Love Anyone You Come In Contact With

Love Anyone You Come In Contact With

As my sophmore year gets under way, I find myself thrilled to be back. It has been such a blessing to see everyone again and be able to spend time with them. Though I am glad to be back, the group is not the same, with many of my friends in Austria. There has yet to be a day that has gone by where someone has not mentioned the Austria group, saying how much they miss them. I miss all my Austria friends as well, knowing they are having fun adventures and stuff, but I find myself okay with the fact their gone. Some might be offended by me saying this, and I think I'm one of the few who is okay with them gone, but it not that I don't miss them, because I do. The truth is though, I like to see their Austria times in a different light. I understand we are away from one another, but I know with or without them, I am going to be happy, and the same for them.

I don't say any of this to act as if I don't need them in my life, but I realize dwelling on the fact that I won't see them is not worth it. Up until last fall, I really didn't know any of these people and I was still happy, as I'm sure everyone was as well. Do I love my college friends and would I do anything for them? Yes. But at the same time, I really do try and see stuff in the right light, and I am just now figuring out that with every friendship I have, I should only have one purpose, and that is, to bring Christ to them, but put the Lord's will first.

The Lord has really blessed me with knowing wonderful people, and I should and try to praise him for it, but all earthly things will be taken away one day, and really all that matters is our relationship with the Him. What am I getting at? Am I saying my friendships don't matter and I don't need people? Not at all, but  people will be in and out of my life forever, and some will remain close to me throughout life, while others might only make a small appearence, but regardless, I just need to be happy I was able to know them at all, and hopefully I left a positive mark on them.

Basically, we are called to love whoever we meet, and if we know them for ten minutes, ten years, or forever, we must be thankful for the time we share, and just be happy for that. It is very much a part of the human being to have feelings towards people, to miss them when you are not together, and want to spend time with them, but in all honesty, the only thing that maters on this earth is growing madly in love with Jesus, and if the people around you help you grow closer to him, then there is nothing better, but we must remeber what is truly important. One great example of putting the Lord first is the apostles. They all had families and peopled they very much loved, spent their whole lives building those relationships, and then Jesus came and asked them to follow him. They knew that those people meant the world to them, but they saw that what Jesus has to offer was better. Eternal Life my friends.

I guess what I trying to say is, love anyone you come in contact with, but remember, thr Lord's will above all else.

To my Austria friends - I do miss you all, and can't wait to see you, but I know I'll be enjoying my semester here, and you'll be enjoying your time over there. See you in a few months!

"He died for me, so I will live for him."

LARP!

"The Larping Quest"

If someone wanted to know what Franciscan University was about, one would likely tell them about the Summer Conferences, Households, and the Catholic atmosphere. All of these things are Unique to Franciscan University, and it gives it an identity.

Another way to find out about the campus is by just stepping foot on it. The best way to truly experience Campus life is by being here, for all the sights and sounds. No weekend brings more people then Homecoming weekend, and the St. Francis Festival. Every October, Franciscan celebrates the Founder of the Franciscan Order, St. Francis himself, and with this festival, the attractions on campus are many.

One attraction that causes mixed emotions from students is the now famous, or to some, infamous, L.A.R.P., which stands for Live Action Role Playing.

What is this L.A.R.P.?

It is a battle of will, passion and glory, a fight for honor... Well, that is how it is described by the actual participants. To an onlooker though? It would be better described as College-aged men hitting one another with foam swords and battle axes.

A consistent Larper, someone who partakes in Live Action Role Playing, would say that appearance is not everything and that it is not just "some game." Though the average person might see it as that, the Larper's put hours of practice into swinging around their weapons, preparing for the battles that lie ahead. When the St. Francis festival arrives, they are ready.

The campus is filled with families coming to see their kids, and also some trying to convince their younger children to look at Franciscan. The Larper's are well aware, and they showcase their talents for all to see. To some, and I'd say a select some, this is very appealing, and the children watch, hoping to one day partake. To most though, this is seen as very weird, and not something one goes home and talks about. A campuses appearance can make or break someone attending that school, and in most people's opinion, the Larping is not shedding a good light on what Franciscan is about. But regardless, the battles go on.

With each slash, jab, blow, and swing, a battle rages on, with one side partaking in the glories of victory, and the other, suffering a humiliating defeat.

What all Franciscan Larper's must remember is, St. Francis once fought the good fight, and so they are, in a way, following in his footsteps. Win or Lose the battle, something is to be gained, be it glory or humiliation. St. Francis said, "Up until this point, we have done nothing." Larper's must have that mindset before every fight, and fight for glory, regardless of what others might think of their foam weapons.

Fight for God, fight for glory, and above all else, fight with foam!

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It's Out There...

"The Beast Lives" 

The Day was October 20th, 2006. I was at Buckeye Woods park in Medina County, with my cross country team. We were practicing for one of our last meets. I found myself in the woods running alone, deciding to take a different path then the other guys. I knew the woods at the park, so it didn't bother me that I had gone alone. I kept running and after about ten minutes, I slowed down for a second because I heard a noise in the tree's. I thought it was either a deer or one of my teammates, probably trying to scare me. I said, "If that's one of you guys, you can come out. I've caught you!" Instead of seeing one of them come out, or a deer, I saw a giant foot, covered in hair. The beast, or whatever it was, ran with lighting fast speed. I didn't get a look at his face, but I saw his body. This beast was large, probably eight feet tall, and was covered in brown hairs. I tried chasing after it, but after about ten seconds, I had lost sight of it in the thick brush.  I came upon it by a bunch of pine trees, which still had all their leaves, unlike the Oak and Buckeye Trees which were losing theirs. I didn't know what to think of my encounter. I first thought that I should tell my teammates, but I decided against it. I then thought I should tell my friend Kellen, but decided not to do that either. I ended up deciding not to tell anyone. I then went home and looked up information on wild beasts such as the one I had encountered. As I continued to look online, I saw that I was not alone on this type of thing, but that many people had said they had seen something similar. Many descriptions fit mine and after hours of research I came to two conclusions. One, I must be going crazy, and two, and most importantly, I had seen Bigfoot.


It seemed ridiculous, and even far fetched. I had always teased people who thought Bigfoot was real, comparing him to the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. But now I had an encounter with him, and he was as real as anything I'd ever come across. I ended up posting my story on a Bigfoot siting website, and got numerous responses. In just two weeks, I had over 25 people in the area wanting to talk to me about it, either online or in person. I decided to keep my findings to myself, and only discussed them further online. I decided my family didn't need to know anything about it, and I kept trying to figure everyone out on my own. I ended up finding out that my siting was very rare, and few people ever saw Bigfoot twice. I also discovered that there was a few fatalities that were said to have been the cause of Bigfoot.


In the end, I decided to put the matter to rest, and just let it go. I obsessed over the incident, but when my family moved to Steubenville, I moved on. It has been almost six years since then, and I am finally sharing this information with everyone who is close to me. You might laugh at this, but that's okay. I know what I saw. I am also posting this to give everyone information on Bigfoot, just some stuff I've come across over the years.

First off, the website for all things Bigfoot -
Bigfoot Website
How about a website with some Bigfoot stories-
Bigfoot Stories
How about some top of the line evidence-
Bigfoot Information

All of this is credible information. Hopefully by reading this, you'll understand the real truth in Bigfoot. Don't believe me, or want to see some video evidance? Watch Finding Bigfoot on Animal Planet, Sunday's at 10 pm.

He is out there, and he might just be one BIGFOOT away....


I'd like to thank Lindsey Muliett for backing me on this blog and giving me the idea. She is a true Bigfoot believer and when we become famous one day for our Bigfoot discoveries, you will wish you had listened.


"He died for me, so I will live for him."

The Classic Crime

The Classic Crime

When I am passionate about something, I love talking about it, or in this case, writing about it. Normally, I like to discuss my personal faith journey, or sports, or family and friends. This blog is dedicated to a different area though, but one I am still very passionate about. I've find myself in new waters, this time talking about music. The topic of choice - The Classic Crime.

The Classic Crime formed in 2004, with all of the original members still around, except for Justin DuQue, who left on good terms with the members. They first released an EP, called We All Look Elsewhere in 2004, and then released their first Album, Albatross, in 2006, with 4,000 sales in the first week, the most ever for Tooth & Nail Records. Albatross was just the starting point, releasing The Silver Cord, Acoustic Seattle Sessions and Vagabonds, all on the Tooth and Nail Records. By 2010, in just a four year span, The Classic Crime had released three full length albums and an EP.

I first learned about The Classic Crime years ago, on my friends Myspace page. I liked the sound, and got a few of their songs. I didn't consider them one of my favorite bands, but I listened to their songs from time to time. I only had heard a small sample of their music, and it seemed like that might have been where it would end. Then my brother, an avid music fan, one who looks for music instead of letting music find him, bought The Classic Crime's newest CD, Vagabonds. He let me listen to it, and I really liked it. Then I started to love it. After that, my friend hooked me up with his copy of Albatross and I found myself loving all there songs, and the Seattle Acoustic CD was no different. Oh, and The Silver Cord? Loved all those songs as well.

I went from a small fan, to deciding that The Classic Crime was my favorite band. Every song that The Classic Crime puts out, I really enjoy listening to. I don't know what it is, but they're so good. Besides their talents on the stage, they seem to be really good people and I'm not just saying that. Most people only see them as a band, but they are real, selfless men. Why do I say that? Because of this:

All of the members of The Classic Crime went to Haiti, just months before the Earthquake, to do some mission work. I don't think most punk rock bands would do what they did, and it just shows what great men they are. I was blessed enough to go to Jamaica for mission work this past Christmas, and what I found out very quickly is that I received way more from the Jamaican people then they could have possibly received from me. I'm sure that The Classic Crime members felt the same, and I'm sure they came back better men then before.

The Classic Crime did not just go on the mission trip and then forget about the Haitian people, but after the earthquake, they gave the proceeds of their new CD, Vagabonds, to Haiti Relief Organizations. They truly grew to love the people there, and I'm sure their hearts went out to all the people they met. Because of this, and also the fact that they write and produce wonderful music, I find myself a huge fan of The Classic Crime. The music on my Ipod is now almost strictly Christian, because I've decided I don't need to listen to  music with lyrics about things I don't support or that are just vulgar, but The Classic Crime remains as one of the few non-christian bands. Why is this? Because although they don't label themselves as Christians, their actions speak loud enough. They are Christian men, just trying to do the right thing. In a culture that tells us we should do what is best for us, or just do what feels good, that tells us put your faith aside and just live in the moment, The Classic Crime is one of those bands that gives a better message, a different message. They understand that there is more to this life, and they all pursue it.

Now, just two years removed from their last album, The Classic Crime finds themselves releasing their fourth Album, Phoenix. This album did not come the traditional way, opting to use the website Kickstarter to fund the money, but none the less, the Classic Crime is back, and it is a breathe of fresh air. The Album consists of 13 songs and has a somewhat sad message to it, but I see this as more of a humbling side to the band. The band speaks about how they look at where they are, and they say that their accomplishments are so much smaller then they thought.

Besides seeming to have a humbling message, they seem to talk a little bit about not knowing where they are headed. In the song "You and Me Both," they talk about how they need something to remind them why they are alive, or ask themselves what they are living for, because it is not as clear as it once was. I see this as a maturity from the band, understanding that what they thought was once so important, really is not. The songs "Young Again" and "Beautiful Darkside" stick with this message, showing that the band has changed and things are different then they once were. The lyrics reveal that they have a tough time always seeing things in the right light, but they're trying, and that it is not easy to follow the right path.

As the songs continue, they follow along the same lines. To me, I see this CD as very reflective, with the band members taking a look at themselves and noticing that they might not be the men they should be, or have always wanted to be. In a way, it seems that they've come to a realization that things haven't gone according to plans. Whatever they wanted to get out of The Classic Crime has changed; Not automatically a bad thing or a good thing, but just different. The song "Glass Houses" talks about this, with the lyrics saying. "we naively believed that our ship couldn't sink, but it did." Things have not gone as planned, but sometimes trials better a man.

Overall, the CD is honestly Classic CC. The lyrics are great, the melodies smooth, and nothing to really complain about. A great CD from a great group of guys. I urge all my readers to at least look up one of the songs and give it a listen. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Unless great music is not your thing, then I understand and I'm sure the radio is filled with the stuff you're looking for...


"He died for me, so I will live for him."