Tuesday, August 21, 2007
My Future Begins
Thought I'd put up a quick greeting from Florida! The flight was so much shorter than the recent one to Germany, so I didn't find it too difficult to deal with a 3 hr ahead time zone. It was glorious driving through Jacksonville in a Buick Rainier with the blue sky and nearly stifling heat. I didn't mind because there wasn't a whole lot of humidity to accompany it. We stopped in my sister's old stomping grounds, St. Augustine and visited some of our favorite places: Cafe' del Hidalgo, Savannah Sweets, and various chocolate, kitchen, and accessory stores. Next, we made our way to Daytona. I took a nap and woke up just in time to take pictures of the signs entering the city. I love how there is an overflow of green everywhere although it's different than WA flora and fauna. Upon arriving at the hotel, Ocean Walk Resort, we were delighted. The room is an amazing suite with 2 bedrooms each with their own full bathroom and every window has a beautiful view of the ocean. There's of course a common room, TV in each room, a stereo, and a full kitchen. I wish my dorm room was like it! They have indoor mini golf, gaming room, internet room, indoor pools, outdoor pools including a "lazy river" you relax on tubes in... I can't even begin to explain or figure out everything you can do here. It's just wonderful. Thanks to the guy on Craig's List who needed to use his points. Then, we went to another classy joint- the Sunset Harbor Yacht Club. We had a tasty dinner and were given amazing GPS, Wi-Fi Pocket PC's and enjoyed meeting profs and hearing their encouragment. I met a very nice girl named Kaliegh from Illinois and then eventually talked with my roommate Kerry and her family afterwards. What a fun evening. I'm finally starting to feel like I can make this place my home for 4+ years. Well, better get going and let Mom use my laptop. Goodnight from Daytona!
Sunday, July 08, 2007
My Five Seconds of Fame
"Grace Academy valedictorian heads to the moon"
Grace Academy sent 23 young people off into the world last month, including from left, top row; Thomas Bethel and Andrew Conklin. Next row, valedictorian Natalie Spencer, Andrea Cline, Stuart Montgomery, Kimberly Weinberg, salutatorian Kaitlyn Retherford and Nicholas O’Kelly. Next row: Erik Larson, Rodion Novozhiov, Courtney Webb, Levi Wennersten, Ian Lugg, Derek George and Eric Munneke. Front row: Dolly Singh, Angela Roberts, Trechie May Tubera, Nicholas lee, Jason Plumb, Esther Martin and LaShani Rios.
Matt Doran 04.JUL.07
MARYSVILLE — Aptitude plus attitude equals altitude.
When Natalie Spencer of Arlington heard that phrase, she took it to heart and hopes someday to take it all they way to outer space.
The Grace Academy class of 2007 Valedictorian soars both in and out of school and takes her faith as seriously as her studies.
With a perfect 4.0 grade point average, that says a lot. And the 18-year-old had a lot to say at when she graduated along with 22 other seniors last month at the Christian school next to Cedarcrest Golf Course.
Spencer touched on the work of God in her address and later explained how the beauty of creation spurred her to get a pilot’s license and aim to be an astronaut someday. She will study engineering but the race is for space, she said.
“I’ve always just looked up at the sky and how beautiful it is,” Spencer said, stressing that every thing God created is beautiful, including space, something she described as “A beautiful, untouched place that I would like to explore. When I found at that you actually can go up there, I was fascinated. It was an impossible dream only a century earlier.”
She will study at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., where she will major in engineering physics. She’s aware that a male-dominated field might be tough, but Spencer said that kind of academic pedigree will help her chances of working at NASA.
“I think it can be a challenge in some ways,” Spencer said. “I think women have to be careful.”
Often women breaking new ground for their gender say they want equality but often don’t want to bear the consequences, according to Spencer.
“It’s all about the person, the individual’s skills and not the gender,” she added. “I am going to be careful, I want people to judge me by my skills. I don’t think it’s an issue as long as people don’t make it an issue.”
Spencer has a huge list of activities that make you wonder how she fits it all in: yearbook editor, tour guide, six years on the student leadership council, National Honor Society President, varsity soccer, basketball and track, as well as playing on the golf team and serving as a page in the Washington State Senate. In addition to earning her pilot’s license Spencer was a volunteer with the Future of Flight during her junior and senior years. She also plays the saxophone, likes playing with computers, baking desserts and performing in choir.
Her list of awards and honors are literally too numerous to mention — they would look like General MacArthur’s ribbons. Suffice it to say that in addition to a scholarship from the Marysville Rotary, she earned seven others from various organizations including her chosen school and the Museum of Flight. The daughter of two public school teachers, Spencer is quick to commend the smaller environs of Grace Academy.
“It’s a great education,” Spencer said. “I did fine on the SAT and all that. It’s home away from home.”
Her graduation speech reminded the graduates of the long line of believers who have kept and spread the faith for 20 centuries. Being part of that chain can be confining, Spencer said, but it is also a reassuring tether that keeps a believer from wandering off the correct path.
“There is just a legacy of people who have been willing to stand up for Christ,” Spencer explained a few days after commencement. “It’s something we can’t break, we have to continue the legacy.”
- The Marysville Globe
Grace Academy sent 23 young people off into the world last month, including from left, top row; Thomas Bethel and Andrew Conklin. Next row, valedictorian Natalie Spencer, Andrea Cline, Stuart Montgomery, Kimberly Weinberg, salutatorian Kaitlyn Retherford and Nicholas O’Kelly. Next row: Erik Larson, Rodion Novozhiov, Courtney Webb, Levi Wennersten, Ian Lugg, Derek George and Eric Munneke. Front row: Dolly Singh, Angela Roberts, Trechie May Tubera, Nicholas lee, Jason Plumb, Esther Martin and LaShani Rios.
Matt Doran 04.JUL.07
MARYSVILLE — Aptitude plus attitude equals altitude.
When Natalie Spencer of Arlington heard that phrase, she took it to heart and hopes someday to take it all they way to outer space.
The Grace Academy class of 2007 Valedictorian soars both in and out of school and takes her faith as seriously as her studies.
With a perfect 4.0 grade point average, that says a lot. And the 18-year-old had a lot to say at when she graduated along with 22 other seniors last month at the Christian school next to Cedarcrest Golf Course.
Spencer touched on the work of God in her address and later explained how the beauty of creation spurred her to get a pilot’s license and aim to be an astronaut someday. She will study engineering but the race is for space, she said.
“I’ve always just looked up at the sky and how beautiful it is,” Spencer said, stressing that every thing God created is beautiful, including space, something she described as “A beautiful, untouched place that I would like to explore. When I found at that you actually can go up there, I was fascinated. It was an impossible dream only a century earlier.”
She will study at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., where she will major in engineering physics. She’s aware that a male-dominated field might be tough, but Spencer said that kind of academic pedigree will help her chances of working at NASA.
“I think it can be a challenge in some ways,” Spencer said. “I think women have to be careful.”
Often women breaking new ground for their gender say they want equality but often don’t want to bear the consequences, according to Spencer.
“It’s all about the person, the individual’s skills and not the gender,” she added. “I am going to be careful, I want people to judge me by my skills. I don’t think it’s an issue as long as people don’t make it an issue.”
Spencer has a huge list of activities that make you wonder how she fits it all in: yearbook editor, tour guide, six years on the student leadership council, National Honor Society President, varsity soccer, basketball and track, as well as playing on the golf team and serving as a page in the Washington State Senate. In addition to earning her pilot’s license Spencer was a volunteer with the Future of Flight during her junior and senior years. She also plays the saxophone, likes playing with computers, baking desserts and performing in choir.
Her list of awards and honors are literally too numerous to mention — they would look like General MacArthur’s ribbons. Suffice it to say that in addition to a scholarship from the Marysville Rotary, she earned seven others from various organizations including her chosen school and the Museum of Flight. The daughter of two public school teachers, Spencer is quick to commend the smaller environs of Grace Academy.
“It’s a great education,” Spencer said. “I did fine on the SAT and all that. It’s home away from home.”
Her graduation speech reminded the graduates of the long line of believers who have kept and spread the faith for 20 centuries. Being part of that chain can be confining, Spencer said, but it is also a reassuring tether that keeps a believer from wandering off the correct path.
“There is just a legacy of people who have been willing to stand up for Christ,” Spencer explained a few days after commencement. “It’s something we can’t break, we have to continue the legacy.”
- The Marysville Globe
Monday, August 28, 2006
The 'Ol Switcheroo
I know I mentioned this before, but I'm officially switching over to my senior year blog until next fall.
Check it out! :)
http://www.graceacademysenior.blogspot.com
Thanks for readin'!
Check it out! :)
http://www.graceacademysenior.blogspot.com
Thanks for readin'!
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Christ is Life
Another Ichthus, another time of reflection. The retreat seemed strange in that the messages themselves were very practical. The truths seemed simple enough to apply, but in reality, with a sinful nature, it's not easy! Some of the things I learned include:
*I've got to stop being so selfish! It's disgusting how everything I do is typically motivated by ME. I don't consider others as more important very often and that's got to change! And, what are the odds, I actually feel more joyful when I do that... hmm...
*I have an amazing opportunity to be a spiritual impact, especially at school, but I'm way too focused on the next sports game, or a grade on a test, or "hangin'" with my close friends. Why don't I take the time to invest in others' lives and ask them what they believe or what they need prayer for? Hey, whad'ya know, that problem is also rooted in selfishness...
*I need to find my curiosity again. To explain, new believers are often very excited to learn as much as they can about God. They are constantly asking questions, pondering who Christ is, and want to have Christian fellowship every second. I am so used to being in a wonderful church/school environment, that I think I subconsciously assume I know all there is to know, but nothing could be farther from the truth. I want the child-like enthusiasm + adult wisdom that comes from loving God and studying His Word!
*I also loved getting counsel and just listening to many of the adults that went. I never get to really talk with the Bowers or Higgins that much, and it's such a blessing when I can. Even short conversations help me gain the right perspective on things or understand what it's like to have more of a passion for truth.
I could say much more, but I can't wait to clean up from the trip and marinate on more of what God was teaching me. As for fun times, I loved getting to know my small group better, swimming early in the morning, balancing on logs, and whispering late into the night with Kim and Esther. In closing I will leave you with a poem (amazingly enough I wrote one that didn't have a rhyme scheme. I guess it's more of a prose, then) that I wrote while sitting on a log at the beach at 5:50 am Friday morning:
Each house at the water's edge is aglow with the shine of a rising sun.
The water, still and clear as glass reflects each color brilliantly.
A soft cry in the distance, almost as a wolf, but perhaps a bird, opens my ears to the many other sounds.
Crows heartily fight for the right of a breaded snack.
A tiny sparrow rustles the leaves of a berried bush and hops to the water's edge to splash, then shakes dry.
A ruffling sound from behind tells me the ravens have also joined in the cool bath.
Off in the distance, two ducks begin the day with a brisk swim.
The waves near my feet begin to pick up their journey speed as a boat and waterski cause a powerful reaction.
Small ripples from tiny fish and insects appear constantly, though far apart from their twins.
Tiny rocks line the shore, half wet, half dry.
With blue sky above and golden waves below, I wish it would last forever.
But, praising our King is not limited to being through such magificence.
It is a beautiful, peaceful morning as the world comes alive to give glory to its Creator.
*I've got to stop being so selfish! It's disgusting how everything I do is typically motivated by ME. I don't consider others as more important very often and that's got to change! And, what are the odds, I actually feel more joyful when I do that... hmm...
*I have an amazing opportunity to be a spiritual impact, especially at school, but I'm way too focused on the next sports game, or a grade on a test, or "hangin'" with my close friends. Why don't I take the time to invest in others' lives and ask them what they believe or what they need prayer for? Hey, whad'ya know, that problem is also rooted in selfishness...
*I need to find my curiosity again. To explain, new believers are often very excited to learn as much as they can about God. They are constantly asking questions, pondering who Christ is, and want to have Christian fellowship every second. I am so used to being in a wonderful church/school environment, that I think I subconsciously assume I know all there is to know, but nothing could be farther from the truth. I want the child-like enthusiasm + adult wisdom that comes from loving God and studying His Word!
*I also loved getting counsel and just listening to many of the adults that went. I never get to really talk with the Bowers or Higgins that much, and it's such a blessing when I can. Even short conversations help me gain the right perspective on things or understand what it's like to have more of a passion for truth.
I could say much more, but I can't wait to clean up from the trip and marinate on more of what God was teaching me. As for fun times, I loved getting to know my small group better, swimming early in the morning, balancing on logs, and whispering late into the night with Kim and Esther. In closing I will leave you with a poem (amazingly enough I wrote one that didn't have a rhyme scheme. I guess it's more of a prose, then) that I wrote while sitting on a log at the beach at 5:50 am Friday morning:
Each house at the water's edge is aglow with the shine of a rising sun.
The water, still and clear as glass reflects each color brilliantly.
A soft cry in the distance, almost as a wolf, but perhaps a bird, opens my ears to the many other sounds.
Crows heartily fight for the right of a breaded snack.
A tiny sparrow rustles the leaves of a berried bush and hops to the water's edge to splash, then shakes dry.
A ruffling sound from behind tells me the ravens have also joined in the cool bath.
Off in the distance, two ducks begin the day with a brisk swim.
The waves near my feet begin to pick up their journey speed as a boat and waterski cause a powerful reaction.
Small ripples from tiny fish and insects appear constantly, though far apart from their twins.
Tiny rocks line the shore, half wet, half dry.
With blue sky above and golden waves below, I wish it would last forever.
But, praising our King is not limited to being through such magificence.
It is a beautiful, peaceful morning as the world comes alive to give glory to its Creator.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Arlington Traffic
The following is a public announcement... just kidding... ahem... let me start over:
The following is an excerpt from an e-mail I sent to my grandparents about my first piloting experience. I've been blessed to be able to take flight lessons/ground school at Out of the Blue Aviation at the Arlington Airport. I absolutely love it! I think I still like the experience of boating better than flying (But Pastor Z was right, I can steer a boat pretty well... until certain guy friends decide to slow down so I crash... Camano Island baby!), but that could change as I pursue my pilot's license. But, there's nothing like the feeling of wind blowing past you and water splashing up as you crank the throttle! :D But, then again, there's nothing else like the feeling of looking down on the world and pulling g's on turns! God's creation is amazing no matter where you are! But, as I promised, here's my e-mail about last Friday's experience:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anyway, you asked to hear about my first flight. I loved it! The weather was so beautiful and clear and I had a blast! Ben (the instructor) said he was impressed with how well I did for my first time. I even got to make the radio calls. :) They went like this:
"Arlington Traffic
This is Cessna 51Mike
On left downwind
Runway 34
Arlington"
"Arlington Traffic
This is Cessna 51Mike
On left downwind
Runway 34
Arlington"
My favorite part of the flight was take-off (all you have to do is push in the throttle to 2500 rpm and wait to hit 60 mph, then pull back! :) ) and making turns (45 degree ones gave us 2 gs- I love that feeling!). I can't wait to have my next lesson. I'm ordering this great book from half.com I saw at the Aviation place. It's called Pilot's Handbook Of Aeronautical Knowledge and it seems to have great diagrams and information. Cathy (the lady who started the school/business) is so impressed with me she said she wants to hire me to work for her in the office once a week! She's going to match how much pay I get at Gap! Isn't that cool? I'm very excited!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, just thought I'd get an update up here! I also just returned from a mini family vacation at Port Angeles and the Olympic Mountain area. We got to enjoy many beaches, beautiful hikes, and tasty restaurants!
Well, that's it for me... enjoying God's creation and gorgeous weather! What could be better? (on earth, that is...)
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