CHOIR:

On Friday 10.19.10 the Albert Lea High School Choir held their first concert at the First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The ALHS orchestra also performed. There are three choirs at the High School. An all ninth grade choir, Tiger Choir. An all girls choir with mostly tenth graders, Varsity Choir. And Concert Choir which consists of eleventh and twelfth grade students and also tenth grade guys. Diane Heaney directs all three choirs. She is the best. This summer she was diagnosed with breast cancer and has been going through some really tough stuff. Despite having to be gone for treatments and being ill, she was there. She taught us just as much as if she could have been there everyday. All the Choirs sounded great last night. My sister in Concert Choir had a solo and I was told that she had a voice like an Angel. She is so talented and amazing! Love you Jess! But I think most people would agree that everyones' favorite was the finale. We sang "How Can I Keep from Singing." This is such a powerful song with a story behind it about a missionary that was in Haiti when the earthquake happened. A junior boy read the story and then we began to sing. The choirs surrounded the audience. About 200 students I would estimate. It wasn't far into the song when on the faces of the audience, tears rolled down. I don't think they all knew what to do when the song ended until the applause began. Then it built and built until we received a standing ovation. Its so amazing what one voice can do in a solo and 200 voices can do in a finale.

BEAUTY:

When I think of beauty, I think of the outdoors. There are so many beautiful things out side. Like sunrises, sunsets, a field of wild flowers, the most vibrant colors you will ever see, a white blanket of snow, a thick wood and all of the animals that fill it. Its so pretty. Not to mention all the smells. Like fresh cut grass, burning leaves, and crisp morning air. Its really beautiful. Its all so... alive. So full of life. I love just being in it. Camping, hunting, snowmobiling, fishing. Something for every season. It lets me see it all. To sit in the woods and be invisible to all the creatures around me as they go about their business. Honestly, I've never killed anything but thats okay with me. People are really beautiful too. God created us all in his image so theres not an ugly one in the bunch! Well in the 7 billion. I think inner beauty is most important though. No matter what you look like, that is what shines through. "So don't be afraid to let it show, you true colors are beautiful..."

TRACK:

Running. I love it. I didn't really start running until i was about 12. I was so exicited to be in Track. My family is not big into sports, so it was my choice. My family is more interested in fishing, hunting, boating, hiking, and camping. I also love thoes things but I looking forward to Track and being on a team. So once April rolled around in 7th grade, I started track. I didn't know what event to do or what race to run so the coaches kind of decided for me. They put me in the 100 meter dash, the 4x100 meter relay, and long jumping. I ran thoes races for most of the season, but i knew they weren't right for me. Not to mention I was bad at them. I enjoyed long jumping though. I just had a hard time practicing it because I thought to much about. When 8th grade Track season rolled around, I was sure I wanted to do it again and maybe try new things. To start it out I ran the same races and maybe even a 200. I just wasn't feeling it. It wasn't the kind of running I enjoyed. Then I ran the SWMS Tiger Trot. It is a 5k or 3.1 miles. My coach was there and watched the race. I came in first in my age group. The next week at practice I was running with the long distance girls. They put me in the 1600 or mile at the next meet, and I loved it. I kept running the 1600 for the rest of the season, and I kept improving. Then came 9th grade track season after a lot of contemplation to run cross country i decided not to. So now i was running JV track. The first meet I ran the 800 meter and i had a really good time. Next meet I ran the mile and i had not so good of time. So the coaches kept putting me in the 800 and the 4x800 My times kept improving at it was my race that year. I ended up being moved up to Varsity at the end of the season. I enjoyed it so much. I got my best time, a 2:43 at Big 9 running varsity. Thats not the fastest but its my time and I'm proud of it. I worked for that and it feels great.

RAPPING & CHRISTIANITY:

Rapping. Christianity. Two things that people don't expect to see together. Lots of teenagers think of the Church as a building that smells a little funny and has a organ. And you have to stand up and sit down at the right times. Sing from a book. And repeat things back that you are supposed to have memorized. They think its full of grandmas that make cookies and grandpas that drink their coffee black. And they listen to Christian rap? I think not. A lot of teenagers don't like Christian music. Its old and boring and has no "dance factor." But really in the genre Christian music I think that there is something for everyone. The Rap is so much fun though. My favorite is Lecrae. "Their lyrics have so much truth."-Shelby Little. But its so much fun to listen too. A few other favorites are Skillet,  Brooke Fraiser, and NeedToBreathe. They are all such different Christian music but they aren't boring. I love music so much. Its a huge factor in my life. Its helps me. To pray without ceasing, to worship him everyday, to stay faithful, and grow deeper. Its kinda hard to say what music is to me cause its more than i can know. Whats your favorite?

FREEDOM:

Freedom is one thing I pray that I don't take for granted. Well, I don't want to take anything for granted but definitely not freedom. I'm so thankful for freedom. It means different things to different people but I'd say its important to everyone. So many people have given their lives so we could be free. As I drive by the National Cemetery in Minneapolis, I get chills seeing small white stones as far as the eye can see. Some with a name, some without. They died for freedom. Since the start of humanity, we have wanted fought for freedom. One county from another. A slave from a owner. The right to vote. There are so many different freedoms. We live in a country where we have so much freedom. We are so privileged. I am thankful for each and every one of those freedoms. Men and women are treated equally, the color of your skin doesn't matter, we have a say in our government, we have the right to bear arms, and the freedom of speech and the list goes on. There is one freedom that can never be taken away from me though. No matter where I am or what I have. One man died for me to cover my sins so that I may be free and have eternal life. I have been set free and I am so thankful.

PUMPKINS:

I love the Fall. Its my favorite season. When the leaves start to change color and the trees look like fire. The air is so crisp and I sleep with my window open, wrapped up in blankets. Bonfires on the weekends. Laying on the dewy grass looking at the stars. Just talking. Raking leaves with the youth group. Sweatshirts and jeans. Pumpkins and corn mazes. Jack-O-Lanterns and kids dressing up on sugar highs. Fields being picked left and right, disappearing every day. Deer hunting. Its so beautiful. I can't get enough of outside during the fall. What is your favorite season?

FAIRNESS & JUSTICE:

I truly believe in justice. I believe that America and most other countries need a good, strong judicial system. If we didn't I know in America it would be mass chaos. But thats the thing, why do people need a justice system? Why are we so crazy that we have to be controlled? We have all these rules that people vote on and decide. More and more everyday. Even though we have more rules now then we did 50 or 100 years ago it seems we have just as much or more of a problem. Its like people just break rules cause they want to break rules and they have nothing better to do. If only people would RESPECT and "treat others as you want to be treated." Would we have so much of a problem? Its funny to me how no one is every happy about the rules or the government or court no matter what the rules are. I guess I'm not the biggest fan of fairness either. It is a good thing not to be biased and just be fair but when people got the idea in their head that everything has to be fair thats when the problems came too. People get so upset. Sometimes they have a right to be upset and its understood. But it seems like most people blow this out of proportion. I just try to think it through.  Most of the things are not worthy of anger or my time for that matter. We are so lucky. We live in amazing country with all these freedoms and rules that are there to keep us safe. We can sleep in peace at night. I can go to school and learn and someday have a job and a family. That alone is more than thousands of people. We have all the luxuries. I hate complaining but the truth is I do it to, I am human. But I try to be as thankful as I can. RESPECT... Do you?

A GREAT DAY:

Yesterday was October 2, 2010. I had a really good day yesterday. In the morning I had Cross Country Practice. At practice instead of running, Carol Lein and I decorated a laundry basket. The basket is for the warm-ups at the starting line because we can't carry them all very easily. It was cold out but at the end of practice we had juice and mini donuts for Bailey Thompson's 16th birthday. After practice I went to Chrissy Monson's house to warm up. Then went for B & B. It was so yummy! After lunch and hanging out some at her house, we went to the Rendezvous. We met up with some more friends and walked around, watched the magic show, and looked at all the things. We even got matching shark tooth necklaces. After the Rendezvous we went back to Chrissy's house and had chili. That was yummy too. And finally to end the night we had a bonfire. It was so beautiful out. Just talking underneath the stars, and playing cards. It was so nice to be outside on a gorgeous fall day. Spending time with friends and family. I couldn't have imagined a better day. But the thing that never ceases to amaze me is that one day, everyday will be that good. Even better. I will get to spend eternity with the people I love. Better is one day in your house, better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere. I am so excited for that day...