Lake Bonny Park

"I went to Lake Bonny Park for this assignment, and I stayed there for at least 40 minutes."

I couldn’t help but notice as I sat in the bleachers looking over the nice peaceful pond that the predominant noise was coming from cars and a nearby train. I could still hear the different kinds of birds singing and the wind whispering, but sudden “screeches” from someone slamming on the breaks in their car also played their part. Over the pond was a peaceful current going to the right of which I also felt on my body. It then occurred to me that what I was feeling, the pond as well as the trees and plants were feeling the same thing. I wondered what if everything was like that, if we felt everything the earth felt, would we take care of it more? As I looked closer at the trees I noticed that the skinny long trees didn’t move as much, but the other “fluffier” trees seemed to give a gentle wave to me as the wind moved them. All together though when they all did seem to be moved by the wind at the same time it looked like a dance was going on to the music of joy. I say joy because when they did dance they seemed happy and joyful, not like when in a hurricane they seem to be barely holding on. When I looked at nature I saw nothing but peace. The sky was a perfect baby blue with no clouds in sight. It was a really beautiful sight. The trees under the big blueness seemed to be like its children. It hovered over them as to keep watch over them and they just seemed to be minding their own peaceful business: waving at each other in constant harmony, wishing harm to no one. It was kind of weird because as I was thinking about everything, it came to my heart that, “hey man nature doesn’t do anything to us, so why do we do so much to it.” Though there are times when nature will prove its power to man, from my experience at the park I felt that nature wishes only to dance and sing in peace of its own beauty.


Don’t dance, Don’t sing,
Just sit, Just listen,
Let nature show you how it’s done.
For like it, we dream to be within.

Nature

In class lately we have been talking a lot about nature. To me nature is one of the most beautiful things God has given His children. Whether people are saved or not, or whether they even believe in a God, they will always stand in aw of a beautiful sunset. Nature is so beautiful that sometimes I feel like I’m so blessed by God just to be able to have something so beautiful in my sight. We have lived in and seen this world all our life so when we walk around, sometimes we look past this beauty that we walk on and under. However, when I look to the sky and see the beauty it possesses, I can only imagine the beauty beyond the skies that await us in heaven. If some of the pictures that nature photographers take blow our mind, what’s going to happen when we see the maker of those images.

Physically we don’t see God here on earth, but who He is as a God is so beautiful and I think that beauty has been placed all around us. For some reason when I do notice something beautiful, the first thing I say is, “wooowwww God that is beautiful.” I don’t remember anytime before I was saved saying that when I saw something beautiful, but now it’s just a natural reaction. As Christians I believe if anyone, we should be the ones who can slow down, take time to look around and admire the beauty that God has surrounded us with. We should also be the last ones to not worry about its protection because that is exactly why God put everything under our feet: to watch over everything He has made here on earth (Ps 8:6). As rulers over Gods creations, we are responsible to take care of them as well as ourselves.

Core Self

As so many people in our world care more about what others think about them rather then what they really are, it is harder for one to see God because God can only be seen when we come to see what we really are and that is our core self. In all reality we are all sinners deserving God’s wrath, unable to live a holy life, and in desperate need of a savior. When we are constantly caring about how others see us, we fool ourselves into thinking we are actually what we look like. However, when we care more about what we really are rather then what others think we are, we can see the work which needs to be done in order to fit the outer self that we put out for sale. With this realization God is then able to work with us in our growth with Him in order that we may become mature Christians. Also, when we do not care about our outer self, which is what we seem like to others, gossip and any other judgments made about us tend to just be laughed at. For example if I’m criticized because of the way I have my hair done, it’s funny to me because I know where I stand with God, on the other hand if I’m being criticized for something I know I did wrong, which would be in my core then it would hurt me.

It can be very sad when people focus so much on their outer self. They are always trying to fit in, always trying to impress, have the best clothes, electronics, but even with an outer self so charming and beautiful (Pr 31:30), the core of a person will always be louder then the outer self. For the outer self is only in play when others are around, but when a person is by themselves, their core self still burns on whispering, “this is who you really are.”

Character Creating

Coming up with a character on the top of my head was easier then I thought. Their name, personality and actions seem to just come easier for some reason then their appearance. When I had to come up with what they were wearing, it seemed as if I was being too simple, but then I realized what we usually wear everyday can be simple it didn’t bother me much. It is kind of fun writing stories with characters, because you can make any kind of person up. It could be someone you know, whether with the same personality or their looks, or it could even copied of someone famous you know about like Abraham Lincoln. Making a character up is almost as if you were “God” creating a person. I’m not as creative as I would like to be, but even with the skills I do have creating a character can be pretty fun. When creating a character, you determine whether he or she is a bad person, good person, whether they prosper in life or whether they don’t; it’s a lot more then just creating a character it’s like creating a whole life. However, we usually start from the middle of their life and work to their past then the story takes place with their future, but real life is way more complicated. You can’t start with a nice midlife having a high paying job with wife and kids, you have to start with the day you were born. There’s no way around that one, but in creating characters, we can jump straight to the point in their life that we want to jump to and start from their. Whether we make their past a living hell or paradise on earth, we are able to skip all that time experience in just a few words and get where we want to start the story…if it were only that easy. However the past of the character does play a big role in who they are so more words might be spent on it then just a run through…especially if the whole story is a flashback.

The King of Salt

One day in the land of Salt a problem arose of which was brought to the attention of the king. The King was a mighty warrior of much renown, as well for his heart full of justice and mercy. His crown was pure gold, having a bottom trim which labeled “The Beloved.” Its points were sharper then any sword in the land of Salt, piercing anything to come in contact with them. These twelve points each had a lengthy side which combined the points of the crown with the rest of the crown. It is said that the King’s crown weighed more then all the books of the world put together…if that were ever possible. His beard was like no other, trimmed perfectly forming a triangle on which towards the end was a band that held it together. This band had a glimmering blue that stood out to anyone’s eye in the center surrounded with a trimming of gold. All His hair was pure white like snow but no one ever knew why. From the day of his birth it was so, but the reasoning’s given were as good as a guess. Some say he is chosen for something, others say he is the one to chose, yet others claim it is because he is immortal. His hair is down to his shoulders not too curvy or too straight, just there, lying on his shoulders like a kings robe.

A servant storms in the kings quarters, bows to the ground and announces, “my King! I bring you news from the far side, from the land of Htrae. Your servants have failed tremendously in conquering the land of the dragons. For centuries my Lord you have requested your servants to be sent and to kill these dragons that possess the land of Htrae… but each has only done their part. It seems now impossible for your servants to take the land, for there is one claiming to be the king of Htrae, of which all your servants fail to kill. Dragons have been slain, but this King of Htrae is not like the others. He knows our weaknesses, our desires, even our past. None before him have ever offered peace like him. He promises share in his kingdom if we join him against you, and his tongue whispers from afar. My Lord send a servant that may overtake this beast!”

The King touches his servant’s shoulder for comfort as the servant begins to weep. With his head still bowed, the servant ask, “My Lord who besides you could ever complete such a task?” The King replies, “It is not impossible for them to do so, but only with me is it possible.” “A suggestion,” the servant says, “May you ponder on this before you make any decision to go, here you are well known, but in the land of Htrae, few are your followers. There you will not be treated like here, you will be treated like an outsider and will not be welcomed, you will be very different from the people of the land of Htrae and they will hate you for it. This land is dark and separated and the only way to inter this land of Htrae is to be born again. It is a very odd place, nothing like reality.”

The Kings orange colored eyes, which when on you seem to be like looking at lava, gave a beautiful twinkle as he turned to the left and then to the right. “Who then will go for us?” After hearing such details of the place, only silence broke out. “Very well it is declared,” said the King, “I will put an end to this matter with my own sweat of my brow.” He jumps to his feet from His thrown and begins to walk towards the gates of His kingdom.

Very joyful was the king always, many came from far away places just to hear some of his words of wisdom. Feasts were always going on in His name and the King never once forgot to send an invitation to anyone. All from the land of Salt were always invited. His rule was like the waters of the ocean, calming and beautiful, yet powerful and never to be under estimated. It was not until this day that he was to take the task of killing the king dragon of Htrae that he seemed to be concerned or uncertain of something.

Still walking to the gates, the Kings robe could be noticed from far away, for the colors on it were like nothing seen before, they all stood out, yet faded away behind the dark purple which hovered over them all. It is said that the fur used for his robe is the same fur used to make the first clothing of those living in the land of Htrae. These however are mere words of His men, nothing given for certain of. The kings boots were nothing out of original, all white with soft tips, covering up to half his leg. His pants were purple like his robe, but His shirt was always something that was given question too because it was always torn. It was because, in His words, He was always being called upon. The color of it was usually red but at times it would be white. To his surprise no one tried to stop Him and offer their own lives to the task, but it did not stop one of his footsteps. The sound of the whispers grew to yells and accusations, "Who will rule the land of Salt!" "Why should we care for this land!"

Sonny's Blues (1957)

“the car kept on a-going and it ain’t stopped till this day.” Pg 394

When the mother tells the story of how the authors dad lost his little brother and mentions that the car that ran him over “ain’t stopped till this day,” it shows how when we go through something like this, we see it as never ending. I’m sure the mother did not really believe that the car was still driving on and to that day had not stopped, but many tragic things that happen like that can seem like they never have an end. When we go through tragic times in life, we can just replay them over and over in our life and sometimes people lay in their death bed thinking about something that could of happened a long time ago in their youth, whether they could of changed it or not, or whether they should of done it or not. I know if I was in the situation and my little brother was the one to get ran over, there is no way I would forget it. I would always be sad when I thought about it so I see how it would seem as if the car never stopped, but was still going “to this day.”
Or I guess it can be in relation to the person that was driving, meaning to this day he was never caught. Either way I like how she used what she said to show how much of an impact the situation was to her husbands life. If something tragic happens in ones life, and they never feel like the situation will ever be over with or the feeling, it cannot be a tragic situation. But when the “car” runs over something or someone you love and the car just keeps going, this is when you know your going through a tough time in your life… when what hurt you continues to continue.

"I attended Southeastern's production of The Imaginary Invalid and watched the play.”

At first when I walked in, (a couple minutes late) I didn’t really know what was going on, but mainly because there was so much stuff grabbing my attention on the stage that all I was trying to do was look at everything. I believe the maid and the elder man were having a conversation when I walked in and eventually I figured out what was going on… his daughter wanted to marry someone but he had arranged another man for her to marry. During the play there was a part where the man who she wanted to marry was singing a poem, and in this poem he describes a situation exactly like the situation concerning the girl, him, and the others as well. After the poem, things get heated up between the father and the daughter who is pledged to be married, and she mentions that if the man who she is pledged to be married to was a real man he would not marry someone who is forced to marry him. I don’t remember her exact words but they went something like that.
It caught my attention because I thought there was a lot of truth behind that statement. If a man truly loves a woman, I don’t believe he would be involved in anything that forces that woman to do something that she does not want to do. In this situation it was her marring him, but in our world we can apply it to so many things. Among the greatest, of course, I would think would be sex. Middle school and high school girls are every day told that they are loved, and that all they want in life will be given to them if only he could have what he wants. Of course by telling them that, they are not forced, but it is an implantation that will go to continue as: “well if you love me you will do this” which then can turn into “well if you want my love, you will have to do this.” Not all women would stick around long after the first hint, of course, but at young ages girls can be so vulnerable.
However don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of things someone might make you do if they love you like: “eat your green beans!” or “put your seatbelt on!” But if a guy loves a girl he should never force anything or even consider something that would harm her or put her in a situation she knows she should not be in.

“Respect for our sisters goes only the length of our love for them.”