dreams are so intoxicating :)

so basically I love high school. and I really didn't think I'd be saying that, but I do. I'm having a lot of fun; my teachers are pretty good (well I like most of them) and I like my classes and even golf team is going ok. as ok as golf team can go I guess :).

1st block is geology with Mr. Moyer. he kind of scares me because I've heard some weird stories from his class but the class itself is okay. I mean, it's the basic study of the earth, soil composition and water and oxygen cycles and etc. it sounds like no big bang, no evolution, no nothing is involved and I can't say I mind that. plus it's not totally freshmen, there's a few of us and a few people from each grade and that's kind of cool... it makes me feel smart and all, plus it's an incentive to work harder. so this one's not bad.

2nd block: French with Mrs. Basso. possibly my favorite class although it's a hard choice. it's just fun, straight up, and I like how Madame Basso is so, like... interactive I guess is the word? instead of hopeless worksheets like last year (though we do a few of course, and I liked my French teacher last year, I just didn't learn too much) it's a matter of repeating and having conversations and everything so that not only can you spell the word but you can say it right too! yay that's nice :). and me and Brittany have wicked study sessions of course. and yes, I'm joining French club, and no, you can't laugh at me because it's going to be amazinggg.

academy and lunch... who really cares?

3rd is honors English with Mrs. Stallman, I like this class, I really do. but Stallman is quite a bit more strict that Mrs. Caslow ever was and I really really really miss my eight-person class from middle school. but I get the feeling it's going to make me a million times better of a writer and that's exciting to me because I'm a loser :). but I'm going to be challanged more than the past few years, yes some of that was hard, but I'm going to have to do my absolute best to stand out as a good writer this time. plus I actually enjoy analyzing novels and learning new vocab words (did you know "hackneyed" is an adjective for something overused to the point that it's boring?) and even grammar is okay. so this might turn out to be a favorite in the end.

finally 4th block is newswriting and this is my other fighter for favorite at the moment. I know I'm only a freshman but I've been considering journalism as a career for the past few months and this is like my first step and that's REALLY REALLY exciting. because we're like the pre-newspaper staff, everything we write has a chance to go in the paper, if it's especially good. once again this is amazing motivation; it's another class with all different grades... all sorts of people that I don't know and I don't know how good of writers they are. so in the end I'm really going to have to work my butt off because I want that byline (the byline is the author's name underneath the title of an article) soooo much. it's like this class is going to decide my future as a journalist. I know in the end it's up to God but this is still that first step, as well as that first obstacle. we'll see what happens here. I'm PSYCHED though.

after school: golf! hehe :) basically it's fun though. I'd never played in my life until June because one of my friends had to play (her whole family are amazing golfers) and I said ok, I'll do it with you just for the heck of it, and turns out I kind of like it. I'm not very good but there's only eight of us on the team so I'm pretty sure I'm getting my VARSITY LETTER heck yes!! seriously that's so cool. plus I'm covering our season for (potentially) the newspaper :D. however my coach is like "yay... let's have ALL our matches on Wednsdays" so I won't be able to make youth group until like the week before Banished. by the way I am SO PSYCHED for Banished haha...

My strength is not determined by never messing up
but that every time that I fall down
is one more time that I will get back up
so choose your battles wisely, get in line
look around, family is what you'll find
let's be the ones to move this city
if you're with me then say yeahh
and if we fail we'll just keep trying till we make it...

!!!!

HIGH SCHOOL...
TOMORROW.

where did the last three years go???

Mustard Seeds

http://allpoetry.com/poem/2180295 reads & comments would be aaaamazing you know? (on the blog unless you're that cool to have an allpoetry account? and if you are why aren't you on my favorites?!)
WOW the first night of missioning was... well it was amazing. I came prepared to push a lawn mower around for a few hours and left... I guess I would say I was feeling empowered. I honestly never thought I would be able to go around and talk to spontaneous people I'd never met and tell them anything, except maybe the current prices of girl scout cookies, much less tell them about Jesus. but God used tonight to change my heart plus hopefully those of the people we invited to church. I was honestly planning on not coming to door-to-door night because a) my parents weren't too excited about it and b) I was terrified. but when the mowing didn't happen, I thought ok, there's got to be a reason for this. Dad didn't stay and I didn't have a way of getting in touch with him to even let him know what we were doing (he doesn't like cell phones)... and so... there I was, walking down Hammel Street with Audrey, Elizabeth, Vicki and Carl to visit some people I'd met maybe once and some who I'd never seen and may never meet again. And I found that even though some of the college kids, or the families of the youth group kids, probably weren't Christians, they were still nice people and that was very comforting. I know that nobody is "good," in the sense that we're all sinners, but I think people are generally good at heart and want to be nice. regardless of their beliefs now, God did create them and He created them to do good works (yeah who caught the mission verse?), and I think part of Him can be found in everybody. And the more that a person gets to know Jesus the more of Him you can see in them. I think I grew tonight. I'm sure I couldn't walk alone through the city telling everyone who passed me about the gospel (like PD did in Berlin) or anything, but I think next time it will be easier. and maybe soon I'll be able to be open about my faith and not plug up when the subject of church comes up. and maybe soon I'll be willing to risk a friendship for the sake of that friend's soul. I'm not sure who my "personal challange" will turn out being this week, I have a few friends in mind (Brittany and Emily I'm pretty sure you know who I'm thinking of) who I've been praying for... wow probably close to a year but haven't shown any interest in believing since I shared the gospel with them a few months ago... my parents... maybe even Kev. maybe all of the above. I'm just waiting for an opportunity and trusting that God will send one my way... He did tonight. by the way, who LOVED those cookies? yeah those were soft & chewy Chips Ahoy... on sale for 70 cents less than usual :). and make sure to drink some milk in honor of Mowing Moosday.

House Lights Down

What if life is a play, and each stars in his own? Every play has its stars, ensemble, and crew; every story has its good guys, bad guys, lovers, mysteries, and laughs. Every show has a director, unseen, to hold each strand together. And inevitably, every show has an audience.
There are those who criticize and dwell on the mistakes. Some are supportive parents who are unable to find fault, blinded by their fondness. Still others are just looking for entertainment and find themselves drawn in, mesmerized by the gracefully woven tales and harmoniously realistic, and at the same time fantastic, voices. These tend to be those who most enjoy the show, because it took them by surprise.

To create this hypnotic other world is no magic task. Some, those cast as “stars,” receive both a blessing and a curse—a chance to shine at the cost of many a free evening. The ensemble, the “supporting roles,” are often just that: support. Though a star could likely perform the show themselves merely from their knowledge of it, the supporters are there to cover those bases; to together be strong so that the stars can go that much further. And of course, frequently unnoticed, is the stage crew: those who make the show what is truly is, a show, a theatrical creation. Without light or sound a performance is worth very little.

The true quality of a play lies in the quality of its story. An uneventful tale lacking strong characters will hold not even the proudest parent’s attention. There never has been, nor will there ever be a story without conflict, and conflict is always tied to some sort of search for truth. A protagonist is always at odds with an antagonist, who nearly always believes himself in the other role. And few plots are strong enough to survive without a touch of laughter and love.

All this is placed in the hands of the director. It is in this person’s power to select the people involved and what sort of adventure they will be leading the unsuspecting audience into. In fact, that is the one thing the director is not totally in control of—who takes a seat at the curtain’s rise, and who walks away somehow affected.

I am the star of my own play, and God is my director. He cast me in this role because I have certain qualities that no other actress can bring. He has chosen me a fantastic ensemble and crew, a network of faces who support me, who make me who I am, who add those extra effects to my life—in fact, He has also selected me to several other supporting roles, in other shows. He has written me a gripping plot, to the point where occasionally I forget the ending myself; but it is also a beautiful, lighthearted script full of love and smiles. Several enemies are warming up beside me, sure of their lines and blocking. However, I too am well-rehearsed, and I know the ending well. Perhaps I will forget a few lines, but I am confident that I can improvise with those final scenes in mind. None can say who will fill the seats on opening night, but my Director chose me for a reason, because I can affect them like no one else. I have practiced intently and I’m ready for the opening night drawing so near, so quickly; ready to take a few by surprise, to show my God that He chose the right star.

And when I reach curtain call, the first of many, in four years, I can only pray that I will be able to say of my own life: “so ends our tale of love, mystery, and a fair bit of silliness. I hope all your endeavors end as well as ours did.” And when the curtains fall for the final time, wherever and however that may be, I can only imagine that standing ovation that I might receive, because I know who has been watching me.





looking for something to do next weekend?
come see Rumplestiltskin!
Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th
Tallmdage High School, 7:30 p.m.
tickets $5 for students and $9 for adults
totally family-friendly! and funny just the same!
cheer for the stage left curtain... that's me :)

eloquent as an elephant! <3

So, just thought I'd update...

Nothing has really happened since camp, I guess... I've just been hanging out, went over to Emily's one day (I think), went to the movies with Brittany, Emily and Dan (where is the thump-thump?!), went over to Brittany's on Monday and hung out with her and Leann (HE LOOKS LIKE A BUG!), have been rehersing for the community theater's Rumplestiltskin (yeeeah stage crew = woooo!) mostly every night... it's been fun. And I'm psychhhed because
I'M SEEING SANCTUS REAL ON SUNDAY! YEAH THAT'S RIGHT! Me Brittany Leann and possibly Jackie and Jessica are going to the Fest (this one-day Alive sort of thing, for some Catholic Family Day (so why they invited Sanctus Real is beyond me... whatever) but our church is going so we figured why not?) and Steven Curtis Chapman will be there too so that should be a great time. but I am very very very excited aaaaaaah!

<3333 Rosie

p.s. like the new layout? this is the strangest background I've ever seen :)