Beastminster!

Tuesday night, the Beastminster team and I had our last game.  The team consists of Annie Williams, Claire Harvin, Margaret Banes Borden, Caroline Schraibman, Abigail Reddic, Bailey DeLoche, Marjorie Anne Foster, and potentially Clara Castles. We had an amazing season, from our traditional team breakfast/lunch/ice cream after each game, to messing around in practice (which probably ticked Mr. Borden off).  Yes, we were not the most serious team, but we are definitely very competitive.  However, we only played the minimum number of games because of our crowded schedules, but in each one we tried our hardest to win.
When I decided to do the team, I was unsure because these girls and I didn't really know each other well.  But after the season, I feel like these are some of my good friends.  Doing the team has expanded my friend relations greatly.  It's really crazy how one day a week with these girls have sparked new friendships among us.  I really look forward to doing Beastminster with them next year!

So basically thank y'all for dealing with my terrible basketball skills, giving me advice, and being a great group of friends to have this season. I hope we can do the same thing again next year!

The Transfiguration: My perspective

Today we had a gospel in church that told the story of the time when Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the top of the Mountain of Transfiguration:

After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. ³ Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

⁴ Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

⁵ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them. He said, “Get up. Don’t be afraid.” ⁸ When they looked up they saw no one except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Do not tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17:1-9)

Our pastor, Brian, told us about why Peter spoke out.  He had no idea what to say; the two men he had spent years learning about, and his leader were right in front of him.  Wanting to remember this experience forever, he exclaimed that he wanted to build three temples, one for each of them. A cloud then came over them, with the voice of God, saying, "This is my son that I love, listen to him."  The disciples fell to the ground terrified.  Jesus told them to not be afraid, and that they had to leave the mountain, for they had to do work in the valley.  On the way down, Jesus told them not tell a soul what they have seen that day.

Brian referred to that as a 'mountain top experience.'  This wasn't the first time I had heard of such an experience; he had actually referred to it recently, but this was the first time I really understood the phrase.  Have you ever had a moment that you never want to leave? I actually had one yesterday at a horse show. I had just won high point champion, but had to leave that mountain quickly to the valley.  I knew that nothing was going to get done for me to do well at my next show, if I kept basking in the glory of that last event.  

I think this passage is about being humble.  One cannot bask in their glory for too long; they have to go back to the valley and do more work.  Another theory that comes out of this is that there is really no time to relax and rest.  There is no time to completely be satisfied at all you have done, until you have done everything that is to be completed.  

So what is really the moral to this blog? You can interpret it in very different ways.  I think of it as being humble.  This passage applies so much to my life, that now I vow to work to be more humble, because there is always something to do in the valley.

The Help

"The Help" is my favorite movie I have seen; ever.  I saw it recently with my mom when she forced me to watch it with her.  I did not think it would be good, but I ended up loving it!

I never really knew how the white women treated the "help" back in the 1960's.  Seeing the fact that they had to use a separate bathroom because the white women thought they carried diseases was hard for me to take in.  I had always known that the black women were treated like property when they were slaves, but seeing the women ordered around with no "please" or "thank you" made me realize how hard their lives were.  One women even got beaten by her husband, and it showed how independent and strong these women had to be to continue their hard lives.  The girls would have to be maids because they did not have enough money to support their generally large family around the age of 13.  Imagine if it was that way in our society?  We would have 13 year old girls working for lower than minimum wage to take care of our children, and carry out our duties.  It makes me think about if I was a maid; I would have already been one for a year by now.  I would have already finished school, and would be just getting used to living my life that way.

Those black maids probably loved the white children even more than their true mothers.  The white children went to the black maids when they were upset, instead of their biological mothers.  The children treated the help like their mothers, because they were the ones that raised them.  Seeing the sadness on their faces made me think about how much children love their biological mothers now, unlike back when "help" was used.  

"The Help" is a truly remarkable film, and I highly recommend it to everyone.  It has really changed my perspective.