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Free Entertainment May 12, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , 1 comment so far

I believe that I’ve mentioned before that my dreams really make me wonder sometimes. Wonder about myself and my general level of insanity.

Last night, or this morning, or whatever, for instance, I dreamed that we were in a war. (Who “we” were is not very clearly defined.) Anyway, we (obviously the good guys) were camped out in a pavilion. We were trying to fight but were a bit challenged when it came to weapons. I had a knife, but it was rusty (it also looked remarkably like one that I drew a few months ago, except it didn’t have Elvish inscribed on it) and dull. So I set out on a mission to find something to sharpen it on.

I think we went with a rock. Well, it took the rust off at least! Well, okay, it took some of the rust off.

Then another girl (Atanvarne, maybe… it sort of seemed like her but not exactly) and I were wandering around in a field. I’m not sure what we were doing. I think we may have been in search of water. And Edward was with us. He was supposed to be our body guard, because there were all sorts of nasty Nazi-youth type people from the other side running around.

And just then they convinced him to join up! So we had to run away from EDDIE! *gasp* Traitor! We went dashing back to our somewhat fortified pavilion. On the way there we ran through another pavilion and I noticed Jesse F sitting in there. He, for some reason, was deeming it prudent that I pretend not to know him. So I tried, while signaling to him that we could really use some help.

We made it back to our base and everything was fine and dandy until Edward came strolling in to try to recruit MORE people for the Nazi-youth.

This was a bit too much.

Apparently Jesse felt the same way, because he came up behind Edward and bashed him in the head with an axe. We all screamed and stared at Jesse rather open-mouthedly. Jesse looked ashamed of himself for a minute and then began jumping up and down on Edward (who was quite dead) and yelling things and…

Honestly, I wonder what gives me these dreams. This one has, perhaps, two points of grounding in reality.

1) There has been a point at which we all were thinking about bashing Edward (not with an axe, just with something that knock him out for a while) so that he’d quit whistling on the bus on the way home from LIFE.

2) Jesse plays a mean game of Assassin. He plays for world domination, basically. Still, I’ve never seen him bash anyone in the head. (I’ve never been at any of his Dag battles, either, though, so…)

Anyway, goodnight… we’ll see what my mind comes up with tonight…

Currently Reading
The Brothers Karamazov
By Fyodor Dostoevsky
see related

In Honor of AIM May 9, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration, smiling is good for you , 3comments

Anika and I were talking the other night about instant messaging.  Both of us have had it for about a year.  And in addition to all the wonderful, enlightening conversations, there have been a lot of funny moments and hours.  So here are a few.

Andune: This is so impractical it’s almost funny.

Rats, I had some with A1 but the computer ate them… maybe another time…

(This was one of my favorite conversations…)

Me (9:48:17 PM):

You’re back!

Madeline (9:48:21 PM):

yup

Me (9:48:27 PM):

*grins*

Madeline (9:48:39 PM):

*glares*

Madeline (9:48:48 PM):

*eats popsicle*

Me (9:48:56 PM):

What are you glaring at me for?

Madeline (9:49:00 PM):

*rolls eyes*

Me (9:49:04 PM):

Huh?

Madeline (9:49:05 PM):

*acts indignant*

Me (9:49:12 PM):

What’d I do??

Madeline (9:49:15 PM):

she’s not glaring at you, she’s glaring at me

Me (9:49:22 PM):

Who…

Me (9:49:25 PM):

is this Atanvarne?

Madeline (9:49:25 PM):

*laughs*

Madeline (9:49:29 PM):

no

Madeline (9:49:34 PM):

Atanvarne says no

Me (9:49:40 PM):

Oh, I begin to see.

Me (9:49:50 PM):

Never mind, I’m utterly confused.

Me (9:49:58 PM):

But hopefully not irretrivably so.

Madeline (9:50:23 PM):

*sighs*

Me (9:50:28 PM):

Who’s eating the popsicle?

Me (9:50:30 PM):

M or A

Me (9:50:32 PM):

?

Madeline (9:50:49 PM):

madeline

Me (9:50:58 PM):

Who was glaring?

Madeline (9:51:02 PM):

madeline

Me (9:51:09 PM):

At Atanvarne?

Madeline (9:51:15 PM):

at her poor amanuensis

Me (9:51:24 PM):

What’s an amanuensis?

Madeline (9:51:29 PM):

O_O

Madeline (9:51:54 PM):

you’re a greek student and are unacquaited with the term amanuensis!?

Me (9:51:55 PM):

Even I can’t know everything!

Me (9:52:04 PM):

uh…heh heh… yes?

Madeline (9:52:08 PM):

tsk

Me (9:52:11 PM):

I agree.

Me (9:52:14 PM):

What is it?

Madeline (9:52:43 PM):

an amanuensis was a scribe who would take dictation

Me (9:52:56 PM):

ohhh

Madeline (9:52:59 PM):

and was used by the likes of paul and peter in writing the new testament

Me (9:53:01 PM):

So who is typing?

Me (9:53:03 PM):

Atanvarne?

Madeline (9:53:09 PM):

Atanvarne says no

Me (9:53:17 PM):

WHO?

Madeline (9:53:18 PM):

and asks how she would know all that

Madeline (9:53:26 PM):

madeline says she thought you were smarter than that

Madeline (9:53:35 PM):

and continues eating her popsicle

Me (9:53:40 PM):

I’m SO confused.

Me (9:53:43 PM):

This can’t be Andrew

Madeline (9:53:44 PM):

Atanvarne says no, it’s a new popsicle

Me (9:53:48 PM):

it doesn’t sound like him

Madeline (9:54:00 PM):

madeline says you don’t know him well, then

Madeline (9:54:23 PM):

Atanvarne says he’s always logical when you’re around or when visitors are around, but not so in private

Me (9:54:24 PM):

???

Me (9:54:29 PM):

I know that!

Madeline (9:54:35 PM):

Atanvarne says poor Anya

Madeline (9:54:44 PM):

madeline says she is so confused

Me (9:54:45 PM):

Is this Tom?

Me (9:54:48 PM):

I agree

Madeline (9:54:51 PM):

who’

Me (9:54:51 PM):

with Madeline

Madeline (9:54:53 PM):

s tom?

Me (9:54:55 PM):

TOM

Me (9:55:01 PM):

He lives on your roof.

Madeline (9:55:01 PM):

madeline’s boyfriend tom?

Me (9:55:04 PM):

Don’t you know anything?

Madeline (9:55:12 PM):

HE LIVES ON OUR ROOF NOW!?!?!?!

Me (9:55:20 PM):

Last I knew, anyway.

Me (9:55:25 PM):

I guess that this is not Tom.

Madeline (9:55:28 PM):

I shall have to talk to that girl, this is completely unacceptable

Me (9:55:39 PM):

Okay, I like this game.

Me (9:55:41 PM):

Is this Andrew?

Madeline (9:55:48 PM):

is it not?

Me (9:55:56 PM):

That’s what I’m asking you.

    Madeline (9:56:08 PM):

and thus I asked in reply

Me (9:56:18 PM):

you’re sounding more like Andrew now.

Madeline (9:56:49 PM):

Madeline just choked on her popsicle when she read that

Me (9:56:52 PM):

LOL

Me (9:56:57 PM):

Oops, I mean, is she okay?

Madeline (9:57:30 PM):

I would guess I sound more like andrew to you now because you knew him back in his debate days, and would have more exposure to this side of his personality

Me (9:57:41 PM):

true

Madeline (9:57:41 PM):

madeline’s on her third popsicle

Me (9:57:45 PM):

which side?

Madeline (9:57:51 PM):

with a fourth in her other hand

Me (9:58:01 PM):

She’s going to go into sugar shock

Me (9:58:09 PM):

so… is this A2?

Madeline (9:58:19 PM):

isn’t it?

Me (9:58:20 PM):

Please give me an answer without teeth and without horns!

Madeline (9:58:35 PM):

ok

Madeline (9:59:35 PM):

im typing with my big toe now

Me (9:59:46 PM):

That’s disgusting.

Me (9:59:53 PM):

no wonder it took you so long.

Madeline (10:00:02 PM):

Atanvarne says she’ll never touch the keyboard again

Madeline (10:00:13 PM):

looks like she’ll need an amanuensis, too

Me (10:00:14 PM):

Of course she won’t, she’s germaphobic.

Me (10:00:22 PM):

I guess I’ll be talking to you a lot, then.

Madeline (10:00:36 PM):

she says she’s just extra-aware of her surroundings, not germaphobic

Me (10:00:48 PM):

*skeptical look*

Madeline (10:00:55 PM):

I bet if she lost a leg she’d be “handi-capable”, then, too

Me (10:00:55 PM):

actually *disbelieving look*

Me (10:01:07 PM):

Rightho

Me (10:01:12 PM):

Why don’t you get on your own name?

Madeline (10:01:19 PM):

madeline says she thought you said rigatoni

Me (10:01:20 PM):

Assuming that this is still not-Madeline?

Madeline (10:01:28 PM):

I have my own name

Me (10:01:43 PM):

Is this the internet equivalent of cross-dressing?

Madeline (10:01:48 PM):

but directly answering questions goes against the socratic method

Me (10:01:59 PM):

Oh, so now you’re Socrates.

Me (10:02:00 PM):

Great.

Madeline (10:02:06 PM):

no

Madeline (10:03:03 PM):

socrates’ philosophy, though narrative based and recognizing the need for a higher standard in value judgments, failed to provide an acceptable account of the divine

Me (10:03:13 PM):

Puh-leeze. 

Me (10:03:19 PM):

I read that stuff.

Madeline (10:03:22 PM):

madeline’s on her fifth popsicle

Me (10:03:30 PM):

I’m classically educated, for goodness sake.

Me (10:03:35 PM):

Good for her!

Madeline (10:03:51 PM):

then we could have an intelligent discussion of socrates

Madeline (10:03:54 PM):

or descartes

Me (10:03:57 PM):

Did you want to?

Madeline (10:04:01 PM):

descartes also erred greatly

Me (10:04:06 PM):

No, please, I don’t really like Descartes.

Me (10:04:09 PM):

Too much math.

Me (10:04:15 PM):

How ’bout about superstring theorum?

Madeline (10:04:20 PM):

hence his error

Madeline (10:04:38 PM):

a little bit too scientific for my tastes

Me (10:04:46 PM):

The wheels in your head go round and round, round and round, round and round…

Me (10:04:55 PM):

Oh, but it’s meta-physics.

Madeline (10:05:17 PM):

*shrug*

Me (10:05:47 PM):

Does this mean that you don’t know anything about it?

Me (10:06:00 PM):

or that you prefer your brain un-exploded.

Madeline (10:06:41 PM):

I have not looked into it in a while

Madeline (10:06:52 PM):

is that the theory that proposes additional dimensions?

Me (10:07:39 PM):

Si, senor

Me (10:07:50 PM):

(or senorita, depending on whom I’m talking to.)

Madeline (10:07:53 PM):

ah, okay, i remember that then

Me (10:08:02 PM):

it’s interesting.

Madeline (10:08:13 PM):

somewhat

Me (10:08:45 PM):

weird, for sure.

Madeline (10:08:50 PM):

it’s rather difficult to wrap one’s mind around

Me (10:08:55 PM):

Heh, yeah.

Madeline (10:09:09 PM):

madeline’s on her sixth pospicle now

Me (10:09:17 PM):

Do you think that I care?

Madeline (10:09:21 PM):

she’s glaring at her amanuensis

Madeline (10:09:31 PM):

she’s shocked that you don’t care

Madeline (10:09:38 PM):

on the verge of tears, I’d say

Me (10:09:40 PM):

I didn’t say that I didn’t

Madeline (10:09:49 PM):

she’s crying so hard she’s convulsing

Me (10:09:51 PM):

I asked if you thought that I did?

Me (10:09:54 PM):

Yeah, right.

Me (10:09:56 PM):

She’s laughing.

Madeline (10:10:11 PM):

my, she can’t speak she’s so shocked

Madeline (10:10:18 PM):

nor can she stand straight

Me (10:10:22 PM):

*she’s laughing so hard

Me (10:10:29 PM):

Let me guess, she’s rolling on the floor.

Madeline (10:10:33 PM):

Atanvarne says she can only make hideous gasping noises

Me (10:10:39 PM):

I believe it.

Madeline (10:11:04 PM):

now Atanvarne wants to clarify that it’s madeline, not her making the hideous gasping noises

Madeline (10:11:14 PM):

CLARIFY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me (10:11:14 PM):

I knew that

Madeline (10:11:25 PM):

quoth the Atanvarne

Madeline (10:11:33 PM):

er, madeline

Madeline (10:11:36 PM):

er…

Madeline (10:11:39 PM):

someone

Me (10:11:41 PM):

*laughs*

Me (10:11:47 PM):

Call the paramedics

Madeline (10:12:02 PM):

madeline just fell into a cabinet

Madeline (10:12:09 PM):

she hurt herself ratehr terribly

Me (10:12:20 PM):

poor girl.

Me (10:12:29 PM):

I sympathize greatly.

Madeline (10:12:31 PM):

she’s putting pressure on it to hold the blood in

Madeline (10:12:43 PM):

and by pressure I mean her seventh popsicle

Me (10:13:13 PM):

What, is she now addicted to popsicles?

Me (10:13:27 PM):

What flavor?

Madeline (10:13:29 PM):

no, she’s attempting to osmose it through her foot

Me (10:13:37 PM):

EWWWW GROSS.

Madeline (10:13:38 PM):

she keeps sobbing

Madeline (10:13:47 PM):

I think she’s still sad about earlier

Me (10:13:49 PM):

From so much laughing?

Me (10:13:55 PM):

I am deeply sorry

Me (10:13:58 PM):

*cough*

Madeline (10:13:59 PM):

no, she says it hurts

Me (10:14:06 PM):

From laughing so much?

Madeline (10:14:11 PM):

and there will be a big bruise there forever

Me (10:14:12 PM):

Or from falling into the cabinet?

Madeline (10:14:15 PM):

probably on her heart

Madeline (10:14:18 PM):

from your insult

Me (10:14:29 PM):

Um, Madeline, tell him that he sounds like Antion.

Madeline (10:14:29 PM):

she says I think i’m so clever

Madeline (10:15:03 PM):

madeline says it’s cool

Madeline (10:15:15 PM):

Atanvarne says it’s all good

Me (10:15:17 PM):

What, him sounding like Antion?

Madeline (10:15:23 PM):

no, the popsicles

Madeline (10:15:26 PM):

sheesh

Me (10:15:43 PM):

What flavor are your siblings eating?

Madeline (10:15:45 PM):

madeline claims she’s about to die

Me (10:15:48 PM):

Are you eating them too?

Madeline (10:15:50 PM):

no

Me (10:15:53 PM):

Can I have her scrapbooks?

Madeline (10:15:57 PM):

they’ve run the gambit of flavors

Madeline (10:16:04 PM):

she says ew

Madeline (10:16:08 PM):

they look like dandruff

Me (10:16:08 PM):

if she dies, I mean

Me (10:16:14 PM):

The scrapbooks?

Me (10:16:16 PM):

O_O

Madeline (10:16:18 PM):

yes

Madeline (10:16:19 PM):

oh

Madeline (10:16:22 PM):

she says no

Madeline (10:16:27 PM):

apparently that was another conversation

Me (10:16:29 PM):

I think you’re confused

Me (10:16:39 PM):

Well, may I have them if she dies?

Me (10:16:43 PM):

The camp one, anyway?

Madeline (10:17:18 PM):

no, Atanvarne wants it

Me (10:17:22 PM):

Sheesh

Madeline (10:17:28 PM):

she says photos make wonderful fireworks

Me (10:17:46 PM):

Oh, BAD Atanvarne

Me (10:18:09 PM):

Where have your capitalization skills gone?

Me (10:19:11 PM):

oh, and Madeline?  I still don’t know how to put my own picture in the avatar place.

Madeline (10:19:41 PM):

madeline burps in response

Me (10:19:47 PM):

TMI

Madeline (10:19:47 PM):

and then hits her amaneuensis

Me (10:19:53 PM):

Good for her.

Madeline (10:19:56 PM):

TMI?

Me (10:20:03 PM):

*hits her amaneuensis as well*

Madeline (10:20:04 PM):

is that some sort of acronymal assault?

Me (10:20:12 PM):

Too much information

Madeline (10:20:34 PM):

you have an amaneuensis?

Me (10:20:49 PM):

They’re called my fingers!

Madeline (10:20:52 PM):

ah

Me (10:20:56 PM):

I said that I hit HERS

Madeline (10:21:22 PM):

which could equally have been a pronoun referring to you in the third person, given the narrative form of your statement

Me (10:21:38 PM):

I meant you.

Me (10:22:02 PM):

I’m at a safe distance.

Me (10:22:11 PM):

Hasn’t she finished that popsicle yet?

Madeline (10:22:27 PM):

she’s on a new one

Madeline (10:22:33 PM):

I think it’s her eighth

Madeline (10:22:34 PM):

ot ninth

Madeline (10:22:36 PM):

I lost count

David:  could you please start ranting about something so I have something to do?David:  sooooo how was whateveryoudo? [Districts]

David (10:33:08 PM): yay?
Me (10:33:16 PM): YES!
Me (10:33:19 PM): *confetti*
David (10:34:05 PM): *vacuums wildly in air*
David (10:34:10 PM): NO MESS!!!!!!
David (10:34:14 PM): 8G
Me (10:34:17 PM): *actually smiles*
David (10:35:26 PM): erm
David (10:35:32 PM): whassat mean?
Me (10:35:38 PM): about you vacuuming in the air
Me (10:35:58 PM): Well… I’m tired.  And you got me to smile.  Fairly close to laughing.  I’m impressed.
David (10:36:31 PM): allll—-RIGHT
Me (10:36:52 PM): *more confetti*
Me (10:36:56 PM): *evil laughter*
David (10:37:00 PM): NOOOOOO
Me (10:37:18 PM): *laughs*
David (10:37:18 PM): *VACUUMS ALL POSSIBLE AND INHALES THE REST*
Me (10:37:23 PM): *Abbie asks why I am laughing*
David (10:38:07 PM): must..*cough* …not… *wheeze* let it… touch floor
Me (10:38:15 PM): Why?
David (10:38:23 PM): I dunno
Me (10:38:57 PM): Hmm
Me (10:39:07 PM): I don’t think you ought to kill yourself for reasons which you know not why.
David (10:39:21 PM): well
David (10:39:24 PM): it’s just asterisks
Me (10:40:58 PM): That’s good to know.
Me (10:41:03 PM): Reassuring, and all that.
David (10:41:21 PM): yuh-huh

Antion:  I like the lawyer… he makes things more interestingAnd mhmm.  I could find a lot more amusing stuff, but I don’t feel like continuing to do that… it has been amazing.  A lot of goofiness, a lot of thought-provoking stuff, a lot of blessings.  Things ranging from, “goodnight… get a good sleep” to “ve con la amor de Dios”.  It’s like an online L’Abri.  :)

This is going to be a rather random post. May 7, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , 1 comment so far

…basically because I feel like being random, and not like putting thought into a coherent post.

Let’s see.  Tonight at youth group Peter banned me from sitting on Triopolis.  (That’s what he named the couch… I don’t know why.)  So, what else could I do?  I moved onto the other couch between him and Richard.  Richard didn’t seem to mind a bit.  Peter, on the other hand, GLARED at me and told me to get back to Triopolis.  I pointed out that he had banned me.  He pointed out that he was now squished on his own couch, and that I am a girl, and he is a boy, and I am 17, and he is 13, and he was finding this awkward.  Gracious.  He’s difficult to please.  But I moved back.

Bryan brought glowsticks and we really got the LIFE feeling going.  That was cool.

Samwise and Ross and I hung out for a while, just talking.  We got going on various accents, which was absolutely hysterical.  Ross is a riot.  Samwise is also a riot, but in a different way.  And the three of us had a rather rollickingly good time.

I’m working on a slideshow for Here in America, largely with pictures I’ve taken this spring.  It should be lovely, I think. 

Yesterday we were in a city.  (I would have said “a big city”, but I’m guessing that I would have heard from Griffin about that one.)

Anyway.  Dad had instructed that there was to be no gawking in the one section of town.  A while later, Ibey asked, ”Hey, are we out now?”

Dad said yes.

Miss Dog Lover followed this affirmative answer up immediately with, “So it’s okay to gawk now?”

And… I’m supposed to be getting off.  Goodnight.

“I’ll try to stay awake.” May 3, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , 3comments

Sometimes my siblings all seem to be intent on marrying me off as quickly as possible.  They propose (no pun intended!) long lists of “suitable” guys.  “Suitable” meaning that they are within ten years or so of my age and that we haven’t killed each other yet.  (That having been said, they do suggest even the guys who I disagree with all the time.  This provides a learning opportunity, right?  I tell them that sometimes you can be friends and disagree quite a lot, but that would probably not work well for a marriage.)

Anyway.  Ibey took the rather opposite approach the other night.

“Do you like any guys?” he asked me, in the car, on the way home from Bible study.  (We were beginning a study on the book of Esther — maybe that sparked his mind?)
“Um,” I said.  “Why?”
“Do you?”
*non-committal sound*
“Oh, okay,” replied Ib.
“Why?” I asked.  (I was curious.  I’m almost always curious.)
“Just because I don’t think you’ll get married,” he said, matter-of-factly.  “I picture you as the type to end an old spinster.”

Boy.  Thanks.  His vote of confidence is overwhelming.

There’s really got to be a happy medium somewhere there.

I think I forgot to mention that we know at least one person who, if I even mention the names of any males, starts hearing wedding bells.

I’ve been most perversely tempted to mention in casual conversation something about Dakota, from quizzing, and how he follows me around and hangs on me (he does) and quite sits on my lap and…

…well, yes.  He’s about four.

I am bad.

May 2, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , 5comments

Well.  I got chapter two of the Lord Peter story finished.  And… I’m feeling singularly uninspired in continuing it.  *sigh*

The cool news:  I picked up quite a bunch of foreign change today, including euros, coins from the Philippines, coins from Hong Kong and coins from Helvetia. Funky, eh?  Goes right along with volunteering at a pregnancy crisis center.  :)

Also.  I reread The Great Divorce, and A2 was precisely right (which should surprise pretty much no one!) — I thought it was weird the first time through and quite good the second time through.

And… summer vacation is coming up, so I should have time to catch up on the books you all have been recommending to me. 

So far, the list is:

Midnight is a Place by Joan Aiken [for Anika]

The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson [for StrongJoy, obviously!]

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard [for Griffin, who has made the bargain that he’ll read A Severe Mercy if I read a book for him.  Fair enough.]

So what else ought I to be reading?

Giving What We Cannot Keep April 29, 2008

Posted by Anya in : I won't keep things purposely vague , 2comments

We watched Beyond the Gates of Splendor the other night. I highly recommend it. It’s a sort of documentary of the lives and deaths and work of five missionaries in Ecuador, of whom Jim Elliot is probably the best known. It has some fascinating interviews with the missionaries’ widows, friends, and those who killed them. (I had the privilege of meeting both Mincaye and Steve Saint — you’ll get to see both of them and learn about who they are if you watch Beyond the Gates.) There’s also a lot of actual footage, which is very cool.

That whole story is one which amazingly illustrates how a few people who will give up everything can be used by God to make huge differences.  Differences which leave the world in a state of shocked awe, and can clearly have only been worked by God, “Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”.  (Ephesians 3:20)

We have been seeing that in our devotions at home, where we’ve been studying the Old Testament.  Even when Judah had fallen far from obedience to God, one faithful king — such as Hezekiah — brought about incredible change and reform.

So what will God do in our lives — with our lives — if we will be totally faithful to Him?  The Westminster Shorter Catechism says that “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”  What if we lived every moment asking, “What will glorify God the most?”  (Incidentally, I’m sure that is what we were to learn from the Missionary Preparedness Test with its challenge of obeying our parents for a year — every time, immediately, exactly, and cheerfully.)  Are we ready to obey God in everything which He asks of us, immediately, exactly, and cheerfully?

What if that means dying?  Living to please Him, and then dying?  To be honest, that scares me.  I think it would be awesome, but it it still scares me.  That’s okay, though.  you can be scared in yourself and still trusting outside yourself at the same time.

And now for some thoughts from other heads…

Aaron Shust:  “I will wait for Your plan to unfold… I know that I owe You my life… You watch over me/through the darkest valley… I love You more than life itself…” (various songs from Whispered and Shouted)

King David:  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”  (Psalm 23:4)

MercyMe:  “And I pray that You will use my life/In whatever way Your name is glorified/Even if surrendering means leaving everything… behind.” (I Would Die For You, which was written about a young man who died as a result of a missions trip.)

Paul wrote, “For to  me to live is Christ and to die is gain… this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison… I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”  (Philippians 1:21, II Corinthians 4:17, Romans 8:18)

Jim Elliot wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

The words for the song The Prophecy, from the movie The Fellowship of the Ring, have struck me.  “Hlasta!  Qyetes Hfirimain…”  “Listen!  It speaks to those who were not born to die…”

That is who God has made us.  Hfirimain.  Those who were not born to die.  Incredible word.

And at the same time, I was struck by the words from the song Suicide Note.  “I had a dream last night…/…That maybe I was meant to die/For something that is greater than me… or all that I could be…”

This is also true.  As Christians we are called to die.  To ourselves and our sinful nature, which looks crazy, and, well, suicidal to the world (which is what Suicide Note is about), but as we die to ourselves, we come to live in Christ.  To Christ.

It’s a central truth of Christianity.  We live by death.  Christ’s death for us.  And God often uses the blood of His martyrs as the seed of His church.

So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.  Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.  The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.  As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.  Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall  also bear the image of the man of heaven.  (I Corinthians 15:42-49)

I had a dream last night…

…That maybe I was meant to die

For something that is greater than me… or all that I could be… 

Districts II April 27, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration, smiling is good for you , 5comments

Various other quotes and stories…

The church was hot. VERY hot. So hot that I just walked in and opened the window in Mr. S’ room, without asking if it was okay if it was opened… (Rachel, who was keeping score, is always cold!) Samwise: “Hace muy calor.” [It is very hot.] I realized that he was sort of addressing me and finally agreed with him. Peter said that it took me long enough.

Speaking of windows and Samwise, he almost jumped through a closed window on Friday. He was going to run out the open door and re-enter through the open window. However, as soon as he exited the room, Andrew slammed the window shut. We all laughed. Sam came flying at the window at rather top speed and came to a screeching halt. Hadn’t quite forseen that happening…

Anyway, when I opened the window, the guys on the team in front of the window threatened to sue me!

Ben L: “If a bullet comes through that window and hits me, I’m going to sue you.” (I want to see how he’s going to do that!)
Evan: “If [something, I forget what] happens, I’ll sue you.”
At least they wouldn’t be suing me for dying of heatstroke.

I was high-fiving Miss Dance’s team. I got her, got Tim, got Sarah, got Michael, and was standing there waiting for Johnny. Given the fact that he was coughing his head off, I decided NOT to high-five him and instead just go with, “Have a good quiz.” But then he continued to cough and I added, “Are you okay?”
Johnny: *very convincingly* “Yeah! *cough* I’m fine! *cough cough* *choke* No problem at all! Have a — *cough — great quiz!” *whacks himself in the chest* “Okay, good. I’m good now.”

Also as we were going into Mr. S’ room yesterday (this was before I opened the window) I realized that it was the especially hot room…
me: “Oh no! Not this room again!”
Meghan: “AAAAH, no!”
me: “Everyone take a deep breath!”
Meghan and I: *GASP*
everyone else: *stares at us* *starts laughing*

I’m just realizing that I have a lot of stories from Mr. S’ room…

Johnny: *jumps on a quote the two verses* *says them* *goes to sit down*
Mr. S: “I need your reference please.”
Johnny: “Oh. Yeah. Eight and nine.”
Mr. S: “No, I’m sorry, that’s wrong.”
Johnny: *heart stops* (You could literally see him freeze.)
Mr. S: “It was verses eight and twelve.”
Johnny: *verrrrry slowly starts to breathe again* “Hahaha. Wow. You scared me. I was like, WHAT????“
He explained to me later that he had almost passed out. I don’t think that was an exaggeration.

Also in Mr. S’ room, I was watching a quiz. Mark got one right. (He is in the habit of doing that, having come ridiculously close to have a perfect year.) Danielle started going crazy. Sarah, who was sitting beside her, gave her an odd look and then also started jumping up and down. After a minute, everyone in the room turned around to see what they were screaming about. A spider. Things took a few minutes to settle down. :P Uhhh yeah. Relevant quotes: “I had no idea what was wrong! I thought that you were so excited about Mark getting a question!” “Timeout for the audience!”

My team this year was fun. It was an all girls’ team — Joanna, Sarah, me, and Mary Beth — and Joanna rather suddenly realized that we all had blue eyes. Okay.

During the one time out Joanna whipped out her calculator (which is named Connie) and started calculating her average. (”Her score is so high she needs a calculator!”) This was obviously much to the amusement of everyone in the room. As I said in the last post, easily amused.

And to be fair, I ought to include myself in the “easily amused” category. During the top 15 quiz offs… where I’m not sure that a single question made it past the second syllable unless part of the reference had to waited for… Griffin decided to start finishing the questions and answering them for me. (Quietly, so that the kids quizzing couldn’t hear.) I actually started laughing. Oh dear. It really cannot have been that funny. Adrenaline does funny things to people’s minds.

Joanna: “Filthy language from your lips.”
Quizmaster: “Shame on you! That’s correct.”

Michael: *answers*
Mr. C: “…I’m sorry. You were in Galatians two.”
Michael: “Oh. Okay.” *walks dejectedly back to his seat*
Mr. C: “But so was I. Good job.”

(We seem to have some rather sadistic quizmasters who enjoy watching us squirm!)

Jordan and I were making plans for a new kind of Districts. Plans which involved everyone promising not to jump until at least the third syllable of the questions. There would be fewer errors, more points, and it seemed like it would make everyone happy. Jordan was in, and I was watching, a quiz this year where everyone in it (okay, there were only five people in it, but still) had perfect quiz outs. That was lovely. We should do it more often.

Unfortunately, we didn’t quite manage to get everyone else on board with that plan.

Abbi: *is sitting by herself in the corner*
Peter: “She looks lonely.” *goes to check on her*
Abbi: “Oh no, I’m just humming.”
Peter: *comes back* “She says she’s fine. And she sent me away.”
me: “Don’t bother her, she’s busy!”
Peter: “She’s humming!”
me: “Yes! She’s busy humming!”
Peter: *rolls eyes*

He and I tried pretending that we had never met before. I don’t think it was very convincing. ^_^

Griffin was sitting beside me during some of the top 15 quizzing (obviously, as he was telling me the answers, and you can’t be yelling them across the sanctuary!) and cheering for everyone. I don’t know if I made a face at him or what, conveying something like, Griff, that is my ear, and I used to be able to hear out of it!

Griffin: “Sorry if I yell.”
me: “You do.”
Griffin: *laughs* “I know.”
If?

Michael: *freaking out* “I don’t know what to do! I don’t know what to do! Call a timeout!”
…meantime…
Joanna (who was not on Michael’s team): *jumps up to call her own timeout*
Johnny (Michael’s captain, and Joanna’s younger brother): *jumps up frantically to call a timeout* “Timeout! Hey! Timeout!”
Joanna: “Um, Johnny –”
Johnny: “TIMEOUT!”
Joanna: “Haven’t you used up all your timeouts?”
Johnny: “I need a timeout!!!!”
Quizmaster: “Um, yeah. You used them all.”
Joanna: *grins* “I’ll call a timeout for you.” (Which she had been going to do anyway!)

us: *looking for our coach — Mrs. B, Sarah’s mom*
Sarah: *sighs* “I bet she’s at the health food store. We drove in here and she goes, ‘Aah! LOOK! A health food store!’ and I’m like, “Moooooommmm!’”

*talking with Johnny between the top 15 quizzes* (He was very close to being in the top five at that point. Talk about wound up.) We decided that really, quizzing is simple. “Jump! And answer questions. Correctly. Two steps to success.” *grins*

Johnny did make it into the number five position, thus saving many people a lot of nail-biting. (The top ten go to Internationals.) So… I caught Johnny — that is, he caught me — out in the foyer. He was talking to Emily and began yelling at me. “Wasn’t it? WASN’T IT???”
me: “Wasn’t what? And good job Johnny!” *starts to walk away*
Johnny: “GET BACK HERE. Now tell Emily. Wasn’t it?”
me: “Wasn’t what?”
Johnny: “Wasn’t that last quiz AWESOME????”
me: “YES.”
Johnny: “Woo. Dude. I am just so obnoxious up there.”
Emily and me: “No you aren’t!!!”
Johnny: *grinning* “Yeah I am! I’ve got this jacket, and, wow, last year I had…” *runs fingers along face*
me: “Yeah, blue stripes… which I missed seeing.” (Actually, I did obviously see it, as he had used my paint, I just didn’t get to watch him quiz that way. *sigh*) “Augh, that was incredible.”

So then I got a hug from Johnny. Which was also incredible. (Johnny just is incredible. You have to know him.)

And I’d like to add that I was really pleased with how my friends did this year. Aside from all the top 10 people, who are good quizzers. I was proud of Michael (who as a first year quizzer did some absolutely phenomenal quizzing — Michael: “Hopefully next year I’ll know what I’m doing.” For a guy who “didn’t know what he was doing”, he did very well.) and Samwise did some great quizzing. He was content with how he did. I was impressed with how he did.

I know I’ve thought of a few more stories from Districts, but I think that’s mostly it for now.

And I did cry yesterday, but it was because I was hacking slicing an onion up. I came pretty close to it walking out of the building though. Oh well. To quote Antion, Hasta luego. I am confident that I’ll be seeing many of those kids again. Our citizenship is in heaven…

It’s Districts! April 25, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration, smiling is good for you , 3comments

Okay, so this is not actually live-blogging (are you insane? If I was trying to live-blog quizzing, I would not get to talk to anyone and hence there would be very little for me to blog about!) but it’s pretty close. :)

Let’s see. Districts is actually at our church (well, not *my* church but the church where I go to youth group and quizzing… yes, I’ll try to can the parentheticals, or at least cut back on them…) so I don’t have lots of quotes from the car ride. Which could be a good thing, considering how last year it was all about Sam, Josh, and Andrew singing “We Are The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything”, and of course it was beautiful weather so we had the windows open… moral of the story: It is most difficult to pretend that you don’t know people when you’re in the same care as them.

ANYWAY. So we got to the church and I spied Peter running at us. I was extremely high on adrenaline — I still am — so I was yelling to him before we were even out of the car. Fun stuff. He told me that no one I knew was there yet except Bethany T… this was not entirely accurate as I know several kids from other districts, but it wasn’t far off. So I went inside and paced around and ran up and down the stairs and waited for people to get there and opened doors so we could get the bench seats in and all that good stuff.

And then… someone hollered my name… and then Dad hollered at me that Griffin wanted me. He was driving *gasp* and needed to know when we started quizzing. I’m so helpful. “Six? Six thirty? Something like that? Um… would you like me to find out?” Griffin: *sounding mildly sarcastic* “Yes, that would be nice.” I suppose so. I never know that sort of thing, though!

We went to announcements. Mr. S asked if there were any questions. someone [not Peter!]: “What’s for lunch?” Mike: “What’s quizzing?”

Mhmm. Thank you guys.

Then we headed in to our first quiz. And waited, because the H family was not yet there. This throws a wrench into things when the boys (Mark and Alex) are captains, and their dad is a coach, and their mom was handling stats. Unfortunately, they’re another cell-phone-less family, so we were compelled to be patient (!) and wonder for a few minutes.

Sarah: “You’d think they’d have been here a day early!”
us: *wait wait wait*
someone: “It’s a helicopter! I bet it’s them!” [It wasn’t.]

They did get there, and proceeded to confuse us by switching which team Mark and Alex were on! The only explanation which we could get, from either of them, was, “It’s a long story.” Oookay.

I did remember to show Griffin the clock and the shrubs. He laughed. Some people are easily amused…

…such as Dakota. He kept “killing” me with a truck until Samwise finally told him that it was mean and started playing more peaceably with him. Well, sort of more peaceably. They were building, but then it turned into wrecking. We are thankful that Samwise is studying chemistry, NOT engineering. Then I somehow started playing with them. Dakota: “Again and again and again and again and…”

Mrs. O (Dakota’s mom): “Next he’ll want to take you home!”
Dakota: “Ah you comin’ to da hotel? We’ going swimmin! Come swimmin!”
Sam: *blinks*
me: “No, we live here. Well, not here, but…”
Sam: “Close.”
Mrs. O: “PLEASE don’t tell him that you live at the church! He’ll want to spend the night!”

…Dakota wasn’t the only one confused about where we were staying.

Johnny D: *very hopefully* “So. Are you staying at the Holiday Inn?”
me: “Uh, no. Johnny. I live here. You can almost see my house from here.”
Johnny: “Oh yeah. DRAT!”
(He just wanted to play Marco Polo again, probably.)

He was also busy launching paper from a (fiberglass?) rod in the parkinglot… unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me…

But there it is for the night.

April 24, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration , 1 comment so far

Last night we were talking about temptation. 

Pastor B:  “Anna, is there a word for temptation in Chinese?” *
Anna:  “I don’t think so.”
*laughter*

I’m going to miss youth group…

*This due to our girls who speak not much English coming in.

Quiz Practice Strikes Again April 20, 2008

Posted by Anya in : spontaneous degeneration, smiling is good for you , 2comments

That is, Samwise was striking. The light. He suddenly jumped out of his chair and whacked it. He was trying to knock the dead flies (ew) out of it. Our tangent could have stopped right there. But oh no. Mr. G. looked into his cup (which had been on the table underneath the light) and made a face at Sam. “Thanks, Sam,” he said. “Now there’s flies in my cup.” We all laughed about hat for a minute and sat back down to practice… it could have ended there but, as I’m posting about it, it obviously didn’t…

Samwise cupped his hands and held them out to Andrew.
Sam: “Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup!”
Andrew: *laughs* “No, there isn’t.”
Sam: “Yes, there is!”
Andrew: “No, there isn’t!”
Sam: “Yes, there is! Look for yourself!”
Andrew: “No, there isn’t. I don’t need to look. We don’t put flies in the soup.”
Sam: *sigh* *fishes “fly” out of “bowl”* *holds it up* “Look at this. This fly. It was in my soup.”
Andrew: *coughlaugh* “That is not a fly.”
Sam: *looks at it* *indignantly* “Yes, it is! Then what is it?”
Andrew: *laughing* “It’s… erm… it’s an olive.”
Sam: *looks at it again* “That is not an olive. It’s too small for an olive –”
Andrew: “It’s a baby olive.”
Sam: “A what?”
Andrew: “A, uh, baby olive.” *grins*
Sam: *blink* “If it’s a baby olive, why does it have legs?”
Andrew: “It doesn’t have legs.”
Sam: “Yes, it does. Look.”
Andrew: “Those aren’t legs.”
Sam: “Oh yeah, really? Then what are they?”
Andrew: “They’re twigs. Olive twigs.”
Sam: “They’re what?”
Andrew: “Olive twigs. Look, do you grow olives?”
Sam: “Well, no –”
Andrew: “See? Then just trust me. They’re olive twigs.”
Sam: “Well… I didn’t order my soup with olives. Or flies.”
Andrew: “Yes, you ordered olive-tomato-parsley soup.”
Sam: “No, I didn’t.”
Andrew: “Yes, you did.”
Sam: “No, I didn– look, I remember. I did not order… olive-tomato-parsley soup.”
Andrew: “I distinctly remember that you did. Wait.” *pulls “notepad” out of pocket* *looks at it* “Yep, here it is. Olive-tomato-parsley soup.”
Sam: “WHA–?” *grabs “notebook”* “No, no. That says oregano tomato soup. Nothing about olives.”
Andrew: “Oh well. I thought that you said olive.”
Sam: “What? Look. How much do you get paid to bring my soup to me? From there to here.”
Andrew: “Um… how much is in your wallet?”
Sam: *thinks about this* “I don’t have a wallet.”
Andrew: “You don’t?”
Sam: “No. I am definitely absolutely positive; I do not have a wallet.”
Andrew: “Well, then, there is no way I’m getting you a new bowl of soup.”
Sam: “What? I think I want to talk to the manager.”
Andrew: *cough* “Well, I am the manager.”
Sam: *stunned silence* “…well, how about one of the other waiters?”
Andrew: “I am the Other Waiters.”
Sam: “What kind of restaurant is this?”
Andrew: “Actually, they’re out to lunch.”
*laughter*

It did have a rather Hitchhiker-ian feel to it.

But if you’re coming to Districts, watch out for the flies.