Gentlemen, we are fighting a war. A war that calls us to liberty. A war that calls us to fight against our captors. A war that calls us to regain what we have lost. Our homes; our families; our freedom. You have answered that call. We have fought battles. We have won. Now, when we have no chance of winning, we will not surrender!

They will fight brutally. They will come at us like dogs. We will look straight into their canons; we will stare up their guns; we will hear the clash of steel against steel, feel the blade at our throats—and we will fight on!

Origin of the Earth

Where you might hear about it: Earth Science/Geology, Astronomy, even a biology course
What they'll tell you: the Big Bang story, the Nebular Hypothesis, how earth started out as a molten ball of magma, and that life started out as a single cell in a primordial soup. This life eventually played a major role in changing earth's features and atmosphere and making it habitable for modern life forms.
What to remember:
          i. The Big Bang is logically impossible. You cannot get something from nothing.

A crowd noisily gathers in the auditorium, sometimes in large groups, occasionally trickling in one by one. Little do they know what goes on back stage. But if you open the door…

Look here
She said, extending her
arm
A side-eye swipe
Peripheral vision

I am
I said, turning my
head
Obedient, obsidian
My lights were out.

We are never apart;
That was why the world was made.
We rotate ‘round so my heart
Is where you were yesterday.

We are never severed;
Our souls are welded.
Yours- so hearty and clever
Came to mine and mine melted.

How the tide us unites!
Under the moon we are complete
As the lunar luminesced nights
Are lovers as us, through rain and sleet.

We are constant as stars;
That was why they were a-lit.
If souls could be as ours
Then in stellar formation they’d sit.

Here he is, with one tooth ever beaming-
I carried him home, I remember it well.
Bruises kissing, teary faces cleaning-
Son, Band-Aids have a story to tell.

Here he is, with strange friends laughing-
Set on the step, holding beat-up skateboard.
Midnight guitar riffs, late drums clashing-
Son, mow the lawn if you’re bored!

Here he is, his hat in mid-air sailing-
High school is now a thing of past.
Kiss Mom’s cheek, because she’s wailing-
Son, you’ve made it at last!

I've cut some of your chains
But I'll only let you fly so high
I don't want to lose you
In the blue of the sky
While here on earth
It's so drab and grey
Please realize you bring color
To my life everyday

Everyone says that if you
Love something, just let it go
If I keep holding on
Understand I don't want to be alone
I'm afraid of the loss
And afraid of the pain
So I'll hold on to you
For you drive away the rain

Waiting.

I was nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. Would they be nice? Would they speak English? What would they think of me? What would they think of our family?

My family and I were waiting near the last baggage claim, waiting for a long time, waiting for our Japanese relatives. Grandma Notsu would be there; Uncle Hiroo and Aunt Katsuko would accompany her. They were probably on the plane now…or off it, figuring out where to go.

* * *

One night Phil talked about the rightness of slapping children.

He said it in such a methodical and thoughtful way. We were sitting at their dinner table, eating apple pie. I was maybe seven-years old at the time, getting antsy. It was dim inside their farmhouse and dark outside.

The crickets were whimpering in the hydrangea bush under the kitchen window. The adults were talking about fatherhood or something.

I look unto the heavens,
And, God, I wonder why?
Why, if you’re so holy, did you make a girl like me?

I can’t imagine why, oh LORD,
Why am I in your plan?
Why, a simple, sinful girl, with faults so plain to see?

In Your Word you tell the truth--
A truth that never dies;
Yet truth that seems to contradict myself, LORD can it be?

You tell me that I’m chosen,
That for me you have a job,
That you can use this broken girl, if only I agree.