Physically tired - Spiritually Strong

This past weekend has been one of the most physically challenging, yet spiritually strengthening weekends I've had for ages.

Saturday morning I went to school and robbed one of the English teachers, while he was having a creative writing lesson, with Dad. Don't worry, it was just something fun to do and something the teachers had to write about for their lesson. (They were learning how to report the things which they saw!)
In the arvo, I played some pretty fair dinkum table-tennis with some of the best in the school for three hours. Then I joined the flag-raising team for some physical training which included running around a +400 m field three times, short running exercises and running, one step at a time, up 4 flights of stairs, across the fourth floor and back down again 5 or 6 times. At the end, we were all extremely worn out, but happy to have accomplished the things we did.

Sunday was THE big day! Got up at 5 and rode to school at 6:30. Shortly after 7, the students from class 1A and the teachers boarded two buses and off we went for a day's hike in the Zhong Tiao Mountain Range. For most of us guys, it was quite a quick, yet agonizingly painful and sweaty. We reached the top 100 minutes after starting out at 8:30. It was wonderful being able to set a new climbing record. It was the third time I'd climbed those same mountains. The first time it took 5 hours, but we took a longer road that time and my whole family stayed together. The second time it took about 3 hours to get up, but we rested more. This third time we literally just went straight up with short stops every now and then. The view was magnificent! There were wild flowers all over the place and the weather was absolutely beaut! The sun was shining and there was a cool wind on the mountain side. After we got to the top, we had to wait 20-40 minutes before the second group arrived. The last group which made it up arrived at 11:50. Ten minutes before the deadline to turn around and head back. Going down was so much easier, we would've made it in under 80 minutes had we not stopped to let the others catch up. Upon reaching the bottom, we had to wait for nearly two hours before the last of the teachers/students made it down.
It was a really challenging trip. It took a lot of effort to make it up to the top, but being able to run across the rope bridge, over to where our destination was, was truly fantastic. At the moment my thighs seem to be killing me, but I'm alive and I'm glad I went. I didn't think I'd be able to make it at certain stages throughout the trip, but prayer and an urge to go forward step by step got me there. And then from there it was all down-hill.

This is totally unrelated to the above topic: After trying to figure out how to use things in a library, particulary the computer and a barcode reader, I came up with the following phrase: "Technology makes things so much easier, yet so much more difficult!" Trust me, it's true!!!

Purity

This poems was written several weeks ago, but I have been unable to post anything on this blog, so it's late, but it's here. I've also got another one which I'll hopefully post next week.

There may come a time in our lives

Where we choose to remail single or to marry.

This is one of the most important decisions in life

And when considering it, we must not hurry.

God says that to be married is a blessing.

It's something good, not something bad.

And when a couple remain pure and Godly,

The Devil really gets driven mad!

Purity is one of the most important traits -

One you need for your relationship to grow.

It's something that'll be hampered on every side

By Satan our greatest foe.

During the years leading up to marriage,

And those to follow too,

We must strive to remain pure -

To be true through and through.

Purity covers lots of areas

From the things we do to what se speak.

It includes being humble

Decisive, determined and meek.

We can't have love without purity.

It would make no sense at all.

And we cannot lack purity,

If we seek to follow God's call.

He has called us to be pure.

Don't run away! Stand and fight!

Trust in God to lead you,

And everything will be alright.