On Call and The Summer of The Learning of New Souls

This past weekend I went on a retreat for On Call. On Call is a christian music group that pretty much goes around spreading the Word of God through music worship. I just joined and this is my first year in it. I had heard so much about On Call this past year and how fun it is. I really love singing and especially with a real purpose.



Something really great about this past weekend, something I learned, is that there are people that are like me in terms of my relationship with God. Going into this I had the mind set that everyone would be super hardcore christian and Jesus freaks but I was wrong. Don't get me wrong, I love these type of people but I never seem to fit in with them. There were many people like this there but also people like me, people on a journey to strengthen their relationship with God. There were not only a few but a fairly large chunk of people like this. We had a bible study and I was in a group with three or four girls since On Call has only like 6 or 7 guys out of the almost 40 participants. But these girls and I really talked about a lot. We talked about each of our individual outlook on God and where we are in our relationship with Him. I really loved listening to them for a lot of what they said related to what I, myself was constantly thinking about. We were given approximately 45 minutes for this bible study and we went 45 minutes over and were, accordingly, 45 minutes late for rehearsal. I was worried that we were going to get scolded and get the usual lecture about being on time but Becca, our "leader" I guess, was okay with it. She was so excited to hear that we got so wrapped in our discussion about faith and religion. That really made me happy to feel that she cared more about what we were learning and experiencing from each other than the music we were supposed to be learning.



Another great thing about On Call is people. I loved meeting new people and listening to their stories and listening to them. You learn so much when you are thrown into an environment where most of the people there you have never met or maybe have only seen. You learn to really get to know people and I love doing that. I experienced the same environment at All-State Choir at Concordia. I was thrown into an environment where I didn't even know many people but I got to know people. I stayed in a room with a person i had never met in my life but within a few days I knew quite a bit about him. Also, even earlier in the summer, in marching band, I met a lot of people I had never met. Mostly these kids were a year or two younger than me but a friend doesn't mean they have to be your age. Some of these people I have come to talk to quite often.



This summer has been amazing. Mostly this month. Great things have happened to me August of 2008. I can't say that anything to terrible happened. Nothing that hurt me to bad, nothing that drove me crazy, and nothing that happened that would have a negative impact on my life. New people have come into my life this past summer and lifted me to place I didn't think I would be. I thank these people with everything I have.



So, if someone were to ask me how I would describe this summer, the summer before my senior year, I would say that this has been The Summer of Learning, no.. The Summer of The Learning of New Souls....

For those with loss...

I know that not many people read this but if by chance someone does in need of comfort, here is a few words of wisdom I've learned from unfortunate events...

Why do things have to pass you by? The things that are so irreplaceable, they seem to run by without giving us the chance to see how much we've just lost. They say no matter how dark the night is, the sun always rises again ... I say lost love makes one realize that no matter how bright the day is, the sun will always set again. So once you find someone you really love, try your hardest not to loose them, because you will never get over the feeling of loneliness. Yet, it's better to be with no one than to be with the wrong one. But if you ever do loose a love, remember, sometimes we tend to be in despair when the person we love leaves us, but the truth is, it's not our loss, but theirs, for they left the only person who wouldn't give up on them. And if they tell you your love is over but do not give an explanation that would satisfy, do not think, "I am everything you want; I am everything you need; I am everything inside of you that you wish you could be. I say all the right things, at exactly the right time, but I mean nothing to you and I don't know why..." You must believe in life, that it will take you to new love. Even if this new love is an eternity away. Give life time to heal you. Time. For me... Time is the most important thing in the world. It is the only thing that can fix my broken heart. It is the only thing that keeps me going, and it is the only thing that keeps my hopes alive. But, do you know what? Someday we'll know if love can move a mountain. Someday we'll know why the sky is blue. Someday we'll know why we weren't meant for them...

Life goes on, even if you don't want it to.

-Phil

PS.. I'm sorry.. I guess that wasn't truly brief.

All-State!!

Hey, right now I'm at Concordia College for All-State Choir! I'm a Tenor II in the All-State Men's Choir. I've been having so much fun here. I absolutely love this school and campus now. It's definately on my list for possible colleges.

So far it's been great. Our director is Diane Loomer. She is from Canada and is well known throughout North America for her Men's Choirs. It's sort of amusing that she composed some of the pieces we're singing and the rest are either composed for her choir or at least dedicated to her choir, which is called Chor Leoni. 

The experience of All-State has affected me more than I thought it would. I previously have desired to go into medicine but I now am really thinking of going into music...