30 Hour Famine - Post #252

I did the sermon today at church, for the kid's service following the 30 Hour Famine. Dad wanted me to put it up here...

Let us pray. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and don't lean on your own understanding. In all things acknowledge him, and he shall direct your way. Amen.

As many of you know, this weekend the members of the STAR and J2A classes gave up their Friday and Saturday to fast for a program called World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine. The motto? Be seen, be heard, be hungry. We were sponsored to spend 30 hours without food, raising money to combat world hunger and, in the process, understand a little more of what hunger really is.

How many of us know what it feels like to be truly hungry? I know I don’t. In fact, when Ms. Sewell asked me to give a sermon on world hunger, my first thought was, what am I going to say? How can I talk about something I can’t imagine?

I wasn’t alone. When I went to school Friday and told my friends why I wasn’t eating, they all asked the same questions. Why are you doing this? Why don’t you just eat, and find another way to get the people money?

I don’t know why everyone else who participated decided to fast, but by the end of the 30 hours I knew why I did.

It’s a reminder. It’s a reminder that there are people out there who have no food, that there are people who struggle daily just to stay alive. 29,000 children die every day from preventable diseases, one of which is malnutrition. 29,000. That’s about three quarters of Southington’s population. Every day. These are kids just like the ones we have in this church, living, breathing human beings who aren’t going to get a chance at life simply because they don’t have food.

It’s a wake-up call. When I started the 30 hours, I expected to be hungry. I mean, it is called the 30 hour famine. But what I didn’t expect was the strong desire, before I was hungry, to eat. I wanted food. And that led me to thinking. How often do I eat when I don’t need to, or even eat so much that I feel sick? People often take food for granted, especially children and teenagers who don’t have to provide for themselves yet. The 30 hour famine made me realize what a mistake that is, how much of a gift the energy and comfort of three meals a day really is.

Finally, it’s a motivation to act. We are so lucky to be here together, comfortable, full of food and warm under a roof, that often we forget about those less fortunate than ourselves. We are all children of God, no matter our age or where we live, and it is our responsibility to take care of our brothers and sisters. We have one life, one shot to leave this world a little better than it was when we came into it. Have compassion. Think of the times in your own life when all you needed was someone to help you make it through. Be someone else’s hero.

“Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.” If that’s not as easy as the Bible gets, then I must be reading it wrong. It seems like pretty clear instructions to me. We have the resources and the ability to help change lives, save lives. All we need now is the willpower.

Maybe it’s starting small, like helping the new kid who needs someone to sit with on the bus or the woman who could use a hand with her groceries. Maybe it’s donating your old coats to help someone stay warm this winter. Maybe it’s fasting for 30 hours to try and help even one child get food.

It’s not always easy. Sometimes it’s the frustration of giving up something we have grown accustomed to. Sometimes it’s the fear of stepping out of our comfort zones. Whatever the obstacle, the results will be worth it. I’m only fifteen, but I’ve seen enough people help others to know. The glow on their faces when they see they’ve made a difference speaks more than words. Goodness rewards itself.

I believe in this church. It’s a strong community that’s bringing up a generation of kids willing to donate their Fridays and Saturdays to helping people they’ve never met. That’s something special. So the next time you have to choose between what is right and what is easy, have courage and take the extra step. Donate to a soup kitchen, volunteer to rebuild a broken home, work without looking for a reward. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to do something good. We can change the world, little bit by little bit. It starts right here.

Amen.

Tom came to listen to me read it, which made me happy. =)

The robot's going well. We finished early enough this year that we have enough to take it all apart again and improve (aka fix) everything. Support for the arm, fixing all my wholes, redoing the electronics fifty bajillion times. But it's good. The scrimmage is this Saturday, so we'll see how we really measure up against the other teams.

I've somehow picked up a good five to ten nicknames between band and robotics... Fiona, Smartona, Hiona, Ioboe, Iona Bologna, Iona Used Car, Iona Piece of Broccoli, Plumber, and today I was Minion Number One. Deary me.

I have a billion concert band and jazz band songs to practice, so I'm off for now. Eat happy. <3

--Iona

Theme For English 10 - Post #251

After reading Langston Hugh's "Theme For English B," our assignment was the same as his (and the only one I've considered worthwhile this year):

"Go home and write
a page tonight.
And let that page come out of you---
Then, it will be true."

Mitch wrote a three page history of his life (single spaced), Jess wrote about the Jonas Brothers, and Bri restarted at least twice. I sat down, and this is what happened.

My middle school yearbook is two years old
Already the pages are wrinkled
And the binding – two staples – is loose
Inside, I see myself in the photos of yesteryear
Forced smiles for group pictures
China teeth in a face of stone
That is what I looked like, but it isn’t me

Flip to the back of the book (careful of the covers)
Five pages of scribbled pen
Like knots, they hold together last goodbyes
Signatures under hasty notes
Have a good summer and I’ll see you next year

But, disorganized mess they are, these are the pages
The ones I turn to to remember
Or to forget
They hold a truth that I hold dear

I am the nerd, the dork, the smart one
Always have been, likely will be
These pages crawl with notes that say so

I trace the names that wrote those words
I know them, but not well
And likewise, they don’t know me
The impression I left was two arms, two legs
One brain, larger than most
And that is how it will remain

But the ones I love seem clueless of that fact
My mind factors little in their memories
Instead, they write of laughter
Of inside jokes and shared struggles
Of moments in time that brought us together

I am the nerd, the dork, the smart one
I’ve been despised for doing what I love
Instead of what is accepted
And sometimes it is hard

But when I doubt myself and forget who I am
I turn again to my middle school yearbook
Flip to the back (careful of the covers)
And with the words of my truest friends
Remember

--Iona

Busy busy busy - Post #250

Wow, so, I've been kind of INSANELY busy for a while. Let's see...

Robotics is really going well. Last year I was stuck painting the robot's crate, but this year I've built the control board, built and helped wire the electronics panel, and soldered. =) Not to mention drilled a billion holes, used the lathes, made metal waves on a stone grinder, cut everything... It's been a much more eventful season than last year, and it's not even close to over yet. Thirteen days until our first scrimmage!!

What else has been going on... We went to the annual Mardi Gras party at Shawn's church again this year. It was amazing. A bunch of us went dressed up as the Spice Girls, as you can see above. Veronica was Scary Spice in a giant afro wig, Bri was Baby Spice in pigtails and pink, I was Ginger Spice in a red dress and wicked curls, Jess was Posh Spice in black and a pout, Rachel was Sporty Spice in a high ponytail and bright green pants, and Jackie was the manager in a shiny gold dress and jeans.

Shawn's dad is a great DJ. He not only has some hilarious remixes (Jump On It + Who Let the Dogs Out + Last Dance = amazingly funny), but he also randomly starts dancing, which is pretty great.

Other than that, there hasn't been too much to write about. Life's been busy, but pretty repetitive. School is busy but monotonous, chem is chaotic and challenging, and more often than not we're too pressured with studying to find time to hang out. It's pretty awful.

On the other hand, I really really want to make a music video. It's been ages. So I'll probably try and figure something out for that soon. =)

Until then, I'm off to avoid football. Night. =)

--Iona