I did a short presentation about the mexico trip during english service today. Public speaking really is a useful class. I don't really get nervous in front of audiences now. Pastor Mondy gave a hilarious message about stewardship, and then Auntie Dolly taught us about providence and college decisions.

In the afternoon, after writing up a short narrative speech beginning, I went out back to the field, and put out sleeping bags and blankets on the grass. It felt like being in bed, except with green all around and birds chirping. There were some horses let out by their owners near the barn, so I took some pictures of them.

Lying there on my little grass bed, I did a lot of homeworked, finished stuff up, and then started reading. When dinner time came around, my mom brought it out to me. I finally went home at around seven, just as the sun was going down. Four hours of my afternoon was spent outside enjoying nature, finishing up work, and relaxing.

The book I read was, "Finding God in Lord of the Rings". Since C.S. Lewis (author of Chronicles of Narnia) and J.R.R. Tolkien were both strong Christians, their stories have a lot of deeper meanings. There were lots of memorable things I came across while reading.

C.S. Lewis observed that creatures are not born with desires, unless there is a means to satisfy that desire. Babies naturally desire food, and there is such thing as food. Ducklings want to swim, and there is such thing as water. So "if I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explaination is that I was made for another world.".

Tolkien also wrote amazing allegories reflecting the times before creation. In The Silmarillion, he wrote about Iluvatar, maker of all that would be in Middle-earth. Iluvatar made Ainurs, which were angelic beings. To each Ainur he assigned themes of music that were for his honor and pleasure.

Then Iluvatar said to them: "Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now ye make harmony together a Great Music ... ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices, if he will. But I will sit and hearken, and be glad that through you the great beauty has been wakened into song."

But now Iluvatar sat and hearkened, and for a great while it seemed good to him, for in the music there were no flaws. But as the theme progressed, it came into the heart of Melkor to interweave matters of his own imagining that were not in accord with the theme of Iluvatar; for he sought therein to increase the power and glory of the part assigned to himself.

Wow... Tolkien's description of the fallen angel is incredible.

My brother came back from his chess tournament in oakland at around 9. He got 6th individually, and 2nd with another kid as a "team".