My Opinion on Domestic Violence

I do not believe people who commit domestic violence should be let out of jail. People who commit domestic violence end up hurting a lot of people. The courts most usually ignore the fact that the perpetrators will keep repeating the violence.

Domestic violence has three stages. First off, there is physical abuse where there are black eyes, broken bones, and concussions. Then there is mental abuse where they say things like you are ugly, worthless, stupid; you can't do anything right; or it is all your fault that I hit you. Then finally there is sexual abuse. The abuser will try to make you have sex or leave, or he may tell you that you will have sex with his friend or get out. Or he may even say things like you cannot have sex worth a damn.

It always ends up hurting a lot of innocent people. There are thousands of women who get hurt every day. There are many children (believe it or not) who end up in the hospital or morgue. There are even men who get abused, maybe not as many as women and children, but it happens to the men, too. Sometimes there is even death involved in the most violent cases of domestic violence.

In most cases, the courts do not think about what abuse does to the victims. The perpetrators will always plead innocent and swear that they do not remember doing it. They will spend very little time in jail. The judges never seem to order them to get any kind of therapy for the battery to their victims.

I do not think that perpetrators who commit domestic violence should be let out of jail without at least being ordered by the judge to get some kind of therapy for their crimes against women, children, or other men. Because once they get out, they are going to do it again--maybe even killing their victim.

Tiawatha Stevens

How to become a pastor

In this day and age becoming a pastor means you need to have an education. It requires you to go to school. Therefore, I am going to break it down, so if you choose to be a pastor you will be well informed.

First, you must have a desire to become a pastor. You need to be a good people person but be able to be assertive. You must also have a calling from God; that's the most important in my personal belief.

Second, you must have at least a high school education. You then must seek out the pastoral college you wish to attend. Sometimes people wish to choose the college by their denomination or faith. I would choose by prayer.

Third, when you have meet or fulfilled all the requirements, you must apply to the college you choose or are led to. After you complete 18 months to 2 years, you will be called to one, two, or several churches. You must choose one and only one. When you've done all that, get to know your new congregation and begin your new life in ministry.

When you become a pastor you will become a leader, a counselor, a friend, a brother and a father. This life is a very rewarding and fruitful life. I hope to be a pastor one day myself.

My Best Friend

When I was twenty two years old, I bought a dog from my friend Ian. I was sitting at home one day, when the phone rang. It was Ian, wanting me to come to his house. His female pit bull, Sadie, had a litter of puppies, and he wanted me to come and see them. As soon as I got off the phone, I got in the car and headed to his house.

As I pulled in the driveway, I saw Ian standing at the door waiting on me to arrive. So I put the car into park, got out and walked inside. When I got inside, Ian acted like he couldn’t wait for me to see Sadie’s new puppies. He just kept saying, “Man, you gotta see these pups!” So we made our way upstairs, where Sadie and her pups were.

Before we even got to the top of the steps, I could hear them crying and yelping. As soon as Ian opened the door, I saw some of the prettiest puppies I had ever seen! As I looked at them, I didn’t see any of them that I really wanted. Ian said that he also had two more pit bull pups out back that he would be interested in selling as well. So I agreed that we make our way to them. Maybe I would be interested in taking one of them home.

Once we were in the back yard where he kept the rest of his dogs, we walked up to a kennel with three dogs in it. The first one I saw was brown with white around his eyes. His name was Duke, he was six months old, and weighed sixty five pounds. That’s huge for a six month old pit bull! The second dog’s name was Trigger, and he was black and white. Ian said that Trigger was two and a half months old, and weighed about twenty pounds. He was definitely the most beautiful dog I had ever seen in my entire life! The third and final dog was a female, brindle in color, and about thirty pounds. Ian said that he would rather keep her though. The only thing that I could think of was that I really wanted Trigger! So, I had him get Trigger out of the kennel, and we headed back into the house. Once we got back inside, Ian went to the kitchen to get Trigger’s papers out of the cabinet above the sink. He handed me the papers and I handed him three hundred dollars. Then I decided to get my new dog home.

Over the next three years, Trigger learned so much! He would follow me anywhere, and everywhere I went. He was the most loyal dog I had ever seen. I could tell him just about anything and he would do it. Furthermore, he would protect me from anything that he thought might try to harm me. He loved kids too. He would protect them from harm at any cost. Then just before he turned four years old, someone came in my yard in the middle of the night, and stole him right off his chain. I haven’t seen him since. Trigger was my best friend, but nothing could ever take away the memories that we share together. I think about him everyday, and I know that he is still thinking about me as well.

written by: Dustin Caldwell

Caleb

Caleb has developed so much since he was born. He weighed seven pounds and nine ounces; he was twenty one inches long when we brought him home.

After about three months old, he started to cackle and smile a lot. He also started to hold his head up really well. He kicked a lot and very strongly.

Then, at about five months he started to turn over. He started eating baby food. At six months he started sitting up by himself. Caleb also knew his name.

Next, at seven months he started crawling. He learned how to say “dad” and some others, but “dad” was the only one he could really say well. Also he learned how to stand while holding on to something.

Finally, at eight months he can walk while holding on to things like the side of the couch or a chair. He can eat some finger foods like french fries or cheesy puffs. He is learning the word “no” because he thinks he has to get into everything. He learned to scream; that’s one of his favorite things to do. He also has two teeth. The doctor said that,”he is above average on weight and height.” He is twenty two pounds and twenty nine and a half inches tall.

When most people see him they think he is about one year or older. He is a really big baby, but he is mommy’s baby.

By: Keilee Sparks

My Need to Return to School

Ever since I was 12 years old our family had a grocery store business. Some memories are great; others are not. I will always remember the first day the store opened. Mother went to the store at 7:00 that morning and didn’t return until 9:30 at night. I missed her being at home. Mother did this for many years; 7 days a week. Since she wasn’t at home to do the things around the house I got to do them. I remember feeling like I had so much responsibility and my friends had an easy life. I can only imagine how my mother felt.

My younger brother worked with my mother. I took over after he quit. My son helped me with the business. The store provided a good living. The only problem was our lives always centered on work. We never took vacations together because some family member had to be there. Financially our business did great for many years, but all good things come to an end. The famous Wal-Mart came to town. People always go where the best price is. No matter how loyal they said they would be to us; they bought most of their groceries at Wal-Mart.

All of our employees were part-time. Putting up with all of their problems can really take a toll on you. Business was slowing down and I needed to lay everyone off. I really didn’t know what to do. We talked the situation over one night after work. My husband knew I was tired of the store. I was working 50 hours a week and missing a lot of life. We decided to close the store. It was a very difficult decision to make.

I drew my unemployment for a while and applied for many jobs, but no one called me for a job, or even an interview. In the meantime I did things around the house I had needed to do for years. I went to Bible studies and enjoyed my grandchildren.

On a recent visit to the unemployment office for a review a lady asked me if I would like to return to college. When I got home I started thinking about it. The next day I called and made a appointment to talk with a adviser. They told me about the program they offered. It seemed like a great opportunity to go to college. Hopefully now after I go to college I can work at a job that I truly enjoy. I had always contributed to our household income and that had ended. Consequently I needed to get in this program.

Currently I’m preparing for the Compass Test. For this reason I’m coming to the Adult Learning Center. I have been out of school for 39 years and I get nervous thinking of going back. My goal is to be a nurse. This career choice will require a lot of hard work. If this is the Lord’s will for me; it will happen!

Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a great place for families to take vacations. The mountain is one of the largest active volcanoes in the United States. The volcano could destroy lives if it ever erupted again. Some people have jobs there like giving tours, leading people on guided trails, working in the restaurant gift shop, showing kids the nature center, and running the fancy restaurant that has lanterns for the lighting.

Hiking is one of the recreational activities that you can do there. There are different trails that you can hike. Some of the trails are steep and challenging slopes. They pose a deadly threat if you are not careful and paying attention to what you are doing. You can take hours on the trails and have fun walking, sight seeing, exploring different areas, and even camping on some of the trails. If you go camping on some of the trails, one of the forest guides has to know where you are camping for your own safety.

The flowers of the mountain are so unique because they are something you don’t see everyday. On one of the hiking trails there is a flower patch that contains some unusual flowers. One of the flowers that you will see is the Avalanche Lilies ( Erthronium Montanum). It is white and the center is yellow. It also has plain stems with green leathery leaves. There is also the Anemone Seed Head which is white and bushy. It hangs down on the stem and flows in the wind. The flower will fall apart easily if it is shaken. Lupines are found in the meadows at the Sunrise Visitors Center. It is purple in color with green leafy stems. The Indian paintbrush flowers are red and feather out just like a paintbrush. Back when the Native Americans lived on the mountain they used the flower petals to dye their clothes, make face paint, make signs on their teepees, and paint their horses for war. There is also another flower named the Heather flower. It is a brilliant pink and light pink flower only found by the waterfalls. They grow on the bank by the riverside where the water flows into the river.

The waterfall is one of the most relaxing things to watch and listen to. When I was there I took two hours to relax and watch the water flow into the river. Some of the waterfalls are about two miles into the mountainside. One of the waterfalls is 241 feet tall and 75 feet wide and is a very heavy flow into the pool at the bottom. Narada Falls is located near Paradise, Nisqually. When the water flows it splashes you as you are getting closer to it. Some people actually wade at the green pool behind the waterfall. There have been several deaths because of people not reading the signs that are posted. They have tumbled over the cliff into the big pool at the bottom of the waterfall. There is also a bridge that you can walk across and be above the water so that you can see the opening of the cave that is hidden behind the waterfall. Washington Cascades in Paradise is 168 feet tall with a drop over of 300 plus feet. It has a medium to heavy flow and is 75 feet wide.

Looking at the trees you can see the flowers, waterfalls, and the hiking trails. Western Red Cedar trees can get 100 to 175 feet tall and two to eight feet wide or more. They have evergreen leaves with reddish brown, thin, fibrous shredded bark that can be easily peeled off. This poses a big hazard during wild fire season. The Douglas Maple shrub is 30 feet tall and looks like a tall bush. The tree has colored flowers. It also has fruit-like seed cones that are a brown color. The tree has fall colored leaves. There are also giant trees there that reach up in the sky more than 200 feet. Two of the trees are over 850 years old. The Douglas Fir is the second tallest tree in the world. The branches on top of the tree grow upwards and the bottom grows towards the ground. One of the trees in the 1700’s grew to be over 300 feet tall. It has reddish gray-brown bark that has deep thick grooves. It is used for defense against wildfires. They grow 5-8 feet around and can live 1,300-1,400 years.

On the trails there are cabins built in the trees that are 50 feet up in the air with spiral staircases to get into them. You can see the waterfalls, trees, flowers, people hiking, and all of nature that God created. Also you can walk across the swinging bridge to other cabins and get to the restaurant where they have a few items that you can buy to make meals yourself.

Now for a little history lesson on Mount Rainier. The mountain was founded in 1792 by an English explorer named George Vancouver. He named the mountain Puget Sound. The Native Americans named the mountain “Mountain that was God”’ because it was so big. It was easy to find food, and shelter for their families, friends, and animals there. They also had plenty of wood, food, water, and things that they needed in one place. Hazard Stevens and P.B. Vantrump on August 17, 1870, named the mountain “active volcano” Mount Rainier.

The mountain is 14,410 feet above sea level with a relief of 10,000 feet from the valley floor. The water from the waterfalls and ice glaciers flow into five major rivers after they melt. They are South Puyallup River, South Mowich River, South Mowich River, Carbon River, and West Fork River.

Mount Rainier is one of my favorite places to visit. There are a lot of activities that you can do to keep busy. My personal experience in visiting this mountain was awesome. I got to go hiking to the top with two of my best friends from Washington. On our spring break from college we decided to take a break and go on an adventure. We left early on Thursday to head to the mountain and spent the night at the campground. Then Friday morning we got up early at around 6:00 a.m. to start hiking the longest trail. We didn’t come back down until the following weekend. We camped on top of the mountain for three days. It was an experience and a half coming back down the mountainside. We saw huge trees that were very old, waterfalls, and caves that are hidden and unmarked. There are flowers and special hiking trails that we as a group got to experience. We also saw a lot of different animals there. We saw deer, buffalo, turkeys, rabbits, birds, eagles, and several other animals. For those who have never been on an adventure at Mount Rainier, I encourage you to please take a vacation to relax and have fun with your family and friends.
Tina Speer
Writing class
08/13/2009

Tragedies & Silver Lined Clouds

Everyone goes through trials and distresses; but, do we all make it out alive? There is some truth to the cliché that says, “Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining;” but does it mean that everything horrible we go through is okay because we
have hope that things will get better? Some say yes and some laugh at the idea while they down their eighth bottle of Gin and prepare for ten more.

People are different in so many ways. They attack at despair and misery in a number of attempts to capture a solace existence. The most popular search engine in our world today is putting the bottle to their heads and yanking away at the trigger. This attempt permits them to forget and escape from the hurt they feel, in place
of facing it head on.

People also try to fill the void in their lives by seeking material fulfillment found in the luxuries of women, clothes, cars, or just plain money. Those that seek will drown themselves into their office work to try to subside the nagging that gnaws at the gaping hole that once held their heart. They seek and most all of the time their search for a void filler leaves them broken, with an even larger hole, spent, or dead. The hurt that we endure can teach us things if we but listen. Sometimes things don’t end well and they leave us in bewilderment.

You see, (recognize that this is based on my perspective) not every cloud has a silver lining. My, you must think me pessimistic, that there is only gloom and doom on the horizon; no, there
is a light, a silver lining if you say. This is the one true and living light that can be found at the end of the tragedies; that sums up the silver lining. The true light can provide the only hope one each on earth is so desperately yearning and thirsting for.

Those who thirst will find a quenching that lasts. They have come out of the rubble with scars and wounds, but are standing tall. They could not have done it without the silver lining which
light that has come into this dark world. They find rest in the light and have no deep fear of the ever darkening gale.

I for one am not a person who just believes that the world is without hope of finding the true fulfillment out of life. I know where this fulfillment can only be found. It is of God that the light comes forth and gives us the strength to go into work the next day after a loved one had just passed on. The light He provides is warmth for the bitter cold heart and love for them that are without it. The silver lining that we now can have the ability to posses was not without a
high cost. The price was a sharp blow and God willingly, out of His great love, received in our place.

(((JMF)))