Friday, March 27, 2009

The Dove and the Ant King James Style

In 2000 AD an ant woketh up and went down to the stream to sippeth, and she fell in and was carried down the stream. A dove that passed by dropped the bough she was carrying and the ant climbed upon the bough and floated to shore. I am forever in thy debt because thy saved mine life and if thine ever has an enemies I shall smite him and send him where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth: said the ant.

In 2001 AD the dove was flying when a foul man beast approached and tooketh aim with his gun, but the ant was passing by and smote him on the foot and the hunter fell and died and his body was eaten by worms. The dove and the ant learned the lesson: The littlest of warriors is the best of friends.

Original Aesop Fable: An ant, going to the river to drink, fell in, and was carried along in the stream. A Dove pitied her condition, and threw into the river a small bough, by the means of which the Ant gained the shore. The Ant afterward, seeing a man with a fowling piece aiming at the Dove, stung him in the foot sharply, and made him miss his aim, and so saved the Dove's life.

"LITTLE FRIENDS MAY PROVE GREAT FRIENDS."

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Phil Doesn't Need a Degree

Phil Lindskog was born in Rochester, Minnesota on March 31, 1989 and grew up in a Christian household with his parents. He is now nineteen years old and in college so he can go into youth ministry because he has a great talent for working with teenagers. Phil loves Mountain Dew and will drink it whenever he has the option. His favorite things to do are listen to music, which he does constantly, and watch anything with Will Ferrell in it. Phil loves to laugh, and people get a welcomed feeling when they meet him. Phil loves talking to God and spending time with Him more than anything else in the world.

Attending Christ Community Church since he was nine years old, Phil goes every week and volunteers joyfully with the youth. Occasionally, he works as a janitor at church and sometimes works with the preschool, Kingdom Kids, in the summer. While Phil is busy with school, he takes a lot of time to help out with the seventh grade boys at youth group. Phil also has a great love for music and is in charge of a youth worship band at church, which, as an act of service Sunday mornings, helps elementary children worship God through singing.

Going to a Christian college, Crossroads, in Rochester, Minnesota, Phil is continually busy with homework. While someday he hopes to go into ministry because of his love for Jesus and his gifts with middle schoolers, Phil is currently in his fifth semester at school and is working hard on a degree of ministry with youth and family. Obviously it does not require a college degree to love people and volunteer time, which Phil has been doing for years!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Dove and the Ant Uncle Remus Style

One day en ant woke herself up en thawt ter herself, “Wat a butifo mawnin.” En she went a skippin en a hoppin en a hoppin en a skipin happy down ter da rushin riva where all her antish frens be.

“Fine mawnin weed havin. Wud yoodegree?”

To which her frens sez, “Not nothin fine bout it.”

En dey went ter argin bout da wedder til quite sudden, the ant wen slippety on da rocks, en wen a splashin inter da riva. Meanwi, a dove was passin by en spot the ant in da riva, so she went en dropped da bough she was caryn in the stream. Da ant wen en stick herself to dat der bough mighty quik en floated to shure wer she exlaim ter da bird, “I bet my life on it, if it wasn’t for dat der bough that you gone throne inter da stream, I’d ben a goner.”

Days laita der was a killa loosed in the same forst wid ‘is gun, en he took a mighty fine aim at da same dove dat had gone en save da ant, but da ant was passin by en give dat killa a bite on da foot dat it nevuh foget. Dat killa run off like a hut chile, en fo da resuff der lives da dove en ant dey live demselzes a peaceful life en were never bothered agen.

Littlest frens often be the mightiest frens.

Original Aesop Fable:

An ant, going to the river to drink, fell in, and was carried along in the stream. A Dove pitied her condition, and threw into the river a small bough, by the means of which the Ant gained the shore. The Ant afterward, seeing a man with a fowling piece aiming at the Dove, stung him in the foot sharply, and made him miss his aim, and so saved the Dove's life.

"LITTLE FRIENDS MAY PROVE GREAT FRIENDS."

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Letter to Grandma and Grandpa

Tuesday, March 25, 2009

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

Since my birthday I have been deciding how to spend the money you gave me. I decided to spend a little and save a little. Buying a black acoustic guitar is one of the things your money helped me do. Not too long ago, some of my friends and I also started a rock band and have been occasionally meeting and practicing when we get the chance, which has been a lot of fun.

Immediately putting some of the money towards my beautiful acoustic guitar, which I am very excited about, I have been practicing every day. It is called an EJ-Acoustic Electric guitar. Having a black body, it is accented by gold tuners and a dandelion print on the front. When I look at it, one unique thing I always notice is that at the bottom of the guitar it has a design which is called a mustache! I love playing it. During the last month and a half, I have slowly been teaching myself how to play by learning and practicing new chords every day, while I hope to take lessons soon.

Joining choir, I have been working hard to learn my songs, which is quite challenging. Finally, I have joined the tenors instead of the altos or sopranos! During the last couple of months I have continued playing piano and singing in a youth worship band, “The Uprising,” at church. Since last fall our church has had a middle school band play for the elementary kids, practicing and then playing on Sunday mornings; I am one of the singers!

Starting a band called “So Much for Sleep” with my friends, we played at our church’s American Idol talent show, which we had a great time doing. Determinedly practicing, we have guitars and drums, and I am the lead singer! In April, we hope to play at a Rochester middle school talent show. We auditioned last week, and hopefully we’ll be selected to perform. If you go to my blog on the computer you will see the video of us.

Most importantly, I will keep practicing and pursuing music. Obviously I have gotten my great musical love from both sides of the family. When you come next time, I will show you what I’ve learned on the guitar. Thank you so much for the money, the I-tunes gift card, which I’ve used to download six songs already, and the gift card to Barnes and Noble. I’m going to use it to get the graphic novels of Black, Red, and White by Ted Dekker.

Yours truly,
Isaak

Bundle of Sticks Uncle Remus Style

Once der were a old man wit mar dan a lil wrinkle on his der face dat he look like a prune of sawts. Now he was so old dat he wadint gonna last so mawch time longer, so he calls his grandsons to hiz bed an he sayz shakonly, “Maw gud boys,” he says, “Go you ut to the field and bringer en a gud size bundel o’ sticks."

When dey cawm back, an dey do quick cuz dey big strong muzzles dey got, dey say, “Granpappy we did done like ya says.”
And granpappy says shakonly to da biggst of da two, he say, “Break it apar.”

The firs grandson go tarin and rippin and ripping and tarin but he ain’t no getting dat bundel apar. An with a stridle of sweat runnin’ dun iz face he say, “Granpappy, I ain’t able to.”

So iz brother come fluxxin iz muzzles proud, and he pulled and tugged and tugged and pulled, bud he ain’t able neither. En fac, he does fall un da flawr fum zaustion.

Den grandpappy say shakonly, “Boys, ya untaw dat bundel o’ sticks and tek ut one each.” So dey did es dey were teld. “Now brik et apar’,” says grandpappy shakonly.

And like it were a stick o’ straw dey brek it apar’, an ol granpappy say wise, “Seez—togeder yooz is strong!”

Original Aesop Fable:

An old man on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He ordered his servants to bring in a faggot of sticks, and said to his eldest son: “Break it.” The son strained and strained, but with all his efforts was unable to break the Bundle. The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. “Untie the faggots,” said the father, “and each of you take a stick.” When they had done so, he called out to them: “Now, break,” and each stick was easily broken. “You see my meaning,” said their father.

“UNION GIVES STRENGTH.”

Monday, March 23, 2009

Letter to Grandma and Grandpa

Friday, March 6, 2009

Dear Granma and Good G,

Although I am writing this letter because I have to for school, I love you both dearly and hope you don’t take it personally. During this last week, I’ve been busy with my numerous but enjoyable activities and still have more coming up in the next week. Looking at my program, singing the songs, and telling my friends about it, the excitement from going to “Fiddler on the Roof” still hasn’t worn off! It was absolutely amazing! Thank you for taking me to the show G and Granma. I’m looking forward to seeing you next weekend when we go to Nikki and Randy’s house!

Incredibly well done, “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Orpheum is the best show I’ve ever seen, although I immensely enjoyed the Christmas Carol at the Guthrie as well. What’s your favorite play that you have ever seen? Watching Chaim Topol, an ancient but amazing actor, is an experience I’ll never forget! During the musical I was having the time of my life! Although I loved the whole show, one of my favorite things was the brilliant dancing, especially during the wedding and during “To Life.” Fruma Sarah, who I thought was frightening, surprised but impressed me in the dream scene when she was dancing, twirling, and singing, while on someone’s shoulders (at least that’s how I think they did it). It was a hilarious scene! “Fiddler on the Roof” is my favorite musical I’ve ever seen, especially because you were with me!

I can’t imagine anyone I‘d rather have gone to “Fiddler on the Roof” with than you, G! Thanks for going with me! Going to the show with you is a fun memory to have because you were the person I saw the movie with first! Within the next year, our copy of the movie, which you gave us, is going to be scratched and broken from being watched so much! Probably, “Fiddler on the Roof” is one of my two ultimate favorite musicals, along with Hello Dolly. Although I didn’t expect you to agree or even to consider attending the play, I’m incredibly happy you did!

Since you and Granma left I’ve been staying busy as usual. On Thursday I went to choir, which is so much fun, and we started learning two new songs: a hymn and a gospel song which sounds like it should be sung in a black southern church! It’s awesome! I was also planning to audition yesterday for the one act plays Words players is going to perform, but unfortunately I got distracted and it completely slipped my mind. At times I feel like Dory from “Finding Nemo”—“There’s nothin’ in my noggin.’” Hopefully I can still try out in the next week. Previously playing Imogene Herdman in BCPE, a girl named Brianna Hicken is going to be starring Annie Oakley in “Annie Get Your Gun” tonight, and I’m going to go see it! Performing the same piece (the one with the three bowel movements) I played at my recital when you guys were here, I am going to play in the Evening of Music and Recitation on Tuesday night. It’s a home school event. I’m looking forward to seeing you two after my jam packed week is over!

Looking forward to the play tonight, performing my piano piece next week, and hopefully trying out for the one act plays, I will be busy, but will tell you guys about it when I see you next weekend! As you have probably discerned by now, I completely adored “Fiddler on the Roof,” which, in my opinion, is one of the better musicals ever made! Most important, of course, I would like to thank you, Grandpa, for going with me to “Fiddler” and you, Granma, for driving us up to the cities. “To Life!”

Love,
Z