Creative Writing Prompt #2

Hi Everyone! Happy New Year! It's M. here to do another creatively written story. Or try, anyways. :)

Writing Prompt #2: You receive a dozen minions for a week. (Yes, the minions from Despicable Me!) What would you do with them and why?

I completely understand Gru's many resourceful uses of his minions. (e.g. being their boss, micromanaging their lives, etc.) I, however, have other plans. 

The first thing I would do with my new friends is take them to the carnival or state fair. The looks on their faces, and the giggles of delight would be worth more than anything. 

I would also get to know each of them personally and give them gifts throughout the week. I would give them ice cream after lunch every day, and compliment them on their sense of fashion. 

Of course, all of this friendliness would be for the sole purpose of getting information about their kind. Because that way, I would be able to more or less kidnap them all... and who doesn't want a million minions?

Well, that's about as much you'll get from me today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

-M.

Christmas, Magi, and Charlie Brown

   Hey people!;) it's E here!

   

   Well Christmas Day has come and gone, but Christmas isn't over yet (we still have two more days!). I'm talking about the Twelve Days of Christmas (no not the song).

   

   The Twelve Days of Christmas is the festive Christian season, beginning on Christmas Day (December 25) and continuing on to January 5. It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This period is also known as Christmastide.

   The Twelve Days of Christmas are immediately followed by the Feast of the Epiphany, which celebrates the coming of the Wise Men (Magi) and their bringing of gifts to the child Jesus. In some traditions the Feast of the Epiphany and The Twelfth Night overlap.

   

   Currently The Twelve Days and Nights are celebrated in varying ways around the world. Some give gifts only on Christmas Day, some only on the Twelfth Night, and some each of The Twelve Days. In many Latin American countries, the Feast of the Epiphany is accorded a great celebration. 

    

   In the Gospel of Mathew 2:1 & 11 it says 'now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,....and when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.' These are only two of the verses that tell of when the Wise Men came. It's quite interesting when I think about their meaning. 

   

   For the longest time, I never even new what Myrrh was or Frankincense. For those of you who don't know, Myrrh is a fragrant gum resin obtained from certain trees and used in the Near East in perfumery, medicines, and incense. Frankincense is much the same; an aromatic gum resin obtained from an African tree and burned as incense. Also called Olibanum. And I always thought that they were some kind of gem or precious stone! Just goes to show how much I know..;) 

   Another thing that's quite interesting is this: the Bible never specifies how many Wise Men there were! It has normally been portrayed as there being three. This is probably because there where only three gifts given. But there could have been four Wise Men or two or even ten! It does say Wise Men so there was obviously more that one. For me there are so many things in the Bible, even in all the well known history in the Bible, that is still to learn and understand.

    This is getting to be a really long post! So I will wrap it up with this: my favorite version of Christ's birth happens to be the 'King James Version,' which is also the version that Charles Schultz used in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'. After Charlie Brown asks if anyone knows the true meaning of Christmas. Linus says 'sure Charlie Brown' he steps forward, cues the lights and quotes:

   

   'And there where in those days shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'

   

 ~E

   

Creative Writing Prompts - Dec. 27th (First story!)

Hi again! 

I've decided to force myself to blog more often by doing creative writing prompts. I give myself a word, phrase, or idea, and have to craft a story from it. It's always fun to do this, but I love sharing these too! Any comments and feedback are welcomed! I will try to post these at least three or four times a week... If I ever find that priority list... ;)

December 27th, 2013

Writing prompt #1: Someone experiences snow for the first time. 

I shriek as I look out the window. Something is very wrong. It's 5:51 am and no one else is awake yet. 

Someone has done something horrible to the yard. It's completely white, covered with... Something. I have a bad feeling...

Wait, now Holli is awake, I guess my scream startled her. I am joined at the window. I hear a sharp breath drawn at the sight. "Addison... Our yard! What happened?" She questions fearfully. 

Why is she asking me about such matters? She's a full 572 days older than me, after all. She should know.  Of all the the things we've seen in Archlon, this is a first.

"Perhaps the biopracter is down and something fell through." My sister muses. "See, it's in the other yards too. I'll check the news." She turns away towards the desk and begins to look on the internet.  

My nose accidentally hits the glass and I gasp. It's very cold. Colder than it's ever been in this part of Archlon. "I think I'm going outside for a minute, Holli." I announce. 

She looks back in disgust. "Outside? Why bother?"

I don't know what I think about this new thing outside, but I want to decide if I like it or not. Which means I need to touch it. But of course, I don't tell Holli. She doesn't care about physical things. She'd rather read all day or design a new world in her head. I look at the screen over her shoulder. "Find anything?"

"The biopracter is broken, and that stuff is called snow, Addison." She informs me. "Apparently, before the Schism it fell from the sky all the time; but it's been blocked by the biopracter ever since 2036."

"Is it safe?" I question impatiently. I am no closer to an opinion than I was seven minutes ago and I don't want to waste another one. Another minute, that is.

"Yes, but the NATC advises wearing lots of layers, because the temperature is so low." She stands up and powers the desk off. "I suppose i'll come with you."

It's been a while since I've been outside. The blanket is very white, it stretches everywhere. But it's not big... It falls in microscopic pieces. It seems to burn my face, a little on my forehead, a speck by my nose. I rashly place a hand on the ground and pull back quickly; it's very cold. I set it down again, tentatively, and pick some of the snow up.

Holli is using her watch to analyze some of it. She's always liked conspiracy theories, historical science fiction, stuff like that. I understand now why she came outside with me. She wants facts. Always looking for them. "They're made out of individual flakes, Addison. No two will ever look alike. That's like, a billion unique types just in our yard!"

I don't really care about Holli's facts. Right now, I enjoy being outside. I've never felt like that before. To us, Outside is a necessity, covered with as many buildings as possible and avoided at all costs. The biopracter blocks harsh sunlight and keeps away polluted air.  Yards are simply decoration. We don't even have to put the flowers in ourselves; the wardens take care of that. But I think I like the outside - at least, like this, right now. I wonder if other things fell from the sky before the biopracter was installed.

It is now that I decide I want snow to be normal, like it used to be. I wish I had been around before the Schism. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong generation. 

It is now that I realize I can't go back to before the Schism. But I can go forward... To having snow again. 

It is now that I decide that the biopracter must never be reinstalled again. 

And it is now that I realize that I am destined to be the one who will stop anyone who attempts to do so.  

(Stories will not probably always be this long! Depends on my mood. I will try to get E. to try this too!)

Thanks for reading!

-M.

It's Been a While... and On the Christmas Season

Well, I'm back. I've been away for too long! I have to remind myself to put blogging on my priority list... If I can find my priority list... :)

Anyway, Merry Christmas! The season seems to have gone by way too fast! I'm not absolutely obsessed with Christmas, because it's over-comercialized and too busy and, over all, too "loud" in a sense, though not literally. 

I do, however, love Christmas because of the doors it can open. What other time of the year do you hear songs about Jesus on secular radio?? When is a better time to go caroling and share a little of Christ's joy with others? (I did that several weeks ago with friends and had a blast!) 

And what better person to be focusing on during this season than the reason FOR the season? 

I love Christmas because it's just a reminder of how we should honor God EVERY day, minus the shopping and parties and rushed days. We celebrate his birth, but only because he came, as a child, to eventually die. It was his life's purpose was to die for me. For you. He came to save the world, but in a very different method than many thought he would. 

New Year is great, too! It's always fun to party until midnight, but it's also a chance to reflect on how you've changed in the past year. I have learned a LOT this year! I've grown much closer to God by starting a daily quiet time and pursuing time with Him. I've grown closer to some friends and away from some. I've made a lot of mistakes, but I've learned from them! One of my favorite things to do is to remember "God stories." These are stories of different things in my life that didn't seem to connect or make much sense when they were happening, but God used for His glory!

Talk to you later! Stay tuned for a new type of blogging I will be putting in soon (hopefully tonight if I finish!)

-M.

On My Obsession Over Movies

Yes, I'm gonna talk about movies. It's okay; I'm kind of an odd person anyways.

I over-analyze every movie that I watch. I won't stay up late to watch a movie, because I'm really not a night owl. However, I like to think about the message a movie is trying to convey to the audience. I hate watching movies to be entertained; I want to learn something. Has anyone seen Catching Fire yet? I won't try to give away anything, but here's my opinion on the film:

The beauty of hope in the midst of great trials is astounding to me. Of course, I hate that it takes such a bad world and horrible things happening in the movie to highlight that hope. But the hope is there. It catches my attention and inspires me to have hope in the fact that God is in control. In the movie industry, values have seemed to have gone out the window. It makes me so glad to see a purpose in Catching Fire.

I love watching movies and TV, but I honestly end up not liking almost every movie I see. I'm glad to say that I learn something from almost every movie I watch, though. I learn a lot of things about myself and the world by watching movies.

What about you? What movies have you seen recently? What did you think about them?

Talk to you later!

-M.

Rain and Storms

Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? Just stopped in today to post something new.

Yesterday it was raining most of the day. It's weird, but rain makes me so happy. I love watching the clouds ever so slowly invade the sky before a storm. I enjoy playing the weatherman and predict when the storm should come. I can smell a storm in the air sometimes. I breathe deeply and smile at the world's ceiling, hoping the downpour would hurry up.

That first drop is almost always a surprise. I wince, then second guess myself, looking up to see if I imagined it. Another hits me after its flight down to the earth. "What's it like up there?" I wonder. To touch the clouds, that would be my life's dream. (I know that they probably don't feel like cotton candy, but I still want to know what they're like!) 

If I'm inside when the storm starts, I'll listen to the melody of the rain and the wind weaving its way in and out of the song. I'll look out the window and watch two drops roll down toward the ground, seeming to race towards the dirt. 

The pavement will be slick for the rest of the day. The park by our house will be flooded. Some people will become grumpy and wish the storm would go away. I still smile every time it rains. 

It's interesting, though, how the Bible talks about storms. A storm is usually at the point of the story when someone is trapped in sin or going through a really rough time. I'm reminded of the disciples in the boat when Jesus walked on the water to them. The wind was against them, and though it wasn't raining as far as we know, we are told that Peter was in a storm of doubt and fear. Yet when he was trusting in Jesus, he could walk OVER the waves! 

It's weird. I love rainstorms, because I know it will cause the ground to flourish and it honestly is fun to watch. Do I embrace God's tests and trials in the same way? Do I smile when God is pushing me out of the door into the storm, knowing that he will use the rough times to cause me to grow? I have to follow Peter's example when he stepped out of the boat, and have the faith in God's plan and focus on Jesus's face that Peter did. 

Have a great Thanksgiving! I hope that you are enjoying this blog. 

-M.

Dr. Pepper!

Hey people! It's E. here.

   For those of you who know me really well, you will understand what I mean when I say Dr. Pepper is AMAZING!!!

   I will admit, though, that it is really bad for me, but unfortunately (according to M) that is not enough to convince me to stop drinking it;)

    

   Some interesting things I've learned about Dr. Pepper, and soda in general:

 • It's main ingredient is prune juice 

 • In one can there is enough sugar to keep me hyper for a while

 • In Texas, Dr. Pepper is their leading brand

 • CocaCola spills more soda than Dr. Pepper makes 

 • Dr. Pepper is good to drink when you are eating Gummy Bears

 • Coke can dissolve a penny

 • It's best when you drink it cold

   These are the few things that I know about Soda, besides the fact that its good! I hope this will convince you that it's good too!

   ~E 

A Little More of My Story....

Hi guys!

It's M. here. I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes about what Christ means to me, and how He's worked in my life.

I grew up in a Christian home, and I have an awesome family.  I accepted Christ when I was three or four; I don't remember the exact day. But for a while, I was okay with Christianity being just another thing for me. I would go to church on Sunday and AWANA on Wednesday. That was all.

Three or four years ago I went to a Christian conference called the Rebelution. The speakers asked some tough questions and challenged my faith. I realized that I called myself a Christian, but I lived MY life, the way I wanted to. That day I realized that I needed to live for Jesus, not myself.

The next day, I went back to normal life. I began to learn more about Jesus and act more like a "Christian." But looking back, something was still missing. That something was a relationship with God. Over this past year, I've realized the importance of a daily quiet time to talk AND LISTEN to God. (The listening part was - and is - difficult for me.) Now I try to make it a priority to spend time with him every day.

For the past three years, I've attended Worldview Academy in the fall. The camps have greatly affected my outlook on the culture and my outlook on myself as well. I'm blessed to have had these experiences.

Well, that's most of the story. I've struggled this year with lots of things, but those struggles have caused me to grow. I've been in awe, and I've been confused. I've had some really rough days, but I'm super thankful for how God walks with me on those days. The path in front of me right now - well, I won't say it looks pretty. But actually, I don't want pretty. I'm trusting that God will lead me where I need to be.

Talk to you later! 
-M.

Costume dilemma

So this week I've been debating what costume I should wear for the harvest festival (halloween) and I've fallen between two choices. 

The first is to be a Dalek (shout out to all the doctor who fans out there!) 

The second is to be the mad hatter from alice in wonderland (Jonny Depp style!). 

But I can't decide between the two so I'm giving the choice to you guys! So from now till October 20th i'm open for comments and votes!! Please help me decide!

-E.

(Personally I think that E. is crazy and should be a minion from despicable me... But I won't go there! -M.)

Our First Post...

Hi There!

If you're reading this, we probably know you. This is our first blog post. 

Definition: We don't really know what on earth we're doing. :)

Anyways, we decided to start a blog to kinda talk about whatever we want. Random jokes, how our day went, deep theological issues, global warming, you get the idea. (Just kidding about the last one!)

For example, earlier this week, before P.E., I was thinking about how painful it would be to break your middle finger. I thought about cutting my fingernails because they were super long and I didn't want to break them playing Frisbee. I kind of ignored the voice in my head, cause I didn't really care.

Funny Story: I broke my middle fingernail playing Frisbee at P.E. that day. So, the moral of the story is to at least pay attention to the little voice in your head sometimes!

Our blog is called Mystery of the Simplex. Those things we said we might talk about? They're all simple. They're all complicated. We'll explore why things are Simplex here. If you ever want to ask us about anything, or to blog about a certain topic, feel free!

We might post once a year, we might post ten times a day. Did we mention that this is our first blog post? 

Talk to you soon!

-from M. and E. (get it?)