I'll figure out a title for this later....

Procrastination.... All college student goes through the "Aw, it's not due till the end of semester... I'll just do it later!" syndrome. There is nothing that inspires someone to get something done like a looming deadline.  Procrastination is the vice of the college campus that breaches across campus', nationalities, race, age, and gender.  Why do we do it? Or rather, why do we NOT do it? We can't seem to find the inspiration to get things done. In accordance with Freud, the Pleasure principle may be responsible for procrastination; humans do not prefer negative emotions, and handing off a stressful task until a further date is enjoyable. The concept that humans work best under pressure provides additional enjoyment and motivation to postponing a task.  Some psychologists state that such behavior is actually a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision. Other psychologists indicate that anxiety is just as likely to get people to start working early as late and the focus should be impulsiveness. 

Welcome to college. 

k.

Sometimes  I feel like the world is losing the ability to communicate.... We get together and break up with people through a text because we are too nervous to actually speak to that person in real life. We text each other while we are int the same room. one word texts have become my major pet peeve. AND NO ONE ACTUALLY PICKS UP THEIR PHONE ANYMORE! Did you realize that calling was the original reason for a phone in general? And before that we had letters and telegrams?! And before that, people actually had to go speak to each other in person to get a fast response?! Kids of our generation hide behind their keyboards in an attempt to save themselves the embarrassment of talking to someone in person and possibly being hurt. Or to protect themselves from the possibility of seeing a human being with actually emotions respond to some of their blatantly mean and hurtful words. People say things over a text that they would never say in person, or even in a call for that matter! For example, "sexting." NO ONE WOULD EVER SAY THOSE NASTY THINGS IN PERSON!!! The other person would think that you were a pervert and be all "EW?! GET AWAY!!" We hide behind our digital walls so as to not have to face reality. In reality, you ARE still speaking to a living, breathing human being. And a lot of us would be ashamed of some of the things we say behind our computer or smart phones if we said them in real life.  With good and practical reason too!  Our hiding has even effected our English language! People have a new way of speaking in shortened English in an attempt to shorten the words we say and our conversations.  I cringe sometimes when I hear the way some people speak in a way that makes it hard for some of us to even understand them! We shall see I suppose how people speak in the future. Will they speak to each other like in Wall-e? In the comfort of their comfy chair through a televised screen? That idea of people and the future scares me in the fact that it will completely change the way we respond to each other.  God made us to be relational creatures, and we are abusing and wasting this amazing gift that he has given us!

Finals week is HERE!!!

So! Finals are here! Studying seems to be irrelevant when it comes time to actually getting work done.... I know that as for myself, I tend to try and find any other thing to do EXCEPT study for that class that I am completely stressed out over.  Finals are the exemplification of trying to accurately grade everyone on the same material in the same way.  I know that it is supposedly the best way to grade everyone in the same playing field, but is it really? We all have different strengths and weaknesses based on our personality and how God made us. Some of us are better at depicting ideas through drawing, others through kinetic learning, others of us are oral learners while another person maybe good at just throwing up words onto a page like we must in a test.  WHY IS A TEST USING MULTIPLE CHOICE OR ESSAY DEEMED THE BEST WAY TO EXTRACT THE IDEA LEARNED IN CLASS?! To a lot of people, it really isn't fair.  The issue is our education system deems it necessary to attempt to use one device to reach all children.  The "bulls-eye shotgun" style as my educational psychology called it.  This basically means that we try and reach as many children as possible using one strategy. Every other child that does not fit into this "majority" is kind of other wise left out in the dust.  Even then, many teachers don't even attempt to find out how the majority of the class learns! They simply teach in the way that THEY know how to teach or learn! I struggle with lazy teaching like this simply for the fact, it is lazy and children are not being reached! The classes that I enjoyed and learned the most in where the classes that had a variety of ways to learn and respond to the learning.  I learn my information for a test in different ways for the same information.  If there is a part that I know is going to be multiple choice, I first learn the facts orally and by reading them out loud to myself multiple times. Then, I go back and test myself by having someone read out a question that I have constructed and then I must recite the answers.  If a part of a test is matching, I write out 2 sets of notecards. One with a word and another with the associated answer.  Then, I mix them up on the ground and put them together and then go back and judge how well I did.  This way, I am receiving the information in different ways.  I really only know these tricks though because my mom was a teacher and knows how to teach kids in ways each of them will understand.  If we want children of the future to succeed, we need to change the education system so as to reach every child. But, in association with film, here is a funny and entertaining video on how I feel a lot of kids study for finals.... :D

Really dad? REALLY?

I think we all have been the unfortunate victims of our parents and their attempts to fit into the 21st Century. Sometimes, they succeed. Other times..... well..... we all have a good story or two about those times.  Once, at my birthday party, my mom decided that it would be a great idea to start dancing to "Single Ladies" in front of my entire group of friends at my house while we were eating cake. Thanks mom, thanks.  At least she is in touch with the music of the day if that makes it any better.  This video does a fantastic job of exemplifying the parental attempt to be "cool." Well, it makes me laugh in recognition of some of those awkward moments...

Bioshock and violence

Well, it definitely was a shock when I went to go watch the trailers for Bioshock.  The graphics were excellent, and I can see why it was brought up as a piece of art. But, the violence in it was overwhelming.  I am usually not bothered by violence, which is unfortunate because it really should bother us.  But, the use of a child as weapon is pushing my limit of what is okay.  Sending a child to kill others and using there innocence and naivety for your own advantage and use is wrong. Honestly, I struggle with the use of violence period.  Kids need to understand the line of what is right and wrong in the world, and I think that it helps to break down the barrier associated with that.  We grow used to things that we spend a lot of time around.  I used to be EXTREMELY sensitive to swearing, and then I attended public school. At first, I would cringe every time that I heard a cuss word uttered. Eventually, I became immune to the words, though I personally did not speak them.  This has become the standard for video games in this day in age.  A video game is not considered "cool" or "worthy of playing" by most teenagers if there is not a couple of good explosions, people dying, or some sad backstory, the game will not be successful! This is a sad fact of the world. Why are we so fancinated with the idea of taking the life of someone else? That person had a life, a family, maybe children. We never consider the idea that the person sitting on the other side of the barrel, maybe is someone just like us.  I think that is why people were up in arms about Kony and his army of children. Why aren't we that up in arms about a video game that uses a version of that reality? We enjoy being disturbed and scared so much that we push the limits of what that reality is.  We gradually move away from innocence into a darker reality which disturbs us and confuses us even more.  Until we realize that this is a spiral into a deeper and darker reality into which there is more grey area than there is black and white.  The Bible states 10 commandments. One in particular stands out.  Love God and love others as He first loved you.  How much loving can you do when holding a gun to a child's head? Yes, it is virtual reality. But, it is just that, a twisted version of our reality.

Magicians, Illusions, and God.

YOU'RE A WHAT?!

James 2:14-26

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your^[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my^[b] works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?^{[c] 21} Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”^[d] And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

SO! One of the arguments I heard today that Christians present is that this world means nothing and the only thing that matters is the world to come.  As this passage from James states, this is obviously NOT TRUE.

A quote from class states, “The world that we live in is an illusion. The realm that we actually should live in is not here. The truth will never be found here in the stuff of this world. The truth resides in a different existence other than this one. “  I actually just spoke to a friend about why this world matters a week or so ago.  I think that a common misconception that is given by Christians is that the only goal in this life is either to get to heaven or hell.  Often times, young Christians are taught one of two ways, that God is wrathful, or that God is loving and merciful.  I believe that most people gravitate to either of the extremes in order to put God into a box.  The thing is, God is incomprable.  Indescribable. Amazing. All powerful. We cannot put Him into a box! Thus, we cannot simplify our lives into a simple box in the decision that we beleive in Jesus and that we are going to heaven and that is all that matters.  We are called to be so much more than that.  Thus, our lives must revoleve around others.

Matthew 25:14-30

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,^[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰ And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

We all have talents. These are seen here on earth.  Some are gifted with musical abilities, others with the ability to use a camera, others with the ability to draw, and yet others with the ability to tell a story.  The point of this is we are called to use our talents to serve the Lord and to serve others as exemplified in Matthew;

Matthew 22:36-40

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[a] 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[b] 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

We are called to focus on others and use our talants for others and to their fullest and multiply them.  I heard a friend once say that he believed that, "Whats real, is when we get to heaven.” No. Although that is a possible end result and it IS real.  The now is real! That is how we get to either or place.  God placed us on earth with the responsibility and the PRIVILEGE to live for Him and we are called to live for Him by serving Him and others.  Honestly, If this is not real, than what is the use of doing anything? Another stated that what is real is only the "spiritual."  Only what you believe on the inside is what counts in the end.  And I really truly think that those who say that this world is only about the spiritual are using religion and God as an excuse to not to do work.  I once heard on a YouTube video, this man Penn, who is a famous magician tell this story of a man who came up to him after a show and gave him a Bible. (Link below) This proclaimed athiest magician said, "How much do you have to hate someone to not tell them about God?" If you know for certain there is a God and there is a heaven and a hell. How much do you have to hate them to not tell them that God loves them and can save them from that?

I believe there is a heaven and a hell. I believe that this life has meaning.  If you do not follow Christ, you are going to Hell. Yes, it is scary. Yes, it is real. That is why we are called as Christians should be committed to doing work for others and commit to living our lives to the fullest.  This is real.  “I think, therefore I am.” I have my own heart, life, soul, mind, talents, and body.  But, to live your life, not for yourself and for someone else may be the hardest thing of all. It is alot easier to jump out of the way of a train yourself, than to jump in front of one to push another person out.  Just as it is easier to pull someone down off a stool than it is to pull them up.  My challenge for you to not think about yourself and how it might make things socially awkward if you bring up God. Think about the fact that you could be planting the seed to help someone along their way to a relationship with Christ.  How will anyone know about God if we don't tell them?! They won't! MY mom always loves to say, "Live your life like Christ, because you may be the only Christ that these people ever see or know."  We constantly think that those who are very straight and narrow and read their Bible everyday and are not shy about their relationship with Christ as weird.  We see them and call them goody-two-shoes and watch what we say around them.  We don't understand them. Why do we think that is weird? Because it is socially unacceptable to be that way? Live your life the way that God calls us to be.   

Frustrations- AKA The One About Facebook.

According to recent studies, the average American takes in about 3,500 to 5,000 marketing messages a day and spends about 41 hours per week using technology such as cell phones, TV, video games, music and the Internet.  Everyone is spending vast amounts of time engaged in mediated reality and less time engaged with each other. For the past couple of weeks, all I have heard about is relationships and who is with whom, and who has cheated on whom and drama on why.  Where did I find most of this crap? Pasted all over my freaking Facebook feed of course!! There was literally one girl whom wrote on Facebook about how she wanted people to stay out of her crap and to stop asking her about the breakup and then the next post 5 minutes later was her vaguely discussing about how she wish could go back in time and understand what she did and change her wrongs!!! Another girl I know started posting about her breakup about the same moment  every couple minutes a video, quote, picture, and/ or status about how she hated her ex and how he did her wrong and that she was glad he broke up with her.  ALTHOUGH the DAY before she had written on his wall about how she loved him and was so happy with him.  Then today, my friend was talking to me about all of these text messages that he was sending to this girl and then how she totally rejected him in person although they got together so well over text.  Another guy was sending dirty pictures to a girl whom he lives 16 hours away from and doesn't plan on seeking any type of relationship with her.  
Our generation has developed some of the most advanced communication devices ever and instead using it to strengthen our relationships that we have, we use it as a barrier to complain about our lives and use it to gain attention that we other wise never would have used it for.  Like the comic above, no one would act in real life like they do on Facebook! If we lived as Facebook portrayed us, most girls would be needy sluts, drunks, and on vacation and our faces would be stuck making permanent duck faces while making peace signs in the air.  Guys would be random memes, vacations, and swearing ranting posts.  We become much more brash and open with this digital barrier between us that leaves everything open for interpretation and no solid ground to work with.  My question is, with the path that we have gone down so far, is it possible to come back from this lack of ability to communicate outside of the digital age? I know the second part of Wall-e was sketchy to say the least, but it is the best way to visualize what I feel like our society is coming too.... A complete lack and disregard for the Human situation and issues.  We get so wrapped up on Facebook and in our own little digital worlds that we hardly notice the rest of it....  I watched Hotel Rwanda, a movie about the Rwandan genocides, for my mid-term paper and one of my favorite quotes was this,

"Paul Rusesabagina (A FILM MAKER BTW): I am glad that you have shot this footage and that the world will see it. It is the only way we have a chance that people might intervene. 
Jack (main character): Yeah and if no one intervenes, is it still a good thing to show? 
Paul Rusesabagina: How can they not intervene when they witness such atrocities? Jack: I think if people see this footage they'll say, "oh my God that's horrible," and then go on eating their dinners."

this is how we often live out lives. We post about our own small "first-world problems" and live our lives without a thought of others and how what we say actually affects the relationships that we have around us.  My plea to my generation is simply this, look outside your own bloody shallow and self-absorbed bubble and actually make an attempt to talk to someone face to face.  You have NO idea the impact that simply listening and respecting someone can do.  Think before you post that status.  What are you ACTUALLY saying? Would you say this in person? THINK BEFORE YOU SEND THAT POST OR TEXT! It's not that hard! Golden rule first and you have it! :))

......Well, you see what happened was... AKA the Ganesha Festival

Devotee with their faces covered with colored powder dance in an alley during a procession on the ninth day of the ten-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai September 27, 2012. Ganesh idols are taken through the streets in a procession accompanied by dancing and singing and later immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual seeing-off of his journey towards his abode, taking away with him the misfortunes of all mankind. 

"Ganesha Chaturthi, the great Ganesha festival, also known as 'Vinayak Chaturthi' or 'Vinayaka Chavithi' is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshipped. On the 11th day, the image is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man. All join in this final procession shouting "Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya" (O father Ganesha, come again early next year). After the final offering is made, people carry the idol to the river to immerse it.

The whole community comes to worship Ganesha in beautifully done tents. These also serve as the venue for free medical checkup, blood donation camps, charity for the poor, dramatic performances, films, devotional songs, etc. during the days of the festival." ---hinduism.about.com/


Okay, I know this isn't either of the two things we are supposed to discuss and it isn't my quiz yet... but I found this and had to blog it! I just want to note the looks of happiness and excitment of those in the foreground as they march for their religion! That is a love for who they are and for the One(s) they worship!

When I saw this picture off of Yahoo, It really intrigued me to read more about this holiday. And the more that I read about it, the more I realized it is eerily similar to both the resurrection of Jesus and Baptism.  I am not sure if that is just my long church history bubbling up in me, but hello?! Being immersed in a river to take away the misfortunes (sins) of mankind?! Jesus and the cross?! Us being baptized?! I find it extremely intriguing that something like this can so similarly mimic the Christian/Jewish tradition/religion.

This picture just reminds me of those I know who have been baptized and of my own baptism.  I love watching full body baptisms because of their faces as they rise out of the water.  You can see that ss they go down there is this tension in them.  A kind of suppressed excitement and expectation as they enter this symbolic cleansing of the soul.  Then, the soon-to-be-new-creation enters the water.  The audience holds their breath for those couple of seconds as they wait.  Then, the new Creation comes back to the world, gasping for air.  And as soon as that initial breath enters their lungs, this uncontrollable smile of joy hits their face.  This face that shows their insatiable love of God has now been proclaimed to the world by this symbolic cleansing of the soul.  And the crowd just goes wild! At least, that's how it is at my church! Most of the crowd is on their feet crying and yelling and clapping in excitement.

This excitement is what I see in this picture.  They get it! They realize that through this they are forgiven of man's misfortunes.  And I love how they symbolically show that in their festivities by helping those who need help.  I think this is such a beautiful way to celebrate ones problems being taken away from them and being forgiven.  And I thought I would share this with you guys! :)

Our Deepest Fears

 

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

 by Marianne Williamson

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time!! Growing up I have to admit, I was not the same person I am today.  I grew up shy and introverted to an extreme of almost isolating myself from the world.  I did not have many friends other than some guys who really mostly tolerated me because I could throw and catch and play sports better than some of them.  I was so scared of being rejected that because of this fear, I didn't put myself out to be hurt.  Which in turn did isolate me and I was rejected because of that.  I was often teased and almost every week I would find a new note on my desk saying something absolutely dreadful about me.

 In fact, all of the teasing got so bad, that I ended up getting stomach and intestinal issues that I now have to deal with today.  I spent the first semester up until Spring break of my fourth grade year in bed crying from physical and emotional pain, asking God why he let these girls be so mean!  I had numerous doctors visits and shots and blood taken.  They finally said that I have diverticulitis, spastic colon, and stomach convulsions.  Alot of it was probably from stress and genetics they said.  So, they suggested I try a new school.

So my mother, the always outgoing party lover, was STILL constantly barraging me to go put myself out there, make friends, be out going.  Especially at this new school.  But, it seemed to me that she didn't understand me at all! I mean HELLO?! I was hardly talking to people that I had grown up my entire life with! How did she expect me to actually go out and talk to people outside of that context?! I am not the kind of girl who can do that very easily!! What I did not realize was that she saw a part of me at that time that I couldn't see.  She saw that I was smart, sweet, kind, and had a deep love for God.  I saw myself as little, dumb, a teachers pet, and a loner girl because that is what the girls labeled me as.  As the quote above says, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?" What my mom saw was what comes next, was a child of God.  Made in the image of the Creator and lovingly crafted by that same man.  She knew that I was meant for greater things than just sitting in my bed reading stories of tales of old or of fairy tales so far away from my own worries.

But! There is another part of this story yet to be told.  The day before Spring Break, I tried a new school.  This was a private, liberal arts school in my town that apparently was fantastic. I went and tried it out. I was still having MASSIVE stomach pains but my mom coaxed me out of bed to go try this school.  So, I went! I was still very shy but the people around me didn't call me names. In fact, they all commented on how they loved to talk to me and hang out later! In my mind I was like, "Say What?!" So, as I was getting ready to go outside for recess, I looked around as we were lining up and saw that there were two boys staying with a big box of legos and clay. In my mind I was just thinking, "All right. Who the heck stays in from recess?!" So, I go over to them and ask them what they are doing.  They say they are making movies.  Specifically Stop animation movies with legos and clay.  The follow up question by them was, "Would you like to join us?" And as you can guess, the rest is History.  :)




"We are all worms. But I believe that I am a glow-worm." -Winston Churchill

Discovery and Challenge!

 

I thought that today's talk about Leeper's class was so intriguing!

I have to say  that I disagree with those who have a hard time with this class because of how Leeper challenges the way that you think.  In fact, I must say I believe the opposite of what many thought! After Leeper's class I leave invigorated, challenged, and thought provoked. It made me think of my educational psychology class we discussed learning in the visual aspect of a person sitting in a chair. He stated that learning is like sitting in a chair while leaning on the back two legs.  When we have all four legs on the floor, we are bored and don't learn anything, AKA not challenged.  The other option is that we are falling back on our backs because we are overwhelmed with the concepts and do not understand what is being taught or challenged too much.  But, there is a third action moment that we seem to forget about. That moment in the middle where you leaned too far back and are in suspended animation about to fall, and not comfortable in your chair like the way that you started out.  That is the place where you learn the most.  We aren't comfortable anymore, and yet we haven't hit the ground yet, either on our backs, or back on all four legs.  It is that area that I feel that Prof Leeper keeps us.  He keeps us just on the brink of falling but not on the ground.  He challenges us to question what we believe, who we are, and where we are going, not to confuse us or hurt us. In fact, I believe that is the last thing on his mind!

I am left wondering several questions after this class.  Thesis statement (or paragraph) drum roll! Why are we so offended when we are challenged to look at things a new way? Are we afraid to be wrong? Why aren't we more open to being wrong so that we may learn to be right and thus help people to learn a better way of viewing the world? We hate even the possibility of being wrong so much that it restrains us and keeps us confined in our own self-defined box instead of letting us learn more about our infinitely amazing God that is not constrained by the box that we seem to construct for Him. Isn't that what we as artists and film makers called to do? Break the boundaries of what people once thought and challenge them to really think about their beliefs? And if we are being restrained from learning more about our God, ourselves, and the human dilemma, how are we to challenge others if we aren't really letting ourselves be challenged ourselves?

I go into my classes, and really my life with an open mind with a knowledge that I do not know everything and that by looking through someone else looking glass, I can learn about others and also myself.  The way that I think that we should view Leeper's class is through the view point that his job IS to challenge us. When we get out into the "Real World" we are no longer going to be sheltered by our parents faith, by our pastors basic Bible teachings, or our (notice the quotations!!!) "Christian Education." Once people find out that we claim to be Christians, we are going to be challenged into everything we believe. You will be watched, scrutinized, and judged.  The world can be cruel and harsh and unforgiving. In a famous quote, Rocky Balboa said this,

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody else is gunna hit you as hard as life.  But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. Cuz that's how winning is done. Now, If you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you are worth! But, you gotta be willing to take the hit and not point fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him or her or anybody. Cowards do that and that just ain't you. You are better than that."

Wow! words to live by! We are college students now.  This is our opportunity to take our faith, relearn it, and accept it as our own.  This is MY God. This is the God that I believe in and I know I will never understand Him but by gosh, by golly I am going to do the best I can to continually learn more about Him and follow His will! We are never going to understand His plan. We were never meant to! My question for you, those who read this, is how hard are you willing to get hit before you get overwhelmed? With Prof Leeper, this is a man who has a deep love for God. How are we going to stand up for ourselves in the "Real World" if we can't take some smack from him? In any profession we take upon ourselves as where we belong, there will be critics, people who will do whatever it is in their power to overwhelm us and take us down.  This right now is our preparation for a world that is often against us. But, I also want to note that this is also a world of beauty despite it's "falleness". I think that is one of the most important things we can do as Christians in a world of such heartache and pain. WE are the Salt and light to a world of Darkness and wrong. To find simple beauty in the pain.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." Have strength in what God has planned! The areas that we fear the most are the areas in which we trust God the least.  If you fear, fear God. Because if you fear God, then what else is there left to fear? Trust that the Lord has put you were you are right now for a specific purpose and be open to being challenged by what is ahead.  The road of being a Christian was never claimed to be easy.  So the Challenge is this:

Will you allow yourself to be challenged and maybe reconsider everything you thought before in order to be changed and a new creation in Christ for the better? Will you learn to accept your faith as your own and use this class to build it up?

..............

Monolouges: Beautiful Storytelling

 

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So! I must say, I have been officially dipped into the world of monolouges and cannot even state how much I love the imagery that can be created by the beautiful words from ones lips. Then, I am often just as surprised by the lack of real depth that can come from those same words.  The Bible says in  Then James 3:2-10 ² For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. ³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. ⁴ Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,^[a] and set on fire by hell.^{[b] 7} For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,^[c] these things ought not to be so."

Wow. Talk about imagery!  Set on fire by Hell. Yes, it said Hell. You know, that place where the "Christians" of this world say the "Heathens" and "pagans" and "not-real-Christians" or someone from another religion goes.  Even those of us who claim to have faith have tongues that have been put on fire by Hell and can take us down a path of unrighteousness and NO MAN can tame it.  Ouch! That is such a hard pill for anyone to swallow! Reading that makes me think of all of the times that I have had to catch my own tongue and I have regretted what I said.  That awful moment when the words pass your lips and as soon as your tongue has finished saying them you are left grabbing and struggling in thin air to stop them from reaching their intended destination.  But, then I am left wondering, what about the good things in it.  In Proverbs it says that a gentle tongue can be the tree of life.  The tongue dictates you are and what your heart really says.  It is one of the greatest tools we also have as film makers.  As I watched "And Everything is Going Fine" last Thursday, one of the thoughts that really sticks out in my head that I thought during the movie is, "I want my voice in my movies to sound like that. A story that rings so true and hits that basic emotional well that we all have within us.  We are all so different and we try and communicate so often through symbolism and special effects and great characters. NOT to say these aspects of film aren't important! But, we shouldn't be so distracted by these cool "Hollywood Tricks" that we forget how to reach our audience.  Our story. THE Story.  I was moved by a man sitting in a chair, with a microphone and a glass of water.  I laughed, I hurt, I was touched, and I was changed. Not by special effects, awesome violence, or even a fantastic character building scheme.  A man, a microphone, and a glass of water.  

Now that I have gone and been officially Leeperized and went on a tangent on the importance of story telling, Here is one of my favorite monologues that just is a silly tale of one of his adventures! Too be honest, it isn't moving, or deep by any sense of the word. But, it is a beautiful act of story telling that I constantly come back to when I want a laugh and that I love to show people! I consistently quote this and fall off of my chair laughing every time!

In the Beginning....

 

Halooooooo fellow DMA-ers!!

Well! Story time! I had originally posted this when it was due and then realized that I had instead saved it as a draft for a personal blog rather than in the DMA class blog... woops. So! Here is what I put up at the beginning of the year as my intro to me!

You know, as I was searching through my pictures to post on this blog, I found it really hard to pick one.  I sat motionless except for the occasional touch of a cold unfeeling mouse when I suddenly had an epiphany on what I was trying to do! Before beginning my own blog, I had looked at all of the other peoples blogs with pictures and I felt like they had done such a great job of saying where their heart was and focused on.  I felt like I was trying to find a picture to put a label on something that really didn't seem to fit.  In all of my pictures, either I was posing in the picture whether it was smiling or a goofy face for the camera, or sometimes I wasn't paying attention at all to the camera or the camera angle just didn't seem to fit.  In every picture, something just didn't seem to fit the context of this blog that was assigned to us. I then realized that part of me felt like I was trying to label myself and find a picture that was trying to catch all or even most of the different aspects of my personality.  I must point out that I am not one of those weird hipsters that says, "Oh, you can't define me I am a free and individualistic personality and I do my own thing by sitting in my fav coffee shop on my mac blogging about the world and it's injustices blah, blah, blah...."  But there is a tone that does ring true with in that saying. We are ALL free and different.  There are so many aspects of each person that composes the beautiful symphony of personality, memories, love and dislikes, friends and people that makes someone who they are.  As for me, I am a tennis player/ sports junkie, film lover and analyst, friend, confidant, shy, dorky, literally love every genre of music, Star Wars lover, Christian, human rights activist, short film/youtube video watcher enthusiast, late night worker, a fantastic listener, advice giver, band geek, and that only begins the list! I couldn't seem to condense my personality and heart into a picture that could have said a million different words! How can one take their personality and who they are fit into a single blob in a pixilated world with so many other little and big blobs?!

Through this continuous cycle of thought, I did realize one thing that happened to put everything together in one group that made me. The one thing that I did realize about myself while staring at the blinding white page of digital particles that compose my computer screen is that I love to love.  Everything about the word love I love! Agape is my personal favorite variation of the word meaning: divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful love. I love to laugh and be happy and help others feel the same. It makes me happy to see others smiling and excited. I am a person who does what they do with all they have.  My policy is either you do it 150% or why do it at all? Though the picture at the top I may not look the prettiest, or have the best expression on my face, nor does it have my favorite quote.  But, I believe that it is one of the most honest pictures I have of me.  I am completely engrossed with the people around me and loving on them with all I have and it shows in every feature of that photo.  I love to smile and I love to be around those who help that smile come out!

I believe that God put us on this gorgeous earth to enjoy ourselves while doing our best to follow what God's plans are for us.  Though because of sin there is pain in the world, we cannot always be happy.  Even I, the ever optimistic, understand that.  But, beyond that, I find that the happiest people are not the ones with money, nor the ones with the most talent, nor even the ones with the most potential.  They are the ones that have found complete and utter joy in their lives.  The ones that are the happiest are the ones that find a little joy and amazement in the little things that are around them.  Finding beauty in the simple complexity of a single flower or in the look of love between an elderly couple walking in a park.  Fyodor Dostoyevski once said, "We talked of the beauty of the world of God and the great mystery of it. Every blade of grass, every insect, ant, and golden bee, all so amazingly know their path, though they have not intelligence, they bear witness to the mystery of God and continually accomplish it themselves." To me that sounds like a challenge! How can I find joy and bring Glory to God today such as the grass and every insect and ant have found a simple joy in doing what they each do best? So I guess, the more I think about it, I realize that we are in fact all "hipsters." Embrace it!

 My name is Cassie Kasicki, I am a film production and History Education double major from Rockford Illinois and I am so excited to be here with you all! And if you want to learn more about who I am, I have an open door policy in my dorm room lounge and I happen to love coffee :P Catch me after class and let's meet up and grab some sometime! :)