i cleverly worked in the title, there?)

retreat.

I could tell you about the awesome lighty-uppy rainbow skywalk in Davenport, IA.

I could tell you about being able to see Illinois from our hotel.

I could tell you about the Bucktown Center for the Arts or the amazing bag I purchased there.

I could tell you about the Art & Hobby Shop. By "Art" they meant picture frames and by "Hobby" they meant one hobby, that being model train building.

I could tell you that I stole hot breakfast, when the college kids were only supposed to eat the cold muffins and danishes.

OR I could just get this song stuck in your head until Christmas:

Sabino on the Dance Floor from Veritas Church on Vimeo.

All would suffice as a summary of the retreat.

But I'd rather tell you about CHERITH (Care-ith), a special lady so much like myself that had the courage and conviction to release a huge burden off her shoulders while consequently encouraging the rest of our small group to do the same.

I'd rather tell you about the undeniable UNITY our college ministry now feels because of the brokenness and openness almost every one of us experienced on the retreat.

I'd rather tell you about the huge weight of something (bitterness? un-forgiveness? selfishness? pride? bittgivefishide? yeah that.) that was LIFTED off of my shoulders after years of being unable to give my fears to God and choose to be selfless and Christlike again.

I'd rather tell you about the TWO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS who gave their lives to Christ last weekend and are so stinking excited about it! Praise God for Sharon and Manson!

I'd rather tell you about the thousand of tears that occurred last weekend. Tears of brokenness, tears of sorrow, tears of forgiveness, tears of joy, TEARS OF FREEDOM.

What a joy it was to go on this retreat, even though I am not a college student. On Sunday morning, I could feel the freedom resonating in the room. The joy was not to be contained. It wil not be contained!

30 blogs to 2011

One of my many goals this year was to write 100 blogs. Right now, after a two month hiatus, I'm still sitting pretty well with 70 blogs.

I think I can do it. Just 30 more blogs. 29 more after this one. Yeah, I got this.

I'm back like Eminem, yo.