Trapped in a Pair of Oxfords

Here is my latest English assignment, based on a picture of oxford shoes. It has not yet been corrected, but I should receive a grade for it fairly soon.

The golden rays of sunlight spilled into the room, transforming it into an uninhabited sanctuary of peace. The birds sang with all their hearts, filling the atmosphere with a blissful anthem of ecstasy. Charles sleepily opened his eyes, and took in the magic of the uninterrupted morning. As the groggy haze began to clear in his mind, another sound could be heard. A muffled high-pitched call, that grew louder and louder. Charles sat bolt upright as he identified the sound. His mother. The young boy leapt out of bed to face her aggravation.

Charles galloped down the large marble staircase and abruptly encountered his mother. Resting her hand on her hip she said, “Charles Mozart Brown, I have been calling you for ages. It’s a good thing today is Saturday or you would have been unthinkably late for school. Breakfast is waiting.”

“Thanks Mom,” Charles mumbled as he shuffled his feet along. He knew he would be greeted by one of his mother’s vegan concoctions she seemed obsessed with producing. Apparently she thought that meat posed too many health risks.

Mrs. Brown followed her son into the kitchen, readjusting her fire red glasses as she spoke, “Charles, how would you like to be a big help to Mother?” A smile began to spread across her lips, accenting her expensive crimson lipstick. Charles had a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“Well, I was going to go gather some worms for my collection. There should be plenty after yesterday’s rain.”

“Oh, dear that sounds like fun,” she replied, trying to suppress the disgust she felt for the horrid creatures, “But I would be very grateful if you could come to my Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma awareness brunch with me. I think you would find it very beneficial, and we should always be aware of the ailments others may be facing.”

Charles looked down. He knew he had no choice. “I suppose I could go,” he mumbled almost inaudibly.

“Alright then darling, tuck your shirt in, comb over your hair, and off we go!”

Despair began to well up inside Charles, “But mom, it’s Saturday! None of the other boys have to dress like this on Saturday.”

“Yes dear, but the other boys aren’t as privileged as you are, and with privileges come responsibility.” His mother turned to leave the room. “Besides, reputation never takes the day off.”

As they pulled out of the driveway, Charles sat in silence. His mother chattered about what splendid things would arise from this gathering, and all the people that could be helped. He was defeated. His mother was always organizing charity banquets and conventions for rare diseases that no one had ever heard of, and what was the point? It didn’t seem to do any good; people would just keep getting sick. Charles gazed out the window at the slowly changing trees. The tips of their leaves began to be soaked in liquid color, a whisper of the transformation that was about to ensue. Charles then caught sight of some boys skateboarding down the driveway of one of the neighboring houses. How he envied them. They were having so much fun, yet he was stuck in a car on his way to an android stick convention. His gaze shifted to his reflection in the glass. Why did he have to be so different? In truth, he was a very normal looking boy. He had no special features to set him apart, but his brown locks that were combed over and plastered to his head seemed reason enough for the other boys to not want to hang around with him. Their disdain for him was unavoidable. He talked differently, and he never did what the other boys did. In trying to be normal, even his shoes betrayed him—the highly polished oxfords his father insisted would ensure his success. His teachers were a bit nicer he supposed, in fact, they thought him to be an agreeable boy. Yet he knew their depreciation of him. He knew how they shook their heads whenever he neglected to finish a task. He sighed, as he felt he would never be good enough for the constant judgments of those around him.

After returning home from the never ending event his mother described as “fun,” Charles heard a rap on the door. He rushed to open it in the hopes that his father had returned home from his business trip. He was not disappointed.

“Hey squirt, how are you?”

“You’re home!” Charles rushed to his father’s arms, and was supplied with a customary pat on the back. “How was your trip?”

“Oh, it was excellent. I am ecstatic about the future of Green Eggs and Ham publishing.”

Charles took a deep breath, and went in for the plunge, “Dad, could you play baseball with me tomorrow?”

Mr. Brown wrinkled his brow, “Well, son, I actually have to catch a flight to Chicago in the morning.”

“But you just got back!”

“Maybe next time, Partner. I’d better go find your mother.”

Charles stood there, crestfallen. His own father couldn’t even find the time for him. Charles stomped up to his room angry at his father. And the world. Why did life torment him so? Slamming the door to his bedroom, he looked around. He had everything a boy could ever want, but he didn’t have what he needed. All he wanted was love and acceptance. Charles pulled off his oxfords, throwing one against the wall. He flopped onto his bed, and closed his eyes, wishing the days ahead would never come.

In The Beginning...

I know it has been FAR to long since I last posted my thoughts here, but in these past two months nothing seemed to strike me as blog-worthy until now. Recently, one of my friends tagged me in a note via facebook about how the Big Bang theory and Genesis' account of Creation coexist. She wrote that the verse, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." could easily be talking about the instantaneous explosion of the Big Bang. She then explained that the first bang was followed by a second, which began the expansion of light, quoting Gen. 1:3, "And God said, 'let there be light,' and there was light."

Because no one was actually there when the world began, any theory requires some degree of faith. The Creation vs. Evolution battle has raged for many years, with neither theory appointed as "fact." I must, however, respectfully disagree with the idea that God used the Big Bang to create the universe. My first reason for this is that if God chose to use an explosion, it would portray him as a lazy, unconcerned God who chose to create us by acts of chance. This is not the God portrayed in the Bible. Psalm 139:13 says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb." I, for one, do not see the care and detail God put into crafting each of us in the form of an explosion. When a potter creates a jar, he spends time working the clay, shaping it to be exactly how he desires. He does not simply throw it on the pottery wheel and sit back, waiting for it to eventually turn into something usable.

Creation says that God created the world over a period of six days, (seven counting the day of rest) while Evolution claims our earth took shape over the course of billions of years. Some claim that the "days" in the Bible are actually symbols of long periods of time. In the original Hebrew translation of the Bible, the word YOM is used when talking about the creation of the world. This word literally means a 24 hour day. It has even been speculated that there were great gaps of time between each day of Creation, yet where is that depicted in the Bible?

The Big Bang theory also claims that the sun and stars were created before the Earth, which of course does not agree with Genesis. On the first day, God created the heavens and the Earth. On the fourth day, he created the sun, moon, and stars.

I must now ask the question, does a chaotic action produce beauty and harmony?

If God truly used the Big Bang as a means to create the world, wouldn't the Bible also say something about it? If you were to read the story of Creation with no prior ideas about what the words "meant," it would be somewhat of a stretch to claim that these passages were really alluding to something completely different.

I could go on and on about so many other aspects about Creation vs. Evolution, for this is just one of the many issues surrounding this ever-growing debate. I know I do not share these beliefs with many people, but that is alright. The point of this post is not to criticize and denounce those who believe otherwise. It is simply for me to respond to something I disagree with, present my reasons for thinking the way I do, and validating those thoughts. Your comments and thoughts would be greatly appreciated, and I thank each of you for your time in reading this article of thought to the end.

-Resources-

AnswersInGenesis.com

Jonathan Park audio dramas

Prior Knowledge gathered from various sources

My Quotes

Recently, I was given a homework assignment in which I had to select a variety of topics from a list given, and create my own quotes relating to them. After typing out my thoughts, I asked my parents to look over it and give me their corrections and feedback. To my surprise they suggested I post it on my blog, so here are my quotes.

Books and Reading

*The cheapest way to go abroad is to travel through the pages of a book.

Pleasure and Play

*Knitting allows one to craft an undefined object into something beautiful, while they may be unable to complete such a task with their troubles in life.

Age and Ageing

*An often underestimated blessing is the aging process. With each passing year comes new experiences, memories and knowledge. The elderly possess an invaluable wealth of wisdom, which they are delighted to share with all those who ask. Those who partake in this treasure benefit greatly from it.

* Wrinkles are either considered the horrors of approaching death, or the blessed touch of a life well spent.

Friends and Friendship

*Just as a building cannot stand without a strong structure to support it, a person cannot face hard times without friends who will give him strength.

*True friends are the crutches that support you in broken times.

Lies and Falsehood

*Every lie you tell places a brick between you and those you love, causing you to stumble, and ultimately imprisoning you from ever grasping the trust of those around you.

Rules

*Precepts are the wheels that keep the train of society moving.

Chores

*When we are young, we view chores as coal that is forever being thrown upon us, yet as we age, we realize they were gems given to us with love.

Faith

*Faith and commitment to God is the only insurance for eternity, for while the world will crumble, His love for us will always remain secure.

Pain and Difficulty

*When we go through hard times we become stronger, just as gold is made pure after coming through the fire.

Time

*Time cannot be aquired, but it can be lost. It cannot be earned, but it can be wasted. Budget your time, and spend it wisely.

Choices

*The decisions we make today will forever affect our lives, and the lives of generations to come.

Home

*To me, home is the sound of laughter, the smell of fresh bread, the luxury to be oneself, and the place where pajamas are always in style.

Modesty Survey

A few weeks ago, one of my friends sent me an e-mail with a link to a wonderful website about modesty from the viewpoint of Christian Guys. I found the site to be very informative and a great resource, so I thought I would put a link to it here. While it is primarily for girls, I would encourage everyone to take a look at it. At the bottom of the page there is a petition for guys to sign that encourages their sisters in Christ to remember the importance of modesty, and maintain the outward image of our Savior.

Job Hunting

Before I get too deep into this post, I want to apologize for neglecting to post for so long. At first I was at a loss as to what to post about, and by the time I had decided, spring break was upon me, and I simply wanted to enjoy it.

Since December of this past year, I have been longing for a job. I have often thought that it would be so much fun to work regularly doing something other than chores and getting paid for it, but it was only a few months ago that I began to pursue this desire. I began by praying to God that his will would be done. At the start of the new year I began to research child labor laws, and the types of places I could work. Once I was equipped with the information I needed, I began to look for job openings in my area. Unfortunately, all of the positions I could fill legally, or I was interested in were only availible to those 18 and older. After continual dissapointment, I decided to stop looking, and just focus on praying.

Recently, I decided to check for new job openings. I did find one that I became very excited about. It was a part time receptionist for a company called Manpower. My mom said that they provide people to other companies to fill in people when they dont show up for work. When I had called Manpower to get more information on the position I found that it had been filled, and once again, they had a policy of 18 or older.

After yet another disappointment, I decided to search for what businesses hire people my age. This new search revealed Baskin Robins, Ben and Jerry's, and Claire's as places I could work. They are not ideal, but I do have two other options. My parents have suggested that I babysit or tutor, but I am not exactly sure how to go about them. For tutoring, I am unsure if I should limit myself to English, or if I should offer to help with other subjects as well. I also don't know if anyone would hire me since professional services are available elsewhere. If I decided to babysit I don't know who would want my services. The only thing left for me to do is pray about it, and follow the instructions God gives me.

The Mystery of Language

Languages have always fascinated me. They are so intricate and complex. Each one is based on rules, yet exceptions are a part of those rules. I am often astounded by the mind entangling sophistication that each "code" of speech possesses.

When I am learning about the structure or grammatical rules for Latin, I often find myself thinking, "How could a single person create such a perfectly complete method of communication?" Yet then I remember that there was no individual, there was only God. He did not only design one language, but he also brought into existence all of the other languages known to man...at the exact same instance. I cannot fathom the confusion those present experienced when God changed the languages of the people at the tower of Babel. I wonder how I would feel if I began speaking words I had never heard before, and I could no longer understand my native tongue.

For me, one of the most interesting things about language is that languages influence one another. For instance, almost half of English is made up of Latin, while the remaining percent mostly comes from French, and German. Some examples I can think of for Latin influence is the word fercifer. It means scoundrel, and the word Lucifer is derived from it. Audio and Video come from the words audit and vidit, (The v is pronounced as a w) which are the words for hear and see. Finally, the English word for pulse is a form of the word pulsat, which means to beat.

As an aspiring author, I view the creation of words with the same awe that a biologist marvels at the intricacy of a cell. It is simply staggering that they were both made by the same creator. I am filled with a deep sense of comfort and love when I think about the detail God put into these wonders, for He cared so greatly about them, yet He treasures me so much more.

A Small Salutation

For a while now, I have been considering starting a blog, but it's potential subject matter was a mystery to me. My parents suggested writing about whatever was on my mind. Little random muses about my thoughts, feelings, and outlooks on life. As you can see, I took their advice.

After some Brainstorming for a blog name, my mom and I came up with what now rests at the top of the page. An elocution is simply defined as how a person speaks in public, and since blogs are primarily for public viewing, I thought the word fit nicely. What I post here will probably change as I evolve. I am sure I will be forever modifying my opinions, thoughts, and ideas as I grow and mature.

I hope this post will be followed my many more, and that the content of this blog will challenge me in my thinking, empower me with ideas for better writing, and most importantly, honor God.