she didn't say yes

I'm reading "Columbine" by Dave Cullen right now. Its been ten years since the shootings happened in Littleton. I was a junior in high school and remember hearing about it here and there and wondering what it was that made those kids do what they did, something I know we still ask ourselves to this day and will continue to wonder for years to come.

Cullen does a good job of giving you detailed background information of the chaos that was the Columbine shooting, particularly the media aftermath and the officials who botched up the information being given to the hounds. They are not all painted so favorably, particularly the local law enforcement officials who are portrayed as blabbering dunces once a camera rolls.

Thirteen kids died. Fifteen if you include the killers. That was the real tragedy. But it seems like the press did its best to just bring the worst out of people. The part that just kills me is the story of the girl Cassie Bernall. The one who allegedly spoke up for God when faced with a gun. Its been confirmed by witnesses now that she didn't say anything. That question was posed "Do you believe in God?" but it wasn't her that affirmed it, it was another girl, one who lived! It was horrible that Cassie died from a shot to the face, just horrible. And with all the grief and confusion, people cast their crowns on the wrong throne.

We wanted so badly to get something good out of it. To tell Satan that you could kill our children but you couldn't take our faith. Somehow they forgot that their faith was supposed to be in God, in Christ and not some girl who they thought was a martyr.

It bothers me. Knowing that it was falsley attributed to someone, that it's a LIE. That we used that story to bring people to Christ, I wish so much they came to him and that the story of a man dying on a cross for our sins was enough to bring them in, not the made up story of a girl who supposedly said yes. And reminder Evelyn, the real tragedy is the death of all those kids, who cares if we're living a lie? Who cares if we make ourselves believe things that aren't true.

Do you care?

I wish I didn't care so much about that lie.

I wish she had lived.

I wish none of those kids had to die.

moooving

I think I neglected to mention on this here blog that Matt & I are moving. Back to Los Angeles County and once again to La Mirada. We've both been residents of Biola and therefore La Mirada and Matt has actually had a few residences in La Mirada, three I think. I'm VERY excited because we're moving into a house with four rooms and three baths and a garage and a laundry nook and we can get a dog.

More details to come...

an actually fun run

Its been awhile since I actually ran on a treadmill. I've been using the Wii Fit bi-weekly but this morning, yes a Saturday morning, I thought I'd try a little run... slow one and short one because it takes me awhile to adjust to any activity since I'm so out of shape. This was my playlist....

First you start with "Jesus Walks" by Kanye West so you can walk and warm up. Its a spiritual song actually when you listen to it. "I wanna talk to God but I'm afraid 'cause we ain't spoke in so long" stuff like that so you do a little warming, a little thinking about Jesus and the tune is sort of an army march so you picture yourself as a soldier marching, warming up.

Then "King without a Crown" by Matisyahu, another spiritual song. My playlist was set alphabetically so it was just the next one and I was very happy because it kept the worship going. Start spiritual.

Then "SOS" by Rhianna. This is when you move the speed up a little because its just a girly pop dance song. If at some point you start posing, that's perfectly normal.

After that should probably have been "Gimme More" by Britney Spears. Its the only song of hers that I have and its only for the purpose of pretending you're at a dance club while actually on a treadmill.

Then you start getting serious with "Gonna Fly Now" the Rocky theme. The duration of the song you must have your arms up in boxer position and throwing punches at the air. You are Rocky and you just climbed the steps of the Philadelphia museum of art (or whatever it is) please lift your arms triumphantly in the air cause you did it and throw a few more hard punches before...

"Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & the Waves will make you want to jump around happily. Try to control yourself and keep running but keep a big ole smile on your face cause you're running on sunshine. A couple of boisterous head boppings are not only acceptable, they're necessary.

So now you're feeling "Hella good" as No Doubt you know. This one brings your fast run a notch down, maybe half a speed. And you'll be feeling like you have to...

bring "Sexyback" yeah! Them other effers don't know how to run, yeah! This one is more of an either slow run or fast walk cause now you've been running for about 20 minutes and its time to bring it down a little with JT.

If you want to keep the slow run/fast walk up then you add a some more "Yeah" Usher, Usher. Feel free to out loud sing "YEAH!" cause you feel good.

Or you skip to bring to the boys to the yard with your "Milk Shake." Which you only do long enough to shake that milkshake (your hips). This is essential. Shake them exaggeratedly side to side while continuing to run. I can't tell you how good it feels on my hip since I have hip problems and the extra movement to them is like shooting them an asprin. So let Kelis sing for like a minute, then...

my brethren "Touch the Sky". Also by Kanye. The song speaks of how he's come from nothing to something which is an inspiring story to end a run on. Now its imperative you take this song seriously because you gotta start crip walking. You know that gangsta walk/dance? That gangsta lean walk? I promise you will feel both ridiculous and awesome especially if you are under the belief that no one is watching you and you are not in Inglewood. Let the song take you over because you just accomplished something that should fill you with pride which Kanye has plenty of.

So that was my fun run. Ipods have really changed how people workout because it makes it fun and varied. I don't keep a consistent speed when I do it, I change it up depending on the song on my workout mix if its a hard rock song I book it, if its a latin one I may swing a little.

I hope this was a good start to a continued morning tradition.