Answers Please

I posted three questions earlier this month:


What is sin?


What is salvation?


What is faith?

No more posts until I get some well thought answers....

Binary Solo! - Day Five

Now that it's been a month since we did the trip, I know I'm forgetting and re-remembering things funny. Oh well, you'll never know the difference. I did forget to mention that on the evening of Day Four, I was resting peacefully on my air mattress when I hear someone climbing into the tent. It's Shane (He was in the same tent as me with Braeden, Josh, and Jeff). So can you guess what Shane did next?!? Yeah, he tried to jump in bed with me to cuddle. So can you guess what I did next?!? Yeah, I proceeded to ram my elbow into him repeatedly. Now that I think of it, I went a little nuts! Shane said he had bruises in the morning, but I couldn't see them, haha. A grad trip wouldn't be a grad trip without me hitting Shane.


I looked like a chipmunk that morning.

Today was to be an exciting day. Unfortunately, it was still cloudy and rainy, but we were determined to go ATV-ing regardless. To be honest, I wasn't really thrilled about it. Don't really know why...just didn't want to. So we loaded up the vehicle and drove there.


Still rainy, still cold, still not excited...and then we go through the payment and briefing, etc., etc., and BOOM, I AM PUMPED!!!! We hop on the ATV's and head out single file to the dunes. Laura, of course, always the nonconformist wouldn't stay in the line and got in trouble. So as we pull up to the dunes, I was just blown away.


Okay, I know I am an absolute geek, but my favorite thing about video games is that you enter these crazy worlds and experience amazing atmospheres. I have since realized that is what makes me pumped, atmosphere. So, in Zelda, there's always a desert area. Well, pulling up to the dunes was like I was actually entering the Haunted Wasteland. I was beside myself!












We bombed around and had a blast. I got to help Jeff and Erika get their ATV's out of sticky situations. And I tried following Josh, but he was way too fast for my taste. Well, later on I managed to catch up to him, and I decided to follow. I have learned since, never follow Josh. So we're flying along and I look ahead and see Josh kinda wincing. I then realize, "Something's wrong." I let off the throttle only to realize I'm jumping over an edge. I brace myself for impact and absorb all the jolt in my shoulders. I pull up to Josh and he's complaining about his wrists. Good going...

So, unbelievably, the only ATV that flipped was the always responsible Eric. Well done!


After that excitement we returned back to the camp. People dried their clothes over the fire. I went into town and bought pizza for lunch and food for supper. We ate and some of us headed out to play some Bocce on the dunes.


That was exciting. My team lost, but we gave a good run I thought!


mysteeeeerrrrious.....


I think this is Laura and Braeden fighting.


Another failed attempt at camera trickery.


Josh is a psychopath.

That evening I was absolutely wiped out mentally and physically. I went for a walk around the camp and when I came back I went to bed. I felt bad because I wanted to have another talk with the group around the campfire, but I just didn't have the energy.

So, I went to bed.


End of Day Five.

Lasciate Ogne Speranza, Voi Ch'Intrate

Okay, over the last long while I have been contemplating a lot of theological questions, and finally I've been having major epiphanies, but as always, I am apprehensive about sharing my thoughts. Let me just say, these questions no longer matter to me:


1. Can we lose our salvation or is it once saved, always saved?


2. Are we predestined to heaven/hell or do we have free will?


3. Are we saved by faith alone or a combination of faith and works?


4. Is hell everlasting punishment or annihilation?


5. Must we confess our sins repeatedly?

I challenge you to rethink your definitions:

1. What is sin?
2. What is salvation?
3. What is faith?


I expect your answers in by Monday.

Frustration

I'm frustrated today.

sorry if you missed it...

What? What? Why?...Be More Constructive With Your Feedback - Day Four

Today we headed out from Seattle to Oregon. We left a lot later than planned. Mainly because I slept in pretty late, and so did most people (ahem...JOSH!).


After cleaning all our stuff up, it was time for my greatest challenge: pack all of our bags and camping gear into the van. I am so thankful for Tetris in moments like this. We managed to squish everything in, without too much uncomfortability (I just made that word up!).




We had a lovely time on the road. Spencer was the DJ for the trip, handling everyone's iPod's to deliver a stellar driving experience. Although, it was kinda sad for me that once everyone else's iPod's were brought up front, mine never got used again. My music just isn't hip enough for the next generation I suppose.


At some point Ben decided to get naked.


Of course, everytime I go to the States I need to stock up on Red Vines. Those juicy ropes of crazy deliciousness. Janelle hated them of course, and I think Christina said they tasted like soap.

So we finally made it to Florence, Oregon, and we promptly made our way to our campsite. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't so great. At this point I had decided to make the trip more Grad-organized. They are big kids, they can do stuff on their own now, so I didn't really provide that much leadership, I kinda let them be in charge of what we did there. And I think it turned out really well.


Except, the guys weren't much help with the girls' tents (typical!). By the time the girls' tent was up, the rain had totally covered the tarp they had on the ground. Pretty much instantly their tent was soaking wet and couldn't be slept in. So we set up an extra tent.


The setting up of tents.


Hard at work gathering firewood.


What a lovely meal!


Don't really know what Braeden is doing here...


I don't really know what I'm doing either...


Aren't we intimidating?

Erika was showing Jeff how to do this little dance move and of course, Josh and I had to try it out also. And then in came Braeden and stole the show!




Honeyman Park is really cool, I had never been there before. That evening there were some campfire songs and scary stories put on by the park. We only sang one song though...which was fun, mind you, but I did feel like a bit of a fool seeing as how I was the only adult dancing and jumping along following the park ranger. And the scary stories, oh my, they were horrible. The first one was unmentionable, and the second one I had heard before, so that was a letdown!


While the songs and story were going on, the grads slipped out one by one to hang out at the Dunes.




That evening we sat around the campfire and talked. I posed the question, "What is the purpose of church?" I think the only answer I got was that it keeps you accountable? Is that the right phrase? I was a little bothered that that was the only reason that was brought up. What about a place to learn about God (and to talk about him)? A place to vent your emotions and be encouraged? A community that cares for each others' needs? A group that pools their resources to make a difference in the world? I don't know why we only talked about that one reason. But I must say, I really really appreciated some of the honest heartfelt answers that people were giving regarding their perspective or experience with church.


Well, as always, and not surprising, I went to bed before everyone else. And might I add, camping is 100 times better when you have an air mattress!!!

End of Day Four.