Congratulations! You just won...(18)

This isn't some bogus telephone message. It came directly from the English department of Weimar Academy: An all-expense-paid trip to anywhere in the world! Well, sort of. I only get to write about the trip, not actually experience it. Here is my idea of a dream trip.

Rent a six-seater airplane (remember, money isn't an issue this time) and take the Senior class with me on an exciting air trip. We'd fly down to Central America via Southern California, Mexico, and make the final destination someplace like Nicaragua. Along the way we'd visit tons of people that we'd met on our tour or mission trip. Swimming would be an absolute must - just no sand in the plane please! For part of the flight, I would route us along the coast. A leg of the trip would be over the mountains for some wonderful views of the rain forests of Central America.

The trip would be last all summer long and we'd be pretty sick of each other by the end, but nonetheless it would be a pretty cool vacation. So if you want to make the dream a reality, you can send your tax-deductible donation to . . . just kidding. This is just a "flight of fancy" but that doesn't mean I won't take my Senior friends flying. Checkride time is coming pretty quickly, and then the Flying Dutchman will be in business!

Morality on Trial (17)

An online article by Time magazine discusses the current issue of gay-marriage in California. Prop 8 was supposed to outlaw gay marriages, but the public vote didn't solve anything. An appeal to overturn Prop 8 is in the California Supreme Court, and the debate is not going to end after the ruling is issued. The idea has been around for a while that the word marriage be taken out of the picture and replaced with the term "civil union", thus taking religion out of the picture, and allowing straight or gay couples to be legal.

I believe it's a silly idea. So what if marriage is fundamentally religious? A male-female union also happens to be the only relationship of its kind in nature. The primary purpose of marriage is to continue the human race. Put two roosters on an uninhabited island and wait a few years. What will you get? A new colony of chickens? No. Just two dead roosters.

Gay couples who complain about not receiving government benefits have no grounds for their argument. They are incapable of multiplying, so why should they get government goodies reserved for parents? And no, gay couples should not be allowed to adopt and raise children. The family is being destroyed by today's culture. Allowing "civil unions" will be the next step down. Society is not the same as it was a century ago. The questions that are being raised now would never have surfaced then.

If the state allowing civil unions instead of issuing marriage licenses, people will supposedly get equal treatment, but some may be upset that they are not really "married". A change of wording isn't going to really change the true nature of the situation, however. As Seventh-day Adventists, we know that the end is near. We should fight for morality, but eventually there will be nothing more we can do to restrain the evil impulses of mankind.

T-Minus 8 days and counting (16)

I've been asked to write about my expectations for this year's mission trip to Chiapas, Mexico. One thing is certain - we're going to be sweating. A quick check of current weather and the 10-day forecast shows mid-90's. Another expectation that I expect to be met in traditional W.A. style is chronic sleep deprivation. I don't think I've ever gone on a trip with the Academy and slept more than 7 hours a night. This leads me to my next expectation - somebody, maybe me, is going to get sick because of lack of sleep.

Anyway, that's enough pessimism. I also know that the trip is going to be a blast, with excellent group bonding, good trust-building experiences, and filled with unforgettable memories. As a speaker, I'm a bit aprehensive about preaching a series in church, but I know God will help me. I also know that I need to do my part and prepare my sermons. (You too Jonathan, Jose, Anna, and Carsten.)

It hasn't hit me yet that we're actually leaving for Mexico next week. And this time, Mom isn't coming! (That exlamation mark expresses amazement, not utter elation.) Ms. Jenkins is going to be catering to my every culinary whim and I'm looking forward to eating well. I'm looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us on this mission trip. Something always happens on W.A. trips. So with that said, let me move on to my other posts so I can get my assignments out of the way and work on sermons.

"First, fly the plane..." (15)

When a student pilot passes his checkride, the examiner usually presents the new license with the words, "Remember, this is a license to learn." A pilot never stops learning, and for neophytes like myself who have little experience, advice from seasoned pilots is invaluable. Probably the most useful advice for any pilot is, "First, fly the plane." This may seem redundant, but it can actually be a lifesaver. Distractions creep in, and when the pilot isn't flying the plane, nobody is.

I was on my second solo flight to Lincoln airport. I had just taken off at Auburn and I was climbing up to 3500 feet. The sun was shining through the windshield and making it very warm in the cabin, so I reached up to adjust the air vent. Twisting the part that directs the air flow, I was startled when the whole tube popped out onto my lap. Miffed, I began fiddling with the part, trying to put it back in its slot. It wouldn't go in. I continued to struggle with the part when I realized I was getting distracted. My plane was in a climb, I was supposed to be looking out for traffic, and there was a checklist I needed to complete.

Leaving the piece of plastic on my lap, I finished climbing to cruise, did my checklist, made sure the area was clear of other planes, and then turned my attention back to the air vent. With a little effort, I managed to slip it back in.

This little dilemma was by no means a life-threatening situation. But when pilots get distracted with small problems, events tend to escalate and produce big trouble. Learning simple lessons like this produces safe pilots. Advice should be simple and easy to remember - then you will know when and how to use it.

Don't Tell Me! (14)

My good friend Carsten is a very conscientious eater - on his own accord he chooses to avoid cheese, eggs, and even chocolate. But when it comes to something he has already put in his mouth and is enjoying, new facts about the food are not welcome. On some occasions he might be chowing down on a bag of chips when I'll come along and read the ten paragraphs of ingredients on the back.

"Do you know what's in here?!" I'll exclaim.
"Wait, don't tell until I'd done eating it," is his hasty reply.

Ignorance is bliss in many cases. Who really wants to know they just swallowed the spider that was in the bottom of their glass? If you leave out some of the "less-important" information, your friends will remain friendly longer. But there's a flip side.

Most people would rather not know what drugs, nicotine, alcohol, or even caffeine do to their bodies. Similarly, many of us young Adventists wish we didn't know that following the world is wrong. Whenever we have another seminar on music or relationships at the academy, I can sense the kids starting to squirm in their seats. But ignorance in these areas produces anything but bliss. Hosea 4:6 puts it into perspective: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. . ."

OCD - Obama Compulsive Disorder (13)

Last post, I praised the wonderful attributes of the United States. However, some of the most ridiculous things in the world are found, in the words of Reader's Digest, "Only in America". Let me show you part of the writing prompt:

Presidential memorabilia dates back to the days of President George Washington, but Pres. George gots nothing on Barack. He has four times as many products as any other president in U.S. history. The scope of products run the gamut from, “Hot 4 Barack” hot sauce to “iKiss Barack” lip balm. Die hard Obama fans can even buy 43 inch “Obama’s White House Swords” or worse yet Chia Obama’s will be avalible for purchase later this year. The chia pets will be sold in two poses: determined and happy.

How absurd can you get?! Marketing managers jump on anything that the public gets interested in. In outlandish schemes, companies try to exploit people's obsession with celebrities in order to make as much money as possible. I think this craze over Mr. Obama is totally unnecessary. In fact if I were him, I would make it illegal to market presidents.

This frivolity speaks for human society as a whole. Many people either worship public figures to an extreme, or try to make money off those who do. These silly products don't do much good for the President's image either. They certainly don't help him out in his job. Do you consider patriotism to be eating your President in the form of a waffle? Anyway, those are my thoughts on the subject.

From an Immigrant (12)

As an immigrant to the United States, I've been asked if I like it here by various people. (Now I'm being asked by my English teacher, which is why I'm writing this blog.) I have to say that up until recently, I looked down on Americans as being stuckup and shallow. I maintained that I was British and Dutch and that I would never apply for U.S. citizenship.

But I have realized two things: Anywhere you go there will be stuckup and shallow people. The other thing is that I'm already practically an American. Although I don't have the citizenship yet, this country has been my home for 10+ years. I now have an American accent and I have absolutely no idea where all those something-ham and elsewhere-shire towns are in England.

America is called the "melting pot of society," a place where people from all over the world have come and created a unique culture. I have to say that this country was kind to my family when we needed to start a new life. It is truly a land of opportunity - in the urbanized flatlands of the Netherlands, I would have had no skiing, mountain-climbing, or hiking. America also is one of the best places to become a pilot, which is my lifelong dream. Yes, America still rewards those who try their best, and I am truly grateful to live in this country.