Stepping Across the Line
Ryan Brouwer
Yawn, waking up at 6:00 is hard, especially when you fell asleep at 1 A.M. the night or morning before after packing a suitcase for a week. I wished I could fall asleep in the car on the way to the Cities, but I forgot a pillow and I’m too nervous and excited to anyway.
Finally, my family and I pull into the airport. My mom, dad, and I hop out and walk into the terminal. I take off my shoes and belt and empty out my pockets to go through security after I checked in my suitcase. I walk into the aisle to get to the gates. I say good-bye to my mom and my dad says jokingly “Should I have brought my M4 along?” My mom says more seriously “I wish you would have!” I didn’t realize until later why she said that.
We got in easily and had 2 hours to burn. We ate at McDonalds and had a great McMuffin for breakfast. After that I drew and listened to my iPod while my dad tried to learn some Spanish words. My cousin called right before we got on the plane to Houston where we would meet the rest of our group. All he wanted to say was that he had a Spanish nickname for me. It was “Baño”, which means bathroom and I silently thought, “This is going to be a long week.”
The plane ride to Houston went all right except it was boring because my dad got the window seat. After we got to Houston we had dinner at a McDonalds and waited for the group that came from Chicago. They finally came about an hour later and I got some wisecracks thrown at me because I was wearing a Twins shirt.
We then got on an airbus to go to Mexico. When we got into Juarez there were soldiers all over with AK-47’s. I asked my dad why that was and he said that Juarez was the most violent city in the world and had high crime rates. Now I understood why my mom wanted dad to take his gun. Later that week, we saw a tank drive through the street next to the orphanage we were working at.
At the end of the week we climbed up a mountain that said, “The Bible is the truth. Read it!” It also had a cross on the top of it. When we got up there it was perfect, because when you looked at it from one side the sun was shining right behind it and it was beautiful. We stayed up there for about an hour to take pictures. We were also encouraged to pray over Juarez that was right under us. We could also pray for the U.S. city, El Paso, which is the same city as Juarez but is split by the border.
That day we went to a Mexican diner and to the market to buy some souvenirs. First, we went to the market and there were many Mexican souvenirs, from pocketknives to necklaces to sombreros to carved wooden statues. After an hour or so there we had Mexican food at a really good Mexican restaurant.
The next day we had one more day of playing with the hundreds of kids there so we didn’t do much work that day. At about 6 A.M. the next day we left for the airport. A lot of kids were crying because they enjoyed having us there. One girl even tried to run along with us and come with us to the airport.
While we were there, there were some different things going on. One was a handball tournament that they held and won. They were the champions out of the orphanage league of Juarez. Another was a soccer, or futball game. In the middle of the game, one of the girls from the orphanage got tripped and ran into a wall. She got hurt and might have even gotten a concussion. All of this was on a concrete floor with a concrete wall on one side and concrete steps on another. Also, there was a kid who was riding a Ripstick, a two-wheeled skateboard, fell, and broke his arm. Luckily, they have a doctors and dentist office on their grounds, along with a church and a dance studio.
I would recommend to go on any missions trip because not only is it fun but it also blesses the people you work for.
Monday, May 16, 2011
A Twins Game
A Twins Game
Ryan Brouwer
It all starts when we pile in a car to begin the 2-hour trip to the Twin Cities for a Twins game. The loudness of the car and the long trip gives you a headache and you start to feel sick to your stomach. You crack a window and feel a little better. You step out of the car at a gas station to stretch while the workers fill up your car with gasoline. You then start a movie or fall asleep. You wake up as you start to stop and go in the city traffic. You start up a car game like the License Plate Game or The Alphabet Game.
You finally see Target Field but lose it when you pull into the parking ramp. You stop to buy an over-priced ticket and go find an open parking space. With all the honking and even some swearing outside your car it’s hard to concentrate. You finally find a space on the 5¬¬¬th floor. Now you begin the walk to Target Field. Halfway there you realize you forgot your tickets so you have to go back to the car. You get the tickets and begin the journey again. As you near the field, you start to smell all the glorious smells of baseball.
As you walk through The Plaza you feel excited. “There’s the Bronze Glove! Can we sit in it?” your brother asks. Your mother answers hurriedly and nervously, “After the game.”
You’re handing your ticket to the ticket master with your mom behind you. You’re through but your mom gets stuck while getting her purse checked. You dad in front of you doesn’t notice it. “Should you stay back for your mom or catch up with your dad?” you think in panic mode. You decide to wait for your mom. When your mom gets through she says “Thanks, but you should have gone with your dad.”
You finally get to your seats after basically drooling over hot dogs, brats, pretzels and cheese, and everything else. The only thing bad about this stadium is that there is only one place that sells mini doughnuts, and they are the best, so there is a long line, all the time.
The game is kind of slow because the Twins have wasted the White Sox ever since the first inning. The score is 7-0 going in the 9th . We begin to pack up our things but then the White Sox make a come back. After two singles the White Sox clear the bases with a 3-run homer. It is now 7-3, Twins, and the White Sox fans are going berserk and the Twins fans are trying to get over their tiny heart attack. After that little scare, the Twins get two outs. Then the Twins pitcher gave up two singles again and walked the next batter. Bases are loaded and the White Sox’s best batter is up. The Twins pitcher gives up 3 balls and it looks like it will be 7-4, but then the pitcher throws in two strikes. Full count, bases loaded, two outs, and the MLB homerun leader at bat. The pitch is a curve meant to curve out of the strike zone but it fails to break. It’s right in the batter’s sweet spot. It’s hit but it might be catch-able over the fence. Nope, the fielder can’t complete the play and it is a Grand Slam. The score is now 7-7 and the next batter gets out on a routine ground ball to the Shortstop.
Bottom of the 9th and all we need is one run. Thome is up and is ready to hit one deep. HE does but it is caught at the fence. Valencia is up but he is focused on just getting on base. He’s up and swings on the first pitch. It’s hit well, a deep line drive, and it is gone. It is a walk off homerun by Valencia. Everyone is jumping up and down, except for the White Sox fans, and we leave.
Every one is happy that we won and also because we are staying at a hotel for the night. Just as we get to the hotel, however, your little brother starts crying. We ask him what’s wrong and he answers between sobs, “We never got to sit in the Bronze Glove!”
Ryan Brouwer
It all starts when we pile in a car to begin the 2-hour trip to the Twin Cities for a Twins game. The loudness of the car and the long trip gives you a headache and you start to feel sick to your stomach. You crack a window and feel a little better. You step out of the car at a gas station to stretch while the workers fill up your car with gasoline. You then start a movie or fall asleep. You wake up as you start to stop and go in the city traffic. You start up a car game like the License Plate Game or The Alphabet Game.
You finally see Target Field but lose it when you pull into the parking ramp. You stop to buy an over-priced ticket and go find an open parking space. With all the honking and even some swearing outside your car it’s hard to concentrate. You finally find a space on the 5¬¬¬th floor. Now you begin the walk to Target Field. Halfway there you realize you forgot your tickets so you have to go back to the car. You get the tickets and begin the journey again. As you near the field, you start to smell all the glorious smells of baseball.
As you walk through The Plaza you feel excited. “There’s the Bronze Glove! Can we sit in it?” your brother asks. Your mother answers hurriedly and nervously, “After the game.”
You’re handing your ticket to the ticket master with your mom behind you. You’re through but your mom gets stuck while getting her purse checked. You dad in front of you doesn’t notice it. “Should you stay back for your mom or catch up with your dad?” you think in panic mode. You decide to wait for your mom. When your mom gets through she says “Thanks, but you should have gone with your dad.”
You finally get to your seats after basically drooling over hot dogs, brats, pretzels and cheese, and everything else. The only thing bad about this stadium is that there is only one place that sells mini doughnuts, and they are the best, so there is a long line, all the time.
The game is kind of slow because the Twins have wasted the White Sox ever since the first inning. The score is 7-0 going in the 9th . We begin to pack up our things but then the White Sox make a come back. After two singles the White Sox clear the bases with a 3-run homer. It is now 7-3, Twins, and the White Sox fans are going berserk and the Twins fans are trying to get over their tiny heart attack. After that little scare, the Twins get two outs. Then the Twins pitcher gave up two singles again and walked the next batter. Bases are loaded and the White Sox’s best batter is up. The Twins pitcher gives up 3 balls and it looks like it will be 7-4, but then the pitcher throws in two strikes. Full count, bases loaded, two outs, and the MLB homerun leader at bat. The pitch is a curve meant to curve out of the strike zone but it fails to break. It’s right in the batter’s sweet spot. It’s hit but it might be catch-able over the fence. Nope, the fielder can’t complete the play and it is a Grand Slam. The score is now 7-7 and the next batter gets out on a routine ground ball to the Shortstop.
Bottom of the 9th and all we need is one run. Thome is up and is ready to hit one deep. HE does but it is caught at the fence. Valencia is up but he is focused on just getting on base. He’s up and swings on the first pitch. It’s hit well, a deep line drive, and it is gone. It is a walk off homerun by Valencia. Everyone is jumping up and down, except for the White Sox fans, and we leave.
Every one is happy that we won and also because we are staying at a hotel for the night. Just as we get to the hotel, however, your little brother starts crying. We ask him what’s wrong and he answers between sobs, “We never got to sit in the Bronze Glove!”
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Celebrational Essay
Celebration Essay of Josh Hamilton
By: Ryan Brouwer
Many people have heard good and bad things about on of my favorite sport figures. Mostly it was bad for the first three to four years that he played. Then, he just quit baseball for a while. But after he started playing again, you heard better and better things about him.
Right now you’re probably yelling, “Well, who is it?” So I will clue you in. It’s Josh Hamilton. At first, all I thought of him was that he was an insanely good ball player for the Texas Rangers but then I read his book, Beyond Belief, and found a new profound awe for him.
I don’t really know him except that I read his biography and watch him play baseball. I’m not related to him in any way except that we are brothers in Christ. I have heard about him for several years, but have only known his past life and story for about a year. He didn’t all out say this but his life spoke this out to many people, “Ask God to turn your life around sincerely and He will gladly help you do it.” The reason his life shows that is because he was a drug addict and was killing himself with cocaine and the like. A few stories about him is that after the MLB forced him to get to Drug Rehab Centers, against is will, and he couldn’t quit, even after he went to several center. But then he realized what he was getting himself into and asked God to help him quit. As soon as he did that he fell away from drugs, even though he felt like he needed them to live.
I have learned that if you trust God to help you with something, even with the small things like arguing with siblings, God will help you get through it. Also Hamilton helped show me that you can and should trust God with everything. He has showed me that if I have a problem I’m not proud of, I should publicize it so others don’t fall into the same trap. That is also a good way to get over the problem.
I haven’t really even seen Josh in real life, I haven’t even gone to a Twin’s game when they were playing the Texas Rangers, so we haven’t had any special times and/or events together. Probably the closest to that would be the Home Run Derby he had with Justin Morneau, who is on our home team, the Minnesota Twins. After Josh Hamilton beat the record of the most homers hit in one round, Morneau walked away with the trophy after he hit just 7 home runs in the final round. But Josh Hamilton wasn’t a sore loser and even congratulated Justin and was happy for him because he knew that winning that earthly prize wasn’t in God’s plan for him, at least not yet.
I would like to help people get over their problems by telling them how I get over my problems, by asking God to help and, in doing that, to admit I was wrong. Josh did this and he has had many people come up to him and say that they showed a family member and/or friend his story and it helped them get over their drug abuse.
So now that he has been clean for so many months, Josh has peace in himself and shows peace to those in his life and everyone who comes to him for help.
I haven’t even told you about everything good he has done so if you want to learn more about him, or just want a good book, go to the library or a bookstore and pick up his story, Beyond Belief.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Labs or Golden Retrievers
Labs or Golden Retrievers
By: Ryan Brouwer
Are you confused on what kind of hunting dog to get? Are you thinking, “should I get a Lab or a Golden Retriever?” You’re not alone; many are thinking the same thing. These two different breeds are close but have some clear advantages you would want as a hunting dog.
Labs originated in Newfoundland but were developed as a breed in the United Kingdom. Labs, also known as Labradors or Labrador Retrievers, were originally used for swimming out to fishing nets and pulling them to shore but later became used as gun dogs. Golden Retrievers originated and developed as a breed in Scotland. They were always used as gun dogs.
There are several similarities, which are helpful for hunting as well as the other occupations they do. They both have soft mouths, which is why they can pick up game without damaging it. Both breeds have water repellent fur that helps keep them warm when they have to go in the water during the cold winter, fall, and spring seasons. They both love the water and fetching or retrieving; that is why they make such good duck, goose, or waterfowl dogs. You don’t really have to send them to get the dead, floating bird that’s on the water because they are off as soon as the bird starts to drop.
They are used many times as assistance dogs. That means they make good seeing dogs, hearing dogs, etc. The police use them both. They are used to search for lost people, search for illegal drugs in people’s houses, and look for bombs in luggage at airports. They are loving, kind, loyal and compassionate so they are very popular family dogs. They are both prone to hip displasia, an abnormal formation of the hip socket that, if it’s severe, can cause lameness or very painful arthritis, because they are medium to large dogs. This is hereditary so if a parent has it a pup is likely to have also.
Both breeds also have advantages over each other and for hunting. Some of the Lab’s advantages is they have webbed paws which comes in handy while swimming and retrieving something from the water. They also made good guard dogs because of their loyalty to their owner. They generally get few diseases but they can get ear infections because their floppy ears trap in warm, moist air. They have also been the most popular family dogs for the past several years. They were the first large dog breed to be the most popular family dog.
Golden Retrievers also have some “special features” that are good but also bad. Golden Retrievers have an eager-to-please demeanor which means they will do almost anything the owner tells them to do. Because they are so eager to please, they learn tricks easily. They are good with cats, other dogs, and some livestock. They make good mothers to different species; they have even been used in zoos to nurse orphaned tiger cubs. However, they are prone to many different diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and many eye failures/diseases.
I hope this essay helped you find your gun dog and future best friend. Just make sure you check the pup’s parent’s hips because if they are bad the pup has a high chance of having bad hips as well.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Gun Control and Restriction Laws
Gun Control and Restriction Laws
By: Ryan Brouwer
Have you ever seen a gun get up, walk to someone, and shoot that person? No, that just doesn’t happen. So with that in mind, the saying “Guns kill people” is wrong. In fact, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people with guns.” Cholesterol actually kills more people than gun fatalities. Also surgeries kill more people than guns do.
Some religious groups, even some Christians, believe it is wrong to go out and shoot God’s creation. But Genesis 27:3 says: “Now then, get your equipment-your quiver and bow-and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me” NIV. That’s in the Bible and the wild game is to feed us and keep us alive. Also if we don’t shoot and kill the animals, they will over populate and will be in more hurt than if we would shoot them.
A few other Bible verses that talk about hunting are: Jeremiah 16:16 which states “Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the Lord, and they shall catch them. And afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks. Another is, Leviticus 11:2. That says “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat. God also put us in charge of the animals and to help them, and that includes keeping them at a good amount so they won’t die of starvation. The Bible verse that says that is Genesis 1:26: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’”
In order to save people from dying from guns and other weapons, the government is creating harsh, new gun restriction laws. The government wants to raise the price of guns, ammunition, and permits to get less people to buy them. The government shouldn’t do this because all those people that have killed or severely hurt someone with a gun had poor gun control. To help stop the bad gun control, you now have to pass a firearms safety class and a test from that class in order to buy guns, ammunition, or permits.
Here are the death rates by guns and other killers as of 2006. The number of deaths by guns was 30,896; and these deaths were distributed between Suicide, Homicide, Accidents, Legal Intervention, and Undetermined. Preliminary deaths were 2,425,900. Heart disease killed 425,425 people. 55,356 people died from cancer.
Now it’s your turn. Do guns kill people or do people kill people using guns? There is a difference and you can be a part of that difference. Practice safe gun control!
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Door Within
Book Review: The Door Within
By: Ryan Brouwer
The book is called The Door Within. It is the first book of “The Door Within” Trilogy. The whole trilogy is a fictional series but is relatively based on the Bible as you will see in a little bit. This series is like The Chronicles of Narnia series because it’s story line is some what like the Bible and some characters you could find characteristics that are similar to those of some people in the Bible. This series is written by Wayne Thomas Batson.
Batson is a writer who also teaches Reading and English in Folly Quarter Middle School. He has a graduate degree in counseling and is a Maryland native. He is married and has four children. Batson also has written a book called Isle of Swords and it’s sequel Isle of Fire. He is currently working on a series and is co-authoring with Christopher Hopper for at least three books.
This story is a fiction story because it takes place is a mystical world which used to be the same world as Earth. In other words, the “new world” and our world were the same until they separated by something called “The Great Schism.” Their world’s inhabitants are called “Glimpses.” Glimpses are like normal people except that their skin is shimmery and their eyes glint either red, blue, or green depending on who they serve, but are also like our eyes at the same time. If the eyes glint blue they are serving the good side, if the eyes are green they are undecided, if the eyes glint red the Glimpse serves the evil side. The Glimpses remember the Great Schism but in the book we on earth don’t remember it at all. The humans have a Glimpse twin that looks identical to them but the only difference is their ages so a human on earth could be three years old and the Glimpse is fifty years old but if the Glimpse dies the human dies as well so they were sort of connected in that way. Humans can go to the Realm, which is the other world, but only if King Eliam, the leader of the good, “calls” them there. The human and Glimpse twins can never be in the same world so if a human goes to the Realm, their Glimpse comes to earth. King Eliam is the Realms version of our God and the main character, Aidan, is like Jesus because he came down to Realm from Earth and saved the Realm just as Jesus came to Earth and saved Earth.
King Eliam used to be a king of Alleble but was killed by his “right hand man,” Paragal. After Paragal killed the king his name was changed to Paragor, which means “has a dark heart”, and he became the leader of the evil side. Paragor is the Realms version of Satan. Paragor uses deception as his main attack just as Satan does. Satan was also God’s “right hand angel” just as Paragal was high up in the court of King Eliam.
King Eliam allowed Paragal to kill him just as Jesus allowed himself to be killed. After the King died he went up to his eternal kingdom in the sky which is like our heaven. This is where all believers of King Eliam go when they die, even those from earth. This is like how we, as Christians, will go to heaven.
This book is about how Aidan gets called to the Realm. While in between the worlds there was a path in between two deep valleys. On either sides there are visions of good sights calling him but if he would run off the narrow path, he will be dumped somewhere in The Realm and have to find his way to the Kingdom of Alleble by himself, but if he would stay on the path he will end up in Alleble right away. Unfortunately though, Aidan did run off the path and had a hard time getting to where he wanted to go but he eventually got there. When he gets to Alleble, he goes through training to become a knight. After the Ceremony of Knighthood, he and a bunch of other knights get a mission. This mission was to go a different country and get them to believe in King Eliam before Paragory deceives them into believing Paragor. This book is about all their struggles up to the point of them getting to the country and then the struggles to get them to believe in the right King. They finally get them to believe in King Eliam.
This is the end of the book but only the beginning of the story. To get the rest of the story, and also the parts I missed in this review, read the first, second, and third book in the trilogy.
I enjoyed this book because of scenes that are like real life and described in the Bible. One of these scenes I described already. It is when Aidan is going between the worlds and is on the narrow path. In real life the path is life and all the visions Aidan saw where the lies of the world and Satan. You always want to run to the lies because you are promised wealth and so much more, such as popularity, success, and a good reputation. The way Aidan was going to the end of the path to get to Alleble is like us trying to get to heaven and God. In the Bible this is described as the narrow, hard road is the way of God and the wide, easy path is the way of the world and we are to choice which path to follow. Another scene is when Aidan meets the biggest Mortiwrath, a poisonous reptile, in the Realm. He is scared but is comforted by King Eliam. This is like when we face something frightening and bigger than us. God will comfort us and help us get through it. These situations are like when a relative dies. God helps you get through it and on with your life, even though it is tough.
You will really enjoy this series if you like books that are a fantasy with battles. You will also like this book if you like to read parallelisms. If you have ever read Revelations and then read the last book of this series called The Final Storm you will see a bunch of relations between the two. I read The Final Storm and then heard Revelations in detail and I was amazed how much details Batson put into all of the books especially the last book. The books basically go from the beginning of time or creation, straight to when Jesus came to earth, and then to the end times so it covers a lot of time but is very good about it and Batson is able to tie them together very well.
I would definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for a good book that will get you hooked.
By: Ryan Brouwer
The book is called The Door Within. It is the first book of “The Door Within” Trilogy. The whole trilogy is a fictional series but is relatively based on the Bible as you will see in a little bit. This series is like The Chronicles of Narnia series because it’s story line is some what like the Bible and some characters you could find characteristics that are similar to those of some people in the Bible. This series is written by Wayne Thomas Batson.
Batson is a writer who also teaches Reading and English in Folly Quarter Middle School. He has a graduate degree in counseling and is a Maryland native. He is married and has four children. Batson also has written a book called Isle of Swords and it’s sequel Isle of Fire. He is currently working on a series and is co-authoring with Christopher Hopper for at least three books.
This story is a fiction story because it takes place is a mystical world which used to be the same world as Earth. In other words, the “new world” and our world were the same until they separated by something called “The Great Schism.” Their world’s inhabitants are called “Glimpses.” Glimpses are like normal people except that their skin is shimmery and their eyes glint either red, blue, or green depending on who they serve, but are also like our eyes at the same time. If the eyes glint blue they are serving the good side, if the eyes are green they are undecided, if the eyes glint red the Glimpse serves the evil side. The Glimpses remember the Great Schism but in the book we on earth don’t remember it at all. The humans have a Glimpse twin that looks identical to them but the only difference is their ages so a human on earth could be three years old and the Glimpse is fifty years old but if the Glimpse dies the human dies as well so they were sort of connected in that way. Humans can go to the Realm, which is the other world, but only if King Eliam, the leader of the good, “calls” them there. The human and Glimpse twins can never be in the same world so if a human goes to the Realm, their Glimpse comes to earth. King Eliam is the Realms version of our God and the main character, Aidan, is like Jesus because he came down to Realm from Earth and saved the Realm just as Jesus came to Earth and saved Earth.
King Eliam used to be a king of Alleble but was killed by his “right hand man,” Paragal. After Paragal killed the king his name was changed to Paragor, which means “has a dark heart”, and he became the leader of the evil side. Paragor is the Realms version of Satan. Paragor uses deception as his main attack just as Satan does. Satan was also God’s “right hand angel” just as Paragal was high up in the court of King Eliam.
King Eliam allowed Paragal to kill him just as Jesus allowed himself to be killed. After the King died he went up to his eternal kingdom in the sky which is like our heaven. This is where all believers of King Eliam go when they die, even those from earth. This is like how we, as Christians, will go to heaven.
This book is about how Aidan gets called to the Realm. While in between the worlds there was a path in between two deep valleys. On either sides there are visions of good sights calling him but if he would run off the narrow path, he will be dumped somewhere in The Realm and have to find his way to the Kingdom of Alleble by himself, but if he would stay on the path he will end up in Alleble right away. Unfortunately though, Aidan did run off the path and had a hard time getting to where he wanted to go but he eventually got there. When he gets to Alleble, he goes through training to become a knight. After the Ceremony of Knighthood, he and a bunch of other knights get a mission. This mission was to go a different country and get them to believe in King Eliam before Paragory deceives them into believing Paragor. This book is about all their struggles up to the point of them getting to the country and then the struggles to get them to believe in the right King. They finally get them to believe in King Eliam.
This is the end of the book but only the beginning of the story. To get the rest of the story, and also the parts I missed in this review, read the first, second, and third book in the trilogy.
I enjoyed this book because of scenes that are like real life and described in the Bible. One of these scenes I described already. It is when Aidan is going between the worlds and is on the narrow path. In real life the path is life and all the visions Aidan saw where the lies of the world and Satan. You always want to run to the lies because you are promised wealth and so much more, such as popularity, success, and a good reputation. The way Aidan was going to the end of the path to get to Alleble is like us trying to get to heaven and God. In the Bible this is described as the narrow, hard road is the way of God and the wide, easy path is the way of the world and we are to choice which path to follow. Another scene is when Aidan meets the biggest Mortiwrath, a poisonous reptile, in the Realm. He is scared but is comforted by King Eliam. This is like when we face something frightening and bigger than us. God will comfort us and help us get through it. These situations are like when a relative dies. God helps you get through it and on with your life, even though it is tough.
You will really enjoy this series if you like books that are a fantasy with battles. You will also like this book if you like to read parallelisms. If you have ever read Revelations and then read the last book of this series called The Final Storm you will see a bunch of relations between the two. I read The Final Storm and then heard Revelations in detail and I was amazed how much details Batson put into all of the books especially the last book. The books basically go from the beginning of time or creation, straight to when Jesus came to earth, and then to the end times so it covers a lot of time but is very good about it and Batson is able to tie them together very well.
I would definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for a good book that will get you hooked.
Monday, February 28, 2011
The American Sport
I remember the scene as if it was yesterday. The loud screaming of two twin newborns, the wailing of the ambulances around the hospital, but the loudest of them all was the ringing in my head after I had received the news. Not the news that I now have two younger siblings, a boy and a girl, but that my mother had died while giving birth to these screaming little bundles which were normally full of joy but these cost my mom’s life. I was now fatherless and motherless.
The day before this my mother drove rapidly to the hospital. When we got there she told me to stay in the lobby and wait for her to come get me after the joyous moment. I thought it would only be a few minutes, a half-hour at most, but quickly it was an hour and I was bored. Soon a nurse came in to check in on me and gave me a snack. I was becoming nervous and panicked. Finally after about 27.5 hours, about 20 of them I was sleeping, I heard a voice calling me. I awoke with a start, then realized it wasn’t my mom. I laid back down and the same nurse came to me and said that I could come see my new baby brother and sister.
When I heard I had two siblings I nearly fainted with excitement. Then I wondered why my mom didn’t come and get me but I quickly lost that thought with excitement.
The nurse led me down a hallway and made me look through a big window. She showed me where my little siblings were. As I was looking at them I wondered why they weren’t with my mom. I finally asked the nurse where my mom was. At first she just looked at me, thinking, with a sad expression and finally she replied saying that my mom had died.
I was shocked and just stared at her. I thought she just was playing a cruel joke on me. It took a little while until I realized that she was serious. That was when I started crying. I never have cried that much since. I stood there crying for who knows how long. The nurse went back to work and I stayed there watching my brother and sister.
That was 8 years ago. My two siblings and I now live in a poor, rundown, brick orphanage in a poor neighborhood in New York City. I am 12 years old and wishing to be adopted along with my brother and sister. I’m getting doubtful that will happen. Who would want a shaggy haired black kid who talks with a slur and walks with a limp, along with two other kids the same way. I also wish I could become rich and live in a mansion. But, my biggest wish was to get out ot this orphanage which I hated yet loved. I also wanted something I loved to do and was good at. I wasn’t smart enough for chess or checkers. I couldn’t jump or throw frisbees. I just wasn’t good at the programs the orphanage supported.
But then one day the program advisor came to me and asked if I would want to join a baseball team they were trying to get started. Fed up with trying something new and being the worst at it, I denied him. He tried to convince me for days and weeks to come but I kept saying no to him. Finally the season started and he stopped bugging me about it. I went on with my life during the first quarter of the season. Then, one of my best friends who played baseball came to me and said I should come and play at their practice the next day. For some reason I went just to watch. As I sat there watching and waiting, the coach came over and sat next to me. He just started talking to me. He asked me why I came and I answered that my friend invited me. Then the coach asked me to play during the scrimmage that day. I couldn’t believe it, but I actually loved it. I started coming to every practice but since I started late I couldn’t play in the games, but I didn’t care. I went to every one of their games and sat on the bench, even though I didn’t dress for the team.
Ever since I started playing, I was one of the best players. The first season went by way too fast. I couldn’t wait until the next season but in the middle of fall the next year, I started to hear little whispers that got louder and louder. These rumors said that the orphanage might not have a baseball team again next year. I was devastated. I had finally found some thing I love and now it was possibly gone! I remember spending days in my room for a week or two after that not wanting to see or talk to anyone besides my roommate anymore, I didn’t want to be alive. Finally that phase passed over. I talked more and came out of my room. Unfortunately, I was never the same person after that. I was sad, gloomy, moody, and temperamental. All my friends didn’t want to be near me anymore, nor I near them. It was terrible!
Finally I went to ask the coach if the rumors were true. When I got to his office I asked him, “Are the rumors true?”
He looked at me weird and said, “What rumors?”
“The rumors of not having a baseball!” I nearly yelled.
“Oh, those rumors. Well, I can’t really answer that because I’m not sure either.”
I bolted out the door and sprinted all the way to my dorm. People tried to talk to me and ask me what was wrong but I ignored them, which I never do. I stayed in my room that night, missing my two favorite classes and my favorite supper. The next day I came out of my room but I was depressed and sadder than ever. I lived like this for about a week until, in the beginning of winter, I saw a sign hanging next to the cafeteria. The sign went like this.
There will be a baseball team again this year.
Those interested meet in my room at 12:00 on
December 4.
-Coach Ball
I glanced at my watch. I read 11:59. I thought “If I run, I will only be two or three minutes late.” I took off at breakneck speed. I had never run that fast before. I was halfway there wen I passed my best friend R.J., who also played baseball, and he was going the other way. He yelled at me with a puzzled look on his face, “Roscoe, where are you going in such a hurry?”
I yelled back, “I can’t be late for the meeting!”
R.J. yelled something that sounded like “What meeting?” but I didn’t understand him.
I finally got to the coach’s office, went in, and sat down. I looked at the time, it was only 12:03. I looked around and no one was there. I thought everyone was a little late so I jut waited. Around 12:10 I started wondering where everyone was. At about 12:15 the coach came in and gave me a startled look.
“What are you doing here?” he asked
“I’m here for the baseball meeting.” I answered.
Coach Ball burst out laughing. I wondered if it was something I said.
Stifling back his laughter, Coach said, “Today is December 3. That meeting is tomorrow at noon.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. I turned to leave, feeling embarrassed but all the more excited for the meeting tomorrow. As I left, the coach was still chuckling to himself and called out to me, “See you tomorrow.”
That season, as every other season until the end of my high school, went well. The more I played, the more I loved the game and the more I loved it, the more I wanted to play. I didn’t keep playing baseball just because I loved it but also because I was good at it. I was so good I was one of the best high school baseball players, if not the best.
Soon I was done with high school and I decided that I wanted to go to college. But I didn’t want to go for the academics, I wanted to go so I could play more baseball.
I got a full scholarship to the University of Minnesota. I did fine in school. I wasn’t a straight A student but I got A’s and B’s, so I was able to play baseball. I was still the best, not only on my team but in all of college baseball.
My two years of college went by way too fast. Now there’s talk of pro-baseball drafting. More and more teams are stopping by to come up with a contract but I’m still not sure if I want to be a pro-baseball player. I still have that orphanage that I loved and hated at the same time in the back of my mind but it’s slowly creeping forward.
I still want to play and give my “not so little siblings” something to watch, which they have done ever since I started, and also a home. Also if I played I could help the orphanage.
I also wouldn’t mind working for the orphanage. I could see all the kids I grew up with grow up and see all new kids come in.
The day before this my mother drove rapidly to the hospital. When we got there she told me to stay in the lobby and wait for her to come get me after the joyous moment. I thought it would only be a few minutes, a half-hour at most, but quickly it was an hour and I was bored. Soon a nurse came in to check in on me and gave me a snack. I was becoming nervous and panicked. Finally after about 27.5 hours, about 20 of them I was sleeping, I heard a voice calling me. I awoke with a start, then realized it wasn’t my mom. I laid back down and the same nurse came to me and said that I could come see my new baby brother and sister.
When I heard I had two siblings I nearly fainted with excitement. Then I wondered why my mom didn’t come and get me but I quickly lost that thought with excitement.
The nurse led me down a hallway and made me look through a big window. She showed me where my little siblings were. As I was looking at them I wondered why they weren’t with my mom. I finally asked the nurse where my mom was. At first she just looked at me, thinking, with a sad expression and finally she replied saying that my mom had died.
I was shocked and just stared at her. I thought she just was playing a cruel joke on me. It took a little while until I realized that she was serious. That was when I started crying. I never have cried that much since. I stood there crying for who knows how long. The nurse went back to work and I stayed there watching my brother and sister.
That was 8 years ago. My two siblings and I now live in a poor, rundown, brick orphanage in a poor neighborhood in New York City. I am 12 years old and wishing to be adopted along with my brother and sister. I’m getting doubtful that will happen. Who would want a shaggy haired black kid who talks with a slur and walks with a limp, along with two other kids the same way. I also wish I could become rich and live in a mansion. But, my biggest wish was to get out ot this orphanage which I hated yet loved. I also wanted something I loved to do and was good at. I wasn’t smart enough for chess or checkers. I couldn’t jump or throw frisbees. I just wasn’t good at the programs the orphanage supported.
But then one day the program advisor came to me and asked if I would want to join a baseball team they were trying to get started. Fed up with trying something new and being the worst at it, I denied him. He tried to convince me for days and weeks to come but I kept saying no to him. Finally the season started and he stopped bugging me about it. I went on with my life during the first quarter of the season. Then, one of my best friends who played baseball came to me and said I should come and play at their practice the next day. For some reason I went just to watch. As I sat there watching and waiting, the coach came over and sat next to me. He just started talking to me. He asked me why I came and I answered that my friend invited me. Then the coach asked me to play during the scrimmage that day. I couldn’t believe it, but I actually loved it. I started coming to every practice but since I started late I couldn’t play in the games, but I didn’t care. I went to every one of their games and sat on the bench, even though I didn’t dress for the team.
Ever since I started playing, I was one of the best players. The first season went by way too fast. I couldn’t wait until the next season but in the middle of fall the next year, I started to hear little whispers that got louder and louder. These rumors said that the orphanage might not have a baseball team again next year. I was devastated. I had finally found some thing I love and now it was possibly gone! I remember spending days in my room for a week or two after that not wanting to see or talk to anyone besides my roommate anymore, I didn’t want to be alive. Finally that phase passed over. I talked more and came out of my room. Unfortunately, I was never the same person after that. I was sad, gloomy, moody, and temperamental. All my friends didn’t want to be near me anymore, nor I near them. It was terrible!
Finally I went to ask the coach if the rumors were true. When I got to his office I asked him, “Are the rumors true?”
He looked at me weird and said, “What rumors?”
“The rumors of not having a baseball!” I nearly yelled.
“Oh, those rumors. Well, I can’t really answer that because I’m not sure either.”
I bolted out the door and sprinted all the way to my dorm. People tried to talk to me and ask me what was wrong but I ignored them, which I never do. I stayed in my room that night, missing my two favorite classes and my favorite supper. The next day I came out of my room but I was depressed and sadder than ever. I lived like this for about a week until, in the beginning of winter, I saw a sign hanging next to the cafeteria. The sign went like this.
There will be a baseball team again this year.
Those interested meet in my room at 12:00 on
December 4.
-Coach Ball
I glanced at my watch. I read 11:59. I thought “If I run, I will only be two or three minutes late.” I took off at breakneck speed. I had never run that fast before. I was halfway there wen I passed my best friend R.J., who also played baseball, and he was going the other way. He yelled at me with a puzzled look on his face, “Roscoe, where are you going in such a hurry?”
I yelled back, “I can’t be late for the meeting!”
R.J. yelled something that sounded like “What meeting?” but I didn’t understand him.
I finally got to the coach’s office, went in, and sat down. I looked at the time, it was only 12:03. I looked around and no one was there. I thought everyone was a little late so I jut waited. Around 12:10 I started wondering where everyone was. At about 12:15 the coach came in and gave me a startled look.
“What are you doing here?” he asked
“I’m here for the baseball meeting.” I answered.
Coach Ball burst out laughing. I wondered if it was something I said.
Stifling back his laughter, Coach said, “Today is December 3. That meeting is tomorrow at noon.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. I turned to leave, feeling embarrassed but all the more excited for the meeting tomorrow. As I left, the coach was still chuckling to himself and called out to me, “See you tomorrow.”
That season, as every other season until the end of my high school, went well. The more I played, the more I loved the game and the more I loved it, the more I wanted to play. I didn’t keep playing baseball just because I loved it but also because I was good at it. I was so good I was one of the best high school baseball players, if not the best.
Soon I was done with high school and I decided that I wanted to go to college. But I didn’t want to go for the academics, I wanted to go so I could play more baseball.
I got a full scholarship to the University of Minnesota. I did fine in school. I wasn’t a straight A student but I got A’s and B’s, so I was able to play baseball. I was still the best, not only on my team but in all of college baseball.
My two years of college went by way too fast. Now there’s talk of pro-baseball drafting. More and more teams are stopping by to come up with a contract but I’m still not sure if I want to be a pro-baseball player. I still have that orphanage that I loved and hated at the same time in the back of my mind but it’s slowly creeping forward.
I still want to play and give my “not so little siblings” something to watch, which they have done ever since I started, and also a home. Also if I played I could help the orphanage.
I also wouldn’t mind working for the orphanage. I could see all the kids I grew up with grow up and see all new kids come in.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
A Puppies Sense
Have you ever heard a puppy?
It's yipping and yapping, whining for it's mother
Have you ever felt a puppy?
Soft yet scratchy, radiating heat from the life bubbling inside
Have you ever smelled a puppy?
Traces of dust and leaves, the scent of it's second mother
Have you ever tasted a puppy?
Chewy and tangy, it has a bad after taste
Have you ever seen a puppy?
It's rambunctious and hyper, a small form of the beautiful animal it will become
It's yipping and yapping, whining for it's mother
Have you ever felt a puppy?
Soft yet scratchy, radiating heat from the life bubbling inside
Have you ever smelled a puppy?
Traces of dust and leaves, the scent of it's second mother
Have you ever tasted a puppy?
Chewy and tangy, it has a bad after taste
Have you ever seen a puppy?
It's rambunctious and hyper, a small form of the beautiful animal it will become
My Life as a...
It begins suspended high in the air
Then, swoosh, I drop down un
down o c
down and b e
Now, I'm sandwiched between to hard, wood sticks
Next, I am gliding on a white, cold surface running
I hear a swish, swish and feel a jolt
I whiz through the air and fly into a soft netting
Once I touch the ground I hear a buzz
Then it's over, all too quickly
Then, swoosh, I drop down un
down o c
down and b e
Now, I'm sandwiched between to hard, wood sticks
Next, I am gliding on a white, cold surface running
I hear a swish, swish and feel a jolt
I whiz through the air and fly into a soft netting
Once I touch the ground I hear a buzz
Then it's over, all too quickly
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