ECU Homecoming

My friend Travis whom I went to Kenya with this summer won Homecoming King at East Carolina University.

Whoa, Mr. Rossetti, Whoa!

Never have i felt the chills after analyzing a poem then the one called "Silent Noon" by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Read the poem and then read my analysis.

Your hands lie open in the long fresh grass,--
...The finger-points look through like rosy blooms:
...Your eyes smile peace. The pasture gleams and glooms
'Neath billowing skies that scatter and amass.

All round our nest, far as the eye can pass,
...Are golden kingcup-fields with silver edge
...Where the cow-parsley skirts the hawthorn-hedge.
'Tis visible silence, still as the hour-glass.

Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragon-fly
Hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky:--
...So this wing'd hour is dropt to us from above.
Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower,
This close-companioned inarticulate hour
...When twofold silence was the song of love.

“Silent Noon”, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, is a short sonnet that is simple yet eloquent in telling of two lovers on a summer afternoon. Found in the book called “The House of Life,” a collection of poems he wrote about In this poem I imagine them lying together in the grass, he absorbed in her beauty: “Your hands lie open in the long fresh grass”, he says “The finger-points look through like rosy blooms: Your eyes smile peace.” He describes her hand stretched out and lying lazily in the grass with the fingers spread apart as beautiful as roses arising up out of the ground. It is as if this field was meant for them,
“The pasture gleams and glooms 'Neath billowing skies that scatter and amass. All round our nest, far as the eye can pass, are golden kingcup-fields with silver edge where the cow-parsley skirts the hawthorn-hedge.”
Around their “nest,” they are surrounded by beautiful flowers glowing in the noonday sun. “'Tis visible silence, still as the hour-glass.” And they cannot speak, for their love silences all around them. “Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragon-fly hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky: -- So this wing'd hour is dropt to us from above.” I get the picture of angels tying insects such as the dragonfly or butterflies and bees to strings and dropping them down from heaven and romantically dangling them around the two. And then comes the most beautiful lines:
“Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower,
This close-companioned inarticulate hour
When twofold silence was the song of love.”
This love; this moment; it is too overwhelming. Life stops. Time forgotten. The only thing there was were they.

Moving Back

So I told you yesterday I would enunciate more. I am moving back home after only a short 4 weeks at Andrew's new home. Why? Because I apparently learned what God intended me to learn. I awakened to Him. I began to understand love, community, giving, finances, prayer, dependence. And all of this in this short amount of time. In human terms, I feel the wise thing to do financially and for my future hopes and desires is to move back home. I began this new trek with sponsoring a boy from Kenya named Ngethe. His Christian name is Samuel. I am so excited as this is something I have wanted to do since June. Had I continued paying rent I would not be able to do this and so much more. The thing is I want most of my rent money to go elsewhere: Ngethe, 410 Bridge, TIA, MountainLake, etc. I felt that the rent money was being wasted when I could be staying free at home. So no regrets. Just the hassle of moving everything back home (which all I have left is some clothes, my bed, and tv).

:)

Enlightenment Began

Why do we fall?
To pick ourselves back up again?
- Batman Begins

I had been down for the past week. Since Sunday God has revealed why. And the answer sucks...BIG time. However, I understand and am happy with why I have gone through what I have and done what I've done. The hassle ahead is just not welcomed. I've only but learned. I'll explain more tomorrow night.
- Trent

Overcast

Thanks God for the rain we have had. Of course it really doesn't amount to much with Lake Lanier's need. I hate overcast days. I mean, when life is going super great, an overcast day is great for a movie, games, sleep, and just chilling. But when life is anything but great with stress, papers, work, school, ect. Gloomy days add for depressing nights.

Psalm 31:16
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

Even though the clouds are blocking the sun and the mist hides its rays, God is there. He can fulfill your day. Not in a cheesy way, but give you comfort, hope, and peace. This morning I was really down and out, but realized "Why am I thinking this way?" I am blessed. I have water. I have a family. I am loved. I have a future. I am learning. I am growing. I have a job. I have friends. I am protected. I have a bed. I have clothes. I have air conditioning. How can I be sad?!

Maybe it's because of this. My life centers around me, and I am pretty sure yours centers around your life as well. When it becomes all about me, I begin to search for more and more to fill my needs: food, products, toys, movies, games, and on and on. But what I really need is: community, prayer, reading the Bible, giving away rather than getting.

Here is the worst thing I could do, I could have school 20 hours a week and a job that is 26 hours a week. And I have only the rest of the time to devote to mostly homework, eating and sleeping. Bah! Where is the community? Where is the quiet times? Where is the serving? I replace it instead with things to make my day worth something like, playing video games, watching tv, watching a movie, sleeping. And sometimes I wonder while doing this, "man I feel like I am wasting my time."

Hmmm...

Awaken the Dawn

Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
Psalm 57:8 (NIV)

Miserable Mornings

Ugh. The past two mornings have been so miserable. I have the feeling of wanting to curl up in bed, yet I want to be awake. Morning depression. I've been reading through the book of Acts and I read a few chapters this morning looking for inspiration. I did actually find a verse:
Acts 12:5-6;11

5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant[a] prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

The passage shows how Peter's life was spared, but James' wasn't. Why? The answer is the sovereign will of God. If we believe God is good and wise, we can trust that what He allowed to happen was part of His wise plan for the good of all His people. When we place our complete trust in the goodness of God, we can find true peace.

So I think of my aunt Chris, and I want to ask "why?" Why does she and our whole family have to suffer? I realize that she is being used by God as a part of His plan. WOW. God is working through Chris to change our lives and show His glory. It sure is not easy, and I sure feel like crap, but it is all working together, both good and bad, to bring glory. And I cannot wait for it to come.

Humor in Somber Times

I will update you tomorrow on how great our God is. It has been a tough few weeks for my family and our battle with my aunt's cancer. God has shown himself through Chris and it has been the most awe-inspiring experiences I have ever had. So for those of us who are in pain, but rejoicing as well, here is a translation of my previous post in Redneck terms. Thank goodness I am barely in the Forsyth Co. line, there is still some rednecks here though. This one is for you Emily. :)

Jest Do It
ah ain't writ much lately as much has been gwine on in mah life. It has been crazy, but fine crazy. ah now wawk at Nike Facko'y Sto'e at th' No'th Geo'gia Premium Outlets in Dawsonville, GA. I've been trainin' an' wawkin' on memo'izin' all th' producks (ugh). ah's also wawkin' at B&B Awards in Cummin',GA on th' square. It's fun an' VERY laid back. Shet mah mouth! Skoo at No'th Geo'gia is gwine fine. Histo'y is sech an awesome majo'. ah have had a blast larnin' all about stuff fum Mesopotamia t'now. It is an awesome skoo an' it is fun t'watch th' guys hoof it through their mo'nin' drills while ah's in mah comfy clo'es walkin' t'class. ah mighty respeck them an' knows thet menny will hoof it on t'th' Armah, Marines, o' whar evah an' gimme th' ability t'live in a free country. So most of th' time ah walk in respeck t'class, full of pride fo' our troops an' country. So fo' now ah's hangin' in thar. Soakin' all th' experiences in, both fine an' bad knowin' thet ah will gain so much. ah's blessed beyond belief.

Just Do It

I haven't written much lately as much has been going on in my life. It has been crazy, but good crazy. I now work at Nike Factory Store at the North Georgia Premium Outlets in Dawsonville, GA. I've been training and working on memorizing all the products (ugh). I am also working at B&B Awards in Cumming,GA on the square. It's fun and VERY laid back. School at North Georgia is going well. History is such an awesome major. I have had a blast learning all about stuff from Mesopotamia to now. It is an awesome school and it is fun to watch the guys go through their morning drills while I am in my comfortable clothes walking to class. I totally respect them and know that many will go on to the Army, Marines, or where ever and give me the ability to live in a free country. So most of the time I walk in respect to class, full of pride for our troops and country. So for now I am hanging in there. Soaking all the experiences in, both good and bad knowing that I will gain so much. I am blessed beyond belief.

Homecoming

Emily got 1st runner up for Senior Homecoming queen! Grandmother Anne, Pappys and Joyce came to see Emily. It started off a great football game but ended typically. Plus we were playing Peachtree Ridge, last year's state champions. Grandmother Anne and I went to Cinco's at Vickery Village. It was good food. The queso dip was AWESOME!
- Trent

GasBuddy is my Pal!

So I've been religiously checking GasBuddy.com for gas prices, yeah, it's that bad. I've already noticed a big difference in how much gas I am using up now that I am 10 miles closer to North Georgia. Yesterday I had an interview with Staples. It went very well, I was not nervous at all. I was driving to work and I was all like "Holy Crap, I wasn't nervous at all during that interview." So, if they like me, they'll call me back today and I will have a second interview with the manager. So, I am not keeping my hopes up and I am continuing to fill out applications. If it is all supposed to work out, it will. If not, I have my parents house always awaiting my return! No matter what, I am learning life lessons, and I can never get to deep or far from my God and my family! How awesome is that?! I am so blessed. No matter what happens or what goes on, God is in control and He can deal with it so I don't have to. Now, I'll admit that it is now that easy to trust in Him, yeah I still worry a little, but that is okay.

All Because

I listened to this song this morning on my drive up to North Georgia. I've been learning lately what it really means to trust in Him, to know He knows what He is doing. It's not easy to fully trust in Him in every way, but we become alive when we do only because of Him.

giver of every breath I breathe
author of all eternity
giver of every perfect thing
to you be the glory

maker of heaven and of earth
no one can comprehend your worth
king over all the universe
to you be the glory

I'm alive because I'm alive in You

it's all because of Jesus I'm alive
it's all because the blood of Jesus Christ
that covers me and raised this dead man's life
it's all because of Jesus I'm alive

every sunrise sings Your praise
the universe cries out your praise
i'm singing freedom all my days
now that I'm alive