Christmas Break

Happy Birthday Mom! I love you, and am so blessed to have an amazing mom like you.

Christmas Break has been awesome. I am done working until February;the perfume place is closed, my Bosses are doing inventory in the Bahamas, and Nicole is taking over me job on the farm. For the most part I am excited, yet I am very aware that no work means no income, which means no gas money. I think I saved plenty of money this semester to make it through January and have fun with my friends...ask me again late in January. ;-)

My parents, my brother, and I went to Iowa 25-28, it was loads of fun! Kyle (my cousin, who wrote a note telling me that he is the 1st Kyle) was up from Texas so it was nice to see him again. He and Caleb cracked quite a few good jokes and had us all crying with laughter. Shannon cut my hair for me at the Salon where she works and it looks great! My little cousin Aleigha (who is now 9) hung out with me non-stop! She gave up her bed for me and slept in a sleeping bag on the floor (thanks girlfriend, you are cool). We played Apples to Apples at Ryan and Tasha's I learned quite a few different things during that night. Did you know that it is a was not a good year for cashews? Ryan thinks so, the cashews in Tasha's chex-mix just where not to up to par in his opinion. Friday it snowed about 6" looked nice, but made the gravel roads more slick, luckily the roads were cleared enough for us to head home at 8.

We got home at 3 and I slept til noon (man, that was awesome). Made it up to my Grandma Pat's at 1. There were 46 of us up there (and that is not near all us), still it was great fun. I won a Euchre game, and played several rounds of fast-scrabble. Rocked John and Jamie's baby, Braelyn, to sleep. There were a lot of babies and young children there so many of my cousins are having kids, it is just craziness. 2 of my cousins and I went to see the second National Treasure, The Secret Book, I was pleasantly to surprised. It was a fairly good movie the 3 of us agreed that it was worth the price of the movie ticket.

My parents and I took down my grandma's Christmas decorations today with the help of my Aunt Lorene and Uncle Gary. We then played fast-scrabble and ate left overs (including a cake) to celebrate my mothers birthday!

The only plans I have left for Christmas break are to take down our Christmas Decorations tomorrow, go to an awesome concert tomorrow, and work on the song I wrote. Which I will do Wednesday, Eric is going to meet with me at the Church at 4:30 to help me write the guitar part, I have it in my head, but am not the good at guitar. I am excited to work on the song! I have no idea if anything will ever come of it, but it came to me one evening and want to finish getting it written down. Maybe we will play it at MYF (youth group) some evening! That would be cool. I will see what God does with it, he brought the song to me, I am trying to do my part by getting it down.

Christmas Carol Pondering

Most people are familiar with the Christmas Carol "The Twelve Day's of Christmas;" the question I pose is this: Do you add the gifts each day so that by the end of the song is this person stuck with have 12 partridges in pear trees, 22 turtle doves... 40 maids a milking...?

It it in my opinion that the singer does own all of these presents. In Math the word "and" implies addition; in the carol the word "and" is used to join all of the gifts each day. Conclusion this person has a lot of stuff by the end of the twelve days. Poor guy (Yes, I do know that the gifts are all hidden religious symbols.)

What is your take on the song? Does this guy have a heap of rings and hens by the end of the carol, or does he only have the obvious number stated?


~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 True Love refers to God

2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues

4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists

5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.

6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation

7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments

8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments

11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles

12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
(according to http://www.carols.org.uk/the_twelve_days_of_christmas.htm)

Creepy story for english

1 December 2007

Christmas break is still nineteen days away, and I entered yet another boring week at Evergreen. I do not know if I am capable of make it that much longer. Every day school is the same thing over and over again. My repetitive schedule goes something like this: I wake up, get ready for school, drive twenty minutes to Evergreen, sit in an English class, go to band, sit in a speech class (which is basically another English class), and finally drive home. My life is becoming too monotonous.
My weekly highlight, I hope that I have not kept you, my loyal readers, in suspense for too long. Especially since this weeks highlight is not extraordinarily thrilling. I went to the eye doctor hoping that he could do something about my new glasses (they have been throwing off my depth perception). This was a waste of my time because he simply said, “Just wait until Tuesday and see if they get better.” I waited this long to come in hoping the glasses would get better and he told me to wait longer! Anyways, I got back into my car and waved to an old man who was walking his two dogs; he motioned for me to wait a minute because he had something to say to me. I cautiously rolled down my window and he told me that I have a look-alike in Arkansas. She is his cousin, and he thought it was important for me to know. I chuckled and told him I thought that it was kind of cool to learn that I had a double. He laughed and said something about how he met his double outside of a factory. “You probably think I am a weirdo,” he said just before shaking my hand. He told me that I could hit him for being mean and bothering me. I simply told him I that I did not think that he was being mean and that I would not hit him. The man laughed again, jokingly hit my shoulder, told me to have a nice day, and continued to walk his dogs.
This was an awfully strange encounter to be sure; nevertheless, it was the most interesting part of my week.

Once again,
Brooke

~ ~ ~

8 December 2007

Once again, there is nothing new or exciting at Evergreen. I still have the same classes day after day: two English associated classes and one music class. Luckily, there are only twelve days until Christmas break. I might be able to make it without dying of boredom.
Again, my weekly highlight is not that exciting. In Honors English we are studying three horror stories. In each story there are characters that have a double of some sort, or two characters that are complete opposites. This is called the doppelganger. Last week I met a man who said he knew my double! He knows my doppelganger! I am not superstitious; however, there are not many good things to say about having a doppelganger. Most of what I have read about doppelgangers reads that when the two look-alikes meet, they perish. Since I do not plan on going to Arkansas and meeting my double, I think that I will survive. Besides that, to be a true doppelganger her personality must be the complete opposite of mine. That is extremely unlikely and like I said before, I am not superstitious.

Once again,
Brooke

~ ~ ~

15 December 2007

Three projects were due this week in Honors English, and I have one more project due on Tuesday. It is a challenge to balance high school, family, a boyfriend, friends, church, two evenings of dance, two part time jobs, and the normal stress of a teenager, without losing sight of the sun. It is hard work. Most adults forget how much crud teenagers deal with.
To top of my full week, my weekly highlight is more like an uncontrollable bonfire of coincidence. I saw the strange old man outside the post office in Morenci, Michigan! He saw me walk out of the post office and stopped me to say that his cousin, my look-alike, is coming to town this Thursday! He thinks that she and I should have lunch. I am curious to see if this woman, whose name I still do not know, and I really are look-alikes. I told the man I would meet her at the Pizza Box at 6:30 Friday evening.
I can’t wait; I really think that it will be fun to meet this lady.

Once again,
Brooke

~ ~ ~

22 December 2007

Man, this was an engaging week! Christmas break is here and booming; no more exams, no more double-dipping in the English department. Upon returning from break, January 7, it will be a new semester of school, which means all new classes!
I met her! I met my look-a-like! She never gave me her name, yet her name was not what I wanted to know; her face is what I wanted to see. Believe it or not, she did seem to be a mirror image of myself. However, her demeanor was quite different from my warm-hearted manner. It may sound like a child’s phantom to you, my readers, yet ever sine I met her I have had this uncanny sense that I am not alone; I feel like everywhere I go, someone is watching me. I have probably just been reading too much on the doppelgangers; it is said that after meeting, the two look-alikes perish. I am not superstitious, but the proverb still sits in my mind and plays tricks in my head. Redundancy seems to be a lead in my updates; nevertheless, it puts my mind at ease to repeat that I am not superstitious and this feeling is surely just a phantom of my mind.

Once again,
Brooke

~ ~ ~

29 December 2007

I have nothing new to share, just my “highlight.”
I feel that I should stop calling this section of my updates the highlight, because they all seem to revolve around this strange man and my twin-like shadow. It was violently storming last night as I laid down to rest in my soft and comforting bed. But I distinctly remember hearing my closet door slowly creek open. Shortly thereafter a strange, and still familiar, shadow crept across my room and exploited my open door. Exactly four minutes later, a truck door slammed shut, groaned to a bitter start, and rapidly growled its way through the brisk and stormy night. What if someone really is following me? This is all just a fabrication that my mind created, right? Doppelgangers are not real, there is no curse that comes when a person meets somebody else who looks just like her, I hope.
That is all for this week. I am letting my mind dwell too long in this place. I just need to forget her. I need to forget how much she looked like me with her thick, dark, curly locks of hair that hid her heart shaped face and devious brown eyes. Don’t misunderstand me, it was fun to meet someone that looked like me, but it was strange to “look in the mirror” and see someone whose presence chilled my very soul.

Once again,
Brooke

~ ~ ~

1 January 2008

Here I write
On one late night
More on my life
Eerily I create strife

Never again shall you read
One week, one great deed
Massacre in the street
Only one was brutally beat
Roam free I, roam peacefully
Entertain fate carefully

Doomed to die
Eye to eye
Atoning death
Took her breath
Hurry, too late, Brooke has marked her fate
~Rebeccah

Romanticist essay/presentation

Brooke Gugel
8 December 2007

Instead of viewing the world with austere guidelines, romantics viewed the world with unlocked hearts and unchained minds. The Romantic age changed the way in which the world was viewed. “View the world with an open mind,” a bold statement that Romantics would collectively agree with. Views from the Romantic Age continue to elicit themselves into modern society. The Beatles, a popular rock band of the twentieth-century, wrote a song entitled “All You Need is Love.” This song illustrates the modern day effects of the Romantic Movement.
A viewpoint implying that “with love everything is possible” is a Romantic idea. Not all Romantic literature thrives on the theme of love; however, this particular song, inscribed by The Beatles, does articulate the power of love. When The Beatles sing “All You Need is Love,” they are mirroring Alphonse’s open-minded prediction that tribulations can be solved purely by love. In Mary Shelley’s romantic novel Frankenstein Alphonse, Victor Frankenstein’s father believes that if his son marries Elizabeth, his troubles will disappear because the two love one another. Throughout The Beatles’ song, a sense of encouragement for the average man is depicted. One line of the song states, “There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done” This vocalization is meant to encourage every man, especially the middle-class man, to do his best because nothing is impossible. Giving common man the supreme attention was not only something The Beatles did, but it was also something that Romantic writers often did. Romantic writers wrote for the common people using familiar language. They wanted ordinary people to be able to feel and understand their writings.
Writers during the Romantic Age believed that it was time to elucidate literature for all classes of society. With free minds and unbolted hearts, writers tailored the literary world from its limiting concrete structure to a vast and boundless ocean. In modern day the effects of the Romantic Age can still be seen. The Beatles song, “All You Need is Love,” is just one of the many zealous examples of modern romantic works. It holds true to multiple romantic characteristics, not only does the song portray an optimistic and open-minded view on the positive effects of love, but it also conveys a sense of importance to the middle-class by directing the song to the middle-class audience. With the new outlook on literature writing, Romantic authors modified the way modern artists portray the surrounding world.

Update

Time for a quick update on my currently stressful life. Christmas break is approaching (at a painfully slow rate in my opinion) which has caused my Honors English teacher to go overboard on essays and projects. She gave my class an essay on the concept of evil, and a Horror story writing assignment. The Concept of Evil paper was simple enough to write, yet Horror Stories are not my forte so that was harder to write (and really is a bad story in my opinion) I based it off of a short innocent encounter I had with an older gentleman while in Michigan; it is lame (in my opinion, which as the author is a credible source). Later that week she gave out two more projects a short essay and presentation in which I must take a modern media and compare it to Romantic literature (I chose The Beatles, "All you Need is Love"). For the last project I have to research the Victorian Age and discover how they would decorate a Christmas tree and then decorate one myself, I also must create a Victorian-Christmas card, and a Victorian Christmas stocking. The three essays are due this week (I may post them if you would be interested in reading my super exciting essays and my terrible horror story). The Victorian Christmas thing is due December 18. On top of that I have Christmas parades for band (and a band concert on the 16th), Speeches to prepare and deliver and then a life outside of school (work, dance, church, and friends...well I really do not have time for them anymore as much as I wish I did). If all goes well on these projects I will boost my grade back up to an A and not have to take the final exam...oh please, please, please I really haven't been listening to the Romantic Poetry we are reading in class (I can't concentrate I have too much on my plate) and do not want to have to study and learn it for the exam. On a brighter note Christmas break begins on the 21 (the 20th if I can get an A), and when I go back to school January 7th I will have all new classes waiting for me (woohoo for block scheduling!).

MUSICAL REHEARSALS WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY! The results came in of Friday, I am finally a dancer! I guess I am also a clown who will kidnap some guy or something like that. The musical is My Favorite Year, it is a lesser-known Broadway musical comedy. So everyone who is anyone should come to it on April 4 or April 5...mark your calenders! hehehe

I finally got my pictures from Kellie; she did a very nice job. I don't have any of the pictures that she took on the stairs, they must not have turned out...bummer. It is all good; I have some awesome pictures with a grande piano, and amazing pictures at Camp Luz. The only thing left that I think might be fun are some pictures in the snow!

Okay, enough updating, just thinking about school tires me out...I am going to bed.

Oh Thumbelina

Thumbelina awoke one day
She decided to go out and play
Summer was here and about
Thumbelina indeed wanted out
Through the garden she did go
Enjoying the sights to and fro
Entering the rows of cucumbers and melons
She had no idea she was near some felons
Sitting on top of a nice cucumber
A baseball game she decided to ponder
Across the street her friends played hard
No idea she’d soon be charred
Never again to romp outside
Her physique had never been so tried
Hit was the ball, hit high and far
Coming close to a passing car
Crashing against Thumbelina’s heart
Launching her from her sitting part
Landing near with a sudden thud
Taking a hit from her big bad bud

picture: copywright 2005 S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.

Merry Christmas

Let me start out with an apology to my mother. I have always enjoyed Christmas with my family, and am very thankful for all of the gifts that I have received. We always read the Christmas story before opening presents. Thank you, it helps remind me every year what Christmas truly is about, and why people celebrate it on such a large scale. I hope that you will come to forgive me, and understand what I am trying to say. I am not trying to hurt you or Christmas, I am just trying to step back, and remind people about the true meaning of Christmas. I love you mom, you are very special to me, and I am very lucky to have such a compassionate mother.



What I am disgusted with is the commercialized business that Christmas has become. It has become a distraction from the true celebration. Trees and commercials appeared near the end of October. This caused me to become weary before the holiday season began. It may sounds selfish, but I wanted to enjoy autumn and the beauty of the trees that God created. I wanted to spend time thanking God for the many blessings he has bestowed upon me this year, I am so unworthy of these blessings. I enjoy seeing lights, and hearing some Christmas music, after Thanksgiving, because it displays joy and celebration. I fear that we too often forget why we are hanging lights and singing Christmas songs and only do so for the sake of saying we did, or to impress our friends and neighbors...we forget the bliss and wonder of the season, the genuine Christmas spirit.

While I believe a gift is a great way to show someone that you care, I do not believe that so much money needs to be spent to display this feeling. A simple hug or a short note of encouragement can often be more heartfelt than a new shirt or DVD. I enjoy the phrase
"the best gifts often come in small packages," how true. To put it in my own words, which I hope will shine light on my feelings, The best gifts are not always the most expensive, but they are always the gifts that hold the most heart. One of the best gifts to give and receive is time. Whether it be physically spending time with someone or taking time to select the right gift, it causes a gift to hold more love and essence.

the tip of the iceberg

Thanksgiving was so much fun, I went to Columbiana to hang out with Kyle, his family, and friends. It was great, but now I am really tired and ready for a nap...oh wait, I have school tomorrow, so much for that idea ;-) Thanks for making it such a great Thanksgiving!

Now all people can see is christmas-- yes, in my opinion christmas with a lower case C-- the "buy me now" season. I am sick of it! I had expected to feel slightly less into the season last year since it was the first Christmas after my summer in Zambia; I did think it was overdone, but not as much I do this year. Last year I really did not want a gifts but i still gave my mom gift idea's when she asked and I was very excited for christmas; I really got into the season. I wanted to go and cut the tree the day after thanksgiving, I enjoyed the lights, the decorations, the shopping, the music.....but this year it all seems so lame...so meaningless...so mundane.

It seems to me that very few people celebrate Christmas, most are too wrapped up and busy with the season to realize that Christmas isn't about the decorations, the lights, the shopping, or the christmas trees; they forget the Christmas is about the magnificent and glorious birth of Jesus.


... much more later

results are in

DRUM ROLE PLEASE.....

April test composite score: 21

OCTOBER TEST COMPOSITE SCORE: 26!!!!!

(I needed a 23 for the scholarship)

Thank you so much for all of the prayers! They were definitely answered loud and clear. In case you are unaware, raising your composite score 5 points is unusual. Not only does the 26 qualify me for the scholarship equalization program, but it also puts me in a higher bracket of financial aid as well. Praise God, It looks like I am going to Bluffton Next year!

To celebrate, eat ice cream tonight! (and tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that, and ....well you get the point).

Thanks again!



The Break down:

April English: 22
October English: 27

April Math: 21
October Math: 23

April Reading: 20
October reading: 28

April Science: 21
October Science: 24


Praise God,
Brooke Gugel

The Buffalo Week

Maybe I should explain why I call my past week a buffalo week before I go into the actual details. Thursday morning I was at school for FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) bright and early, 7:00. Somebody asked me how my week was going and I replied by saying that it had been an eventful week. Mr. Blanchong, the teacher who oversees FCA, overheard and thought that I said my week had been buffalo. It was humorous at the time, and I think it describes the week very well. I will probably use it again in the future.

Saturday (11/3/07)
I went to the Circle K in downtown Wauseon to get gasoline after I finished working at Perfumes and More. I pulled up to pump one and could only see a diesel pump, so instead of pulling to a different pump I went to Newcomes, a marathon gas station, when I pulled in at Newcomes I realized that I had taken my gas cap off at Circle K (I am now uptown). So I got my gas and retraced my steps (I even went into Circle K to see if anybody had taken it inside)...no luck, my gas cap was gone. But I did see my friend Rebeca getting gas the the "diesel" pump, i was confused because she drove a car...definitely not made for diesel. Then i realized that on the other side the the "diesel" pump was a hose for unleaded (etc). Yep, I am a genius. One that cannot look on the left side of a pump to see the other hose.

Luckily we have a Honda accord that nobody uses sitting at home, the gas cap fits nicely on my beautiful Honda Civic.


Sunday (11/4/07)
I drove my mothers car to church. After Church I carpooled with Nicole to a Chinese restaurant (mmm), school for a band concert, and back home to my house. That evening I went up to my grandmas to clean the gutters on the shop. I did not have my keys, but simply assumed that they had fallen onto my bed when I picked up my purse, no big deal.

Monday (11/5/07)
The next morning I am ready to leave for school, but I cannot find my keys. Oh well, I will find them after school; I take my dad's keys. I head out to my car and try to start it...the battery is completely dead. OH SNAP. --I still am not sure why it was dead, nothing was left on.-- My mom and I try to jump my car...it is hooked up for 10 minutes and not getting any better. So I take my moms car and leave for school. Of course I get a tardy, no big deal. After school I try in vein to find my car keys at home...

Tuesday (11/6/07)
I ask My. Lyons, the super amazing band director, if anybody has turned in keys..of course not.
I leave for work early so that I can stop at Church and look for my car keys. I gave up and started to play piano...next thing I know I have to be at work in five minutes. OH SNAP, I run to my car, spead above 10 miles an hour in the church parking lot, hit the lights just right, pulled into a parking spot, speedily walked to work, and made it right on time. whew, that was close.

Wednesday (11/7/07)
I am really getting annoyed with my dad's keys. They are very temperamental, and only work a certain way (as his are a copy, I have the original). To get into my car I have to unlock the passengers door (after trying to unlock the drivers door, because I forget every time), reach across and unlock the drivers door) Once in the drivers seat I have to work with the keys to make them start my car. After finishing work on the farm I look for my keys in Nicole's Jetta...no luck.
Wednesday's I have worship dance at church, I share my buffalo week, and ask that they pray that I find my keys (yes, it is petty, and I admitted that to the dancers, but it is kind-of a scary thing to lose your keys).
After dance I drove to another church for We Will Worship-- a bunch of local youth groups to come together purely for worship. --It was really cool, and I could feel God's presence all around us, even though I only knew one song (that isn't what is important). I headed back to the Church to drop off a few girls, and meet with the MYFers (youth group people) who were going to run Kids Connections Sunday morning for me (we decided show a clip from VeggieTales Joshua and the Big Wall). Luckily somebody else noticed that I left my lights on and turned them off for me..close call, good thing I have jumper cables in my trunk, I almost needed them...again.
**Thanks God for having a sponsor turn off my lights, I don't think I could have handled a buffalo that was much bigger than what I already had, and you knew that. Though it may seem small to other people, I know that you used the sponsor and my lights to remind me that you loved me and had control of my life.**
My dad calls me and tells me that he stopped at the Chinese restaurant, where Nicole and I had eaten on Sunday, and asked about me keys...no luck.

It was time to frantically search my house, again.

God helped me find them. woohoo!!!

Here is where they hid (my room). My keys were caught and wrapped around (so you could not see them hanging down) On the right side, where the frame makes and X. If you were looking for my keys, you would not be able to see them in this shot. To find my keys you would have to be standing right above the chair. At every other angle the keys are hidden.

I will admit it, I was overjoyed. I jumped up and down, laughed, did a little dance, and yelled " I FOUND MY KEYS, I FOUND THEM," roughly 20 times and then called my friend Doc to share the good news... She was not quite as excited as I was ;-)


That pretty much wraps up the excitement; I have no doubt that God helped me all throughout my buffalo week. If you disagree with me oh well, I believe that God helps in small ways as well as in the big ways.


Remember to thank God for the small moments of relief and encouragement when your next Buffalo week comes to steal your peace.

Grand Piano

In case you could not tell, I got some pictures taken with a grand piano today (thank you to my photographer, aka my mom). It was fun, many did not turn out as well as we had hoped, but that is okay. Here are my (and my moms) favorites. Sorry they may be they are hard to see (click on it to see full size, it'll help a bit...mom). I really really REALLY like all of the pics with me on top of the beautiful grand piano, so they will be hard to narrow down. The right top and middle are possible year book pics (my mom likes one I like the other, go figure). I am hoping that Kellie sends me the pictures she took this summer soon (like within a couple of days) so that I have a better option for the year book (and pick out the other pics), who knows if that will happen. Oh well, no big.

um... that is it so smile :)

The Sunsets on the ACT bathroom

Did anybody else see the Sunset last Tuesday (10/23/07)? It was amazing, I love God so much! Sunsets have got to be one of the main ways that I feel/see God's love. I guess it could be said that sunsets/sunrises are God's way of showing me how much he loves me! Man last Tuesday God was really trying to get His point across! I was awed by the sunset's glory and power. Every couple of minutes it would be a different color that illuminated the hemisphere! When the sun set farther, the crimson glow was so rich and dark, i have never seen such a sight (and I saw African sunsets).

Okay, okay, sorry, I will stop talking about the sunset (but it was raw and amazing)! Saturday was ACT day, I really do not know how I did, but i DO KNOW that GOD'S will was done and I have nothing to worry about. I will let ya all know my score in a few weeks, when I know. A side note that I do not recall telling anybody, but is applicable food for thought, The first time I took the ACT's I prayed that God would help me receive the score that would get me into the college he wanted me to go to. The 21 ruled out the University of Iowa, the college I really wanted to attend not only for their performing arts major (dancing) but also for their football team GO HAWKEYES, yet the 21 was score that helped get me into Bluffton University (a college that I was not even considering at that time). hmmm, funny how God works sometimes and we don't even realize it until we stop and take time to look back and reflect.

I painted my bathroom today! No more light blue paint with stick on fishey's. It is now purple with a light purple ceiling! Actually I think the color is Mikaela or something like that, whatever, I like it. I am not a fan of trimming, yuck, but I did not do too bad of a job. Tomorrow I will get a better look at how i did when their is light.

I think that was all i had to update....maybe not....even-so it is all that I remember right now. Sorry, about the randomness of this blog, just look at it as a nice variety. Where else will you read about Sunsets, ACTs, and Painting Bathrooms?

Smile Jesus loves you so very much,
~Brooke Anne Gugel

"Follow Me"

I am calling out for the power of prayer. This past summer (summer of 07) I worked at Camp Luz in Kidron, Ohio (3 hours from home). It was during this summer that i felt God calling me to major in Youth Ministry at Bluffton University. I have since applied and been accepted into Bluffton University. Here is the clincher, I need to receive a 23 on the ACT's this Saturday (October 27 8am-noon) to financially afford Bluffton (I received a 21 in April, the first time I took the ACT-a 36is a perfect score). Bluffton (a private Christian University) has a Scholarship equalization program that will give me $11,360 per year (for the 4 years of college), this scholarship makes Bluffton cost the same amount of money that the average state-funded university costs. I qualify for this scholarship in every way except for the ACT score (I am not a very good test taker even though I am a good student in High School). I have been praying a lot, if this is truly where God is calling me to go (as I believe it is), and what God is calling me to do,(as I believe it is) I have full faith that HE will help me receive AT LEAST a 23 (I am not going to put limits on God). Your prayers would be most appreciated throughout this week, and Saturday morning.

This ACT test is also my fleece. It is my final confirmation for college (as I have already had other signs) or my sign to take a huge step back and re-evaluate what God is calling me to do (if the 23 is not received). I know that I cannot receive a 23 without God's divine intervention.



God is in control. I have put all of my faith in him. Today Wendell Nofziger (my youth pastor) gave the sermon (wanna hear it? mp3). It was entitled "Follow me" it gave six points of what it means to follow Jesus (not all of the ways); his sermon spoke right to me and encouraged me in my way (especially this week) it encouraged me-- let me know that I am doing the right thing.
1) We TRUST Jesus. "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
-- Hey, I am trusting God fully, and I know that my own understanding will not get me far enough on the ACT's.

2) We don't KNOW all the DETAILS ahead of time.
-- Nope, it is true I don't, but I trust God, and Follow him anyways. He knows best --not me!

3) We will do things that are BEYOND our own ABILITIES. "A God-sized assignment is one that you cannot do on your own. If God doesn't help you, you will fail." - Henry Blackaby
-- Timed tests --like the ACT's-- are not my forte, I WILL FAIL WITHOUT GOD'S HELP.

4) It will require FAITH. "Without faith, it is impossible to please God." Hebrews 11:6
--ain't that the truth, i want to please God and I feel that Youth Ministry is where He wants me, so I am stepping out in faith with the ACT. But I also trust that if God doesn't help me receive the 23, he will still be helping me, and be with me, during the test. --he doesn't leave or forsake us, ya know, it says so all over the bible: Deuteronomy 31:6,Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua 1:5, 1 Kings 8:57-- and so if he doesn't help me receive at least a 23 He will show me what he wants me to do and where he wants me to go, re-direct me in a different way down a different path, or the same path just a different route that i can't see.

5) Jesus will be our MODEL. The wrong question "what can I do for God?" a better question: "God, where can i join you in your work?" It says in John 5:17, 19-20 "Jesus said to them, 'My father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working. I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.'"
-- I really desire to fit into God's will, and that is one reason for ACT fleece. If I am right on track with God's plan, he will provide at least a 23 on the ACT's (or the money some other way, that I cannot see), if I am not seeing God's will, He will not help me achieve at least a 23 on the ACT's. I believe that Youth Ministry is where God wants me to join him in his work, I truly enjoy working with teenagers!

6) Following Jesus means we will respond, "Yes, Lord." Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what say?" Wendell says " If we say 'No, Lord, I can't possibly do that' then you're saying much more about what you believe about God than what you believe about yourself!"

--I am trying to do what God says, but I know that I cannot do it on my own. I cannot achieve a 23, but God can work through me and achieve so much more than a 23.

I think i mentioned is above but just in case the sermon notes were taken from Wendell Nofziger's super sweet sermon, that pushed me to sacrifice the ACT's even further, with even more faith, and hope. Romans 5: 3b-5 says "...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us..." --I may not be suffering, but I am sacrificing pushing, stretching, and growing in faith.

His sermon is not the only place I got this message today, The VeggieTales my mom wanted to watch (Mo and the Big Exit) is a take from Moses and his faith in God to deliver the people--Moses could not deliver them by himself. In the Sunday School class that I taught today (by the by, that went very well, but that could be another blog) we discussed Leah and how she trusted God to fill her need to be loved, Jacob, her husband, did not fill this need, it says in Genesis 29:31 "...the Lord saw that Leah was not loved..." Leah was blessed with four sons and she gave God the glory for this, she loved and worshiped God "...Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too..." (Genesis 29:33b), she is referring to the birth of Simeon, her second son. Leah could not be happy, loved, without God--without faith and dependency on God, life just seems impossible.

God is simply wanting me to experience some divine intervention! hey, I am game for that, sounds like a roller-coaster that has not chance of making me second guess the decision, no long lasting consequences; in the end God wins! woo-hoo! I say after this ACT/finance thing-a-ma-jig their will be an Ice-cream party to celebrate how great God is....no matter what the outcome!

okay, I am done, I hope that is all makes sense to you, it does to me, but i wrote it...

Faithfully striving to follow God and do HIS will
-Brooke

Homecoming

Homecoming was last night, the theme was the Wizard of Oz', it was Loads o' fun!
I took three gorgeous girls (Nicole, Jamie, and Sarah) in my amazing Honda civic (stick shift, of course) to Applebee's. After we ate we went to Meijer's because Jamie's camera needed AA batteries. I bought my dates a bouquet of daisy, they each picked a color from the bouquet and were thrilled! (I had yellow left over, which was perfect because my mom loves, daisies! Hope you like your flowers mom!)

We still had a whole bunch of time left and so Sarah suggested that we go and meet her aunt and uncle, who lived nearby, her aunt and cousin were super psyched and took a crumb load of pictures and promised to text me the score of the Indians game so that I would not be uninformed.

We got to homecoming around 8:30, which in my opinion was perfect timing (if you get there when homecoming dance starts, nobody is there and it is lame until more people arrive). Most of the music was rap (sad day, most of us cannot dance to rap, but that doesn't stop us), but they did play some good tunes.

Evan had a glass of water of the dance floor (not quite sure why, oh well) and Samantha smacked it and knocked it all over. I got pretty wet, and I wasn't even dancing in their group. Evan apologized and explained what happened, but Sam just kinda walked away. I am not sure if she did it on purpose or not, but oh well, I got over it and dried while dancing with my buddies!

Dance ended at 11pm; Jamie's mom picked up her and Sarah, so Nicole and I headed homeward jamming to Family Force Five! We decided that Family Force Five would be sweet to dance to at homecoming, and would promote more pg rated dancing! (Nicole and I are not fans of the whole "sex with clothes on" dancing style that is "in")

Comfort Zone alert

I spent most of this past weekend writing a persuasive speech entitled "Beautiful Body" (posted yesterday) it deals with the media and how it's double message of eating a butt-load of food and being really-super thin is bogus and we should be happy with our healthy bodies just the way they are. It was really interesting to research; I learned a great deal about eating disorders and also gathered a lot of stats that were shocking and some depressing.

Life, outside of my speech, has really picked up। I am singing up front with the MYF band on Wednesday evenings. This is WAY outside of my comfort zone as I have never thought that I had a good singing voice, sure I have been in musicals, but only as nameless characters with NO big singing parts (only nice a sized chorale and the whole cast). But the youth group girls all agreed that our band of guys needed female singers to help lead worship and silly me told my friend that is she went up there I would sing with her…after MYF she was pulled up on stage and she forced me to fulfill my promise. I am looking at it now as need to step outside of my comfort zone to keep from getting too comfy in life.

Saturday I received a phone call asking me to head Kid Connection for the 3rd-8th graders (A huge age gap in my opinion) in November at my church. Basically The Sunday school classes gather in one room and have their bible story presented to them in drama, or some other interesting manner. The high school Sunday class was asked to take over November and my peers all told Deb that she should call me. It is a big task, and I do not have the information yet, I should get it Wednesday at MYF.

I was asked Sunday to teach my Sunday school class in a few weeks, the twist, I am the youngest in this class by far (next person is 35ish and then probably 75 and up) and I have only been attending the Sunday school class for a few weeks, they are all very excited to have me teach their class, and I am thinking what do I have to teach these people? They have been through so much more than I have...


I also was asked by the leader of SADD to talk at our school assembly Wednesday about something to do with a banner that people can write the names of people who have died in car accidents on, but I do not know exactly what he wants me to say… my story?? Hmmm…. I’ll have to let you know later what I am wanted to do I guess.

All of this has come to me within a few weeks…. I am not sure what to think of it. Singing in the youth group band, leadership roles in the church and public speaking in front of my high school, they are all new things for me… is this God working? Or am I just being stupid by saying yes and agreeing to go through with these new events?
Hey, I am just a kid trying to figure life out…maybe I am wrong, but I suppose that I will learn from my mistakes if I am……….

Beautiful Body

Eat, eat, eat and be extremely thin; this hypocritical message is flaunted by the media. We should ignore this contradicting message that is destroying so many lives and be happy with our own body image. The extremely thin look that is plastered all over the media is causing discontentment with body image in millions of Americans with some cases becoming so great that they lead to eating disorders. It is important to eat three balanced meals a day, with a few light healthy snacks to keep the body healthy and strong.Tall and thin has not always been the “in” image. In the middle ages large people were accepted and looked up to as their great size was a sign of wealth, they could afford a lot of food. But as time went on this view changed steel corsets were used in the seventeenth century to keep women’s bodies small and thin. As newspapers and magazines become increasingly popular and people moved into cities and towns, the thin image was pushed as the attractive and acceptable body.Since this time the Western media has taken the tall and thin image and ran with it. Television and magazines are covered with tall, very thin oval faces. According to Eating Disorders, a recent book by Ruth Bjorklund, the average female model is 5 foot 11 inches tall with a weight less than 120 pounds. For someone who is that tall 120 pounds is underweight and unhealthy they should weigh at least fifteen pounds more. It also sends the negative message “you are not good enough” to the average american woman who is only 5’4” and who weighs 140 pounds, a healthy weight. Still magazines covers are coated with new, amazing, and fast acting weight loss programs. By age 13 fifty-three percent of american girls are dissatisfied with their bodies, this percentage increases to seventy-eight percent when American girls reach the age of seventeen. Most men in the media are tall, extremely strong, and overly muscular; this is not reality as the majority of men do not have this body type.Half of the commercials aimed towards males involve men being aggressive, according to media family, while half of the commercials geared towards females involve being physically attractive. The average child views ten-thousand food commercials per-year, yet only two percent of these commercials encourage fruits, vegetables, or beans. In one year Pepsi spends 2.1 billion dollars on advertising, says the department of Washington, and McDonald’s spends 1.2 billion dollars on advertising. No wonder people are torn between being super thin or buff and eating a lot of unhealthy food.Healthy eating is essential to a person as it is a source of energy and health. Ruth Bjorklund’s book, Eating Disorders, reminds us that nutritious foods help our bodies fight disease, grow, make energy, think clearly, and balance moods. On average the teenage girl needs 2,000 calories a day and the teenage boy needs between 2,500 and 3,000 calories a day. The number of calories needed is higher for those who exercise more than half and hour a day (mypyramid.gov). Remember portions are important; the body needs protein to build and mend muscle, vitamins to stay healthy, carbohydrates to fuel the body, and fats to keep the skin moist.The struggle to fit into the media’s depiction of “normal” and “attractive” has caused millions to turn to eating disorders for help. One million males and seven million females in the United Sates have an eating disorder; sadly an additional fifteen percent of the population has unhealthy eating habits according to Bjorklund. Anorexia Nervosa means the loss of appetite because of nervousness; even though, those with anorexia actually ignore their appetites rather than lose their appetites. People with anorexia are terrified to gain weight and so they do not eat, or they eat extremely little. It is important to remember that during puberty, a time when most eating disorders form, it is common and healthy to gain around forty pounds (Eating Disorders). Bulimia Nervosa is the eating disorder in which a person overeats a lot and then purges, commonly by vomiting, using laxatives, or diet pills, to rid their bodies of the food. This eating disorder is not usually a successful weight loss as more food is consumed than it is possible to purge. Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, along with other eating disorders such as anorexia athletia, night eating disorder, Binge- Eating disorder, Prader-Willi Syndrome, and Pica are all extremely dangerous and have caused the death of many people. Karen Carpenter was a famous pop star of the eighties; she died after eight years of being secretly anorexic. She is quoted in Eating Disorders, “It was just a few innocent comments about my weight and body that stung like a bee.” Negative comments geared toward the physical body is only one of the many reasons people turn to eating disorders other reasons include low self-esteem, lack of support, trauma, relationship stress, and the want to “fit in” and be popular; there are other ways to cope with these issues such as talking to a trusted and caring adult who can provide guidance and support.Now is the time to take a stand against the two-faced message that is ruining so many lives and find satisfaction in the attractive healthy body. The media may send out a message calling people to eat large amounts of food and still be super-thin; however, this message is unrealistic and misguiding. Millions have become so dissatisfied with their body image that they have turned to eating disorders to fit into the idealistic world created by the media. There is a better solution, eat healthy, and be content with the beautiful, strong, and healthy body you already have.

THE SUPER AMAZING AND EXCITING WORKS CITED!

Works Cited

Bjorklund, Ruth. Eating Disorders. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2006.
“Media Wise.” National Institute on Media and the Family. 6 Sept 2002. 6 Oct, 2006. .
“National Eating Disorders Association.” National Eating Disorders Association. 2002. 6 Oct 2007. .
“Teen Health and the Media.” Body image and Nutrition. 6 October 2007. .
“United Sates Deparment of Agriculture.” “mypyramid.gov.” 6 Oct, 2007 .
“Weight-control Information Network.” Weight-Control Information Network. 2004. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. 6 Oct 2007 .

Media...ugh

Today my friend was having a “fat day,” she told me that everything she tried to put on that morning made her look fat. I reassured her that she was beautiful and not anywhere near being fat (both of which are extremely true). I also reminded her that she weighed less than me (which is also true).

I am sick of this! Girls, who should not be, are thinking that they weight too much and are fat (which makes them fell ugly and undesirable in the least). Whether we (the female population) will admit it or not, we have been ‘brainwashed” into thinking that we are not skinny enough or pretty enough. The media is in large the cause of this mass dilemma that has so many girls turning to anorexia, bulimia, or another eating disorder, so that they can lose weight (that they do not need to lose). Models, TV/Movie stars, Barbie, and Cartoons (just to name a few) are all skinny and “perfect” OR (if they are not skinny and “perfect”) are made fun of for their weight and often portrayed to have few friends (or no friends) that love them.

Seeing this over and over has changed the way we (as females) think about ourselves. The major problem is that no matter how little we weigh, it is never little enough!


…I’ll probably add more later, sorry about the abrupt ending, I just can’t go on right now I am too frustrated.


HEY+ I will be delivering a persuasive speech on this subject sometime next week- I will post the mandatory manuscript when it is complete (or at least in existence)