So its Thursday night and I'm breathing a sigh of relief. Why you ask? Last night I was finishing putting together the presentations that had been sent to me for the Siouxland Undergraduate Social Sciences Research Conference. Some did not get to me until 5:30 am this morning. I was up until about 12:30 last night and was supposed to be up by 6:30. Somehow I slept through my alarm this morning and I didn't get to the Conference until 8:10 when I was supposed to be there at 8:00. It was bad, but I managed to keep myself busy. So pretty much 7 people canceled their presentations today, 3-4 switched their times, and it all could have been a nightmare. Luckily I held my cool and the whole program itself went off without a hitch. I was happy with how things turned out. Needless to say though, I am happy it is over. It is one more thing that I don't have to worry about anymore. I think after this week my stress levels will go down significantly and I will be more calm, and although I am calm now, this will give me the opportunity to be relaxed as graduation approached in 16 days. It truly is crazy how time flies by.
Tonight we were supposed to have a baseball game, but it worked out that it was canceled due to weather and I was able to go to our prayer partner gathering tonight with the Sisters. It was nice because I had just gotten to see Sr. Delores yesterday since I didn't think I would get to go to the meeting tonight. It worked out that I did and we had a lot of good conversation.
Anyways, in a nutshell, that is why I am relieved and definately ready for the break. That being said, have a great weekend. It will be busy for me.
Until Next Time
Tony "laz" Lazarowicz
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
16 Days and Counting
Time continues to just fly by. This week has been a really busy week as well. And it's only Tuesday. Yesterday I had to work from 8-10, class from 10-11, meeting for the conference we are hosting right after class, then made copies for the pamphlets, ate, then went to work on puttting the packets together. That took me about 1 1/2 hours. By that time then I started to work on homework and then had 1 1/2 hours of band rehearsal. Following that I did homework and watched 24 until I went on rounds for the evening. Today, I had to give a presentation at 9 and then I had choir. Choir was cool because Dr. V. talked about his goals and plans for the next year and he has a lot of good aspirations. Now I have done some homework and business related stuff since then. We have a baseball game tonight and the week just doesn't slow down. However, there are only 16 days until graduation. Thats pretty sweet. If you can't tell I'm pretty excited.
I have a total of 5 classes of Lifespan
3 classes of Senior Seminar
1 band rehearsal
1 choir rehearsal
and 1 week of finals.
Pretty sweet i must say. I dont' think everything will hit me until I'm back in Sergeant Bluff for the summer, but I can say that it will be a bitter-sweet good-bye, but I can definately say that I will come back to Yankton and visit. You will enjoy the town if you want to, if you come in not wanting to enjoy it, then you won't.
Until Next Time
Tony "laz" Lazarowicz
I have a total of 5 classes of Lifespan
3 classes of Senior Seminar
1 band rehearsal
1 choir rehearsal
and 1 week of finals.
Pretty sweet i must say. I dont' think everything will hit me until I'm back in Sergeant Bluff for the summer, but I can say that it will be a bitter-sweet good-bye, but I can definately say that I will come back to Yankton and visit. You will enjoy the town if you want to, if you come in not wanting to enjoy it, then you won't.
Until Next Time
Tony "laz" Lazarowicz
Friday, April 18, 2008
Finally One More Thing Over
Yes, as the title says, one more thing is in the books. Last night I had my final Jazz Band/ Choir concert. It was definitely the best concert we had on tour and the best audience we have had in the four years I have been here. We probably had close to 400 people in audience, and everyone was amazed at the performance. As I've mentioned before it is bitter sweet to have this over as well. I'm so happy to have the concert over because now I can relax on that part knowing that we put on a great show and it is now over. On the other hand, it was my last performance in that area, and that is somewhat sad. I can remember my freshman year thinking how great college was and now it is nearly over, so I definitely am trying to take advantage of the last month as much as possible.
Overall, tour went really well too. We had a great time, and it was a time of sharing stories and memories with friends and all that fun jazz. So now its time to start planning out the rest of the next couple weeks. It is a busy one as well. Today I have to work from 8-10, class from 10-1, sit at the blood-bank booth from 1130-12, meeting for Yahoo from 12-1230, class from 1-2:15, help move furniture from 215- 3, give a tour for ADMIT from 3-4, work in the CYBER for the supper from 4-6:30, and tonight try to iron out a few items for the conference we are hosting next Thursday.
Well as you can see, my schedule is extremely busy today, but I thought I would just say hi before I get going for the day. Overall, great week so far and hopefully the weekend will be good too, although I am working for food service because of a big catering banquet we do each year. Oh well. I'll keep you up to date later on.
Until Next Time
Tony "laz" Lazarowicz
Overall, tour went really well too. We had a great time, and it was a time of sharing stories and memories with friends and all that fun jazz. So now its time to start planning out the rest of the next couple weeks. It is a busy one as well. Today I have to work from 8-10, class from 10-1, sit at the blood-bank booth from 1130-12, meeting for Yahoo from 12-1230, class from 1-2:15, help move furniture from 215- 3, give a tour for ADMIT from 3-4, work in the CYBER for the supper from 4-6:30, and tonight try to iron out a few items for the conference we are hosting next Thursday.
Well as you can see, my schedule is extremely busy today, but I thought I would just say hi before I get going for the day. Overall, great week so far and hopefully the weekend will be good too, although I am working for food service because of a big catering banquet we do each year. Oh well. I'll keep you up to date later on.
Until Next Time
Tony "laz" Lazarowicz
Monday, April 14, 2008
Crazy New Things
Okay, so I've been in Yankton now for four years. You would think after four years that you would know mostly everything you need to know about the city, and practically visited every place in a community of less than 14,000 right? Wrong! Today I ha the opportunity to visit a new place. Mind you now that it is the middle of April and 60 degrees outside, and since my parents bought me a bicycle for my birthday last year, i thought it only be appropriate that I got some use of it here.
I decided to take my bike and try out a few of the trails that Yankton has to offer. Wow are the trails long. It was a very nice ride, but I didn't know the whole path of trails existed or where they led to. To give you an idea of just how many trails there are and where they all go, I have attached the website link to the page so you can check it out for yourself. http://www.yanktonsd.com/pdf_files/Yankton2_Trails_Map.pdf So needless to say I have a good hour and a half bike ride around town.
Today was a really sweet day too. I had to work from 8am to 10am. Following that I was supposed to go to class, but it was canceled for still some unknown reason. I had to perform at lunch with the choir and then I did some homework before I hit the bike. Tomorrow and Wednesday I will be out of town because we are going on our annual choir/jazz band tour. This year we will trek across Nebraska and a small portion of South Dakota as we visit 6 schools in 2 days and perform our home concert on Thursday night.
It will be a very busy week because on Saturday we have the annual Yankton Gala for the Catholic Schools here in town and that requires a lot of work from both students and faculty to put on because I work with ARAMARK and from firsthand experience, a lot of help is needed, especially from the Ambassadors.
Because I have a few minutes, I thought I would update you on the countdown until the end.
26 days until GRADUATION
24 days until school is out
18 school days until school is out
8 classes of Lifespan Development left
6 classes of Senior Seminar Left
5 practices for choir
3 practices for band Left
So, in essence time is winding down. That is good, but also frightening. Anyway, that being said I hope all is well in your neck of the woods.
Until Next Time
Tony "Laz" Lazarowicz
I decided to take my bike and try out a few of the trails that Yankton has to offer. Wow are the trails long. It was a very nice ride, but I didn't know the whole path of trails existed or where they led to. To give you an idea of just how many trails there are and where they all go, I have attached the website link to the page so you can check it out for yourself. http://www.yanktonsd.com/pdf_files/Yankton2_Trails_Map.pdf So needless to say I have a good hour and a half bike ride around town.
Today was a really sweet day too. I had to work from 8am to 10am. Following that I was supposed to go to class, but it was canceled for still some unknown reason. I had to perform at lunch with the choir and then I did some homework before I hit the bike. Tomorrow and Wednesday I will be out of town because we are going on our annual choir/jazz band tour. This year we will trek across Nebraska and a small portion of South Dakota as we visit 6 schools in 2 days and perform our home concert on Thursday night.
It will be a very busy week because on Saturday we have the annual Yankton Gala for the Catholic Schools here in town and that requires a lot of work from both students and faculty to put on because I work with ARAMARK and from firsthand experience, a lot of help is needed, especially from the Ambassadors.
Because I have a few minutes, I thought I would update you on the countdown until the end.
26 days until GRADUATION
24 days until school is out
18 school days until school is out
8 classes of Lifespan Development left
6 classes of Senior Seminar Left
5 practices for choir
3 practices for band Left
So, in essence time is winding down. That is good, but also frightening. Anyway, that being said I hope all is well in your neck of the woods.
Until Next Time
Tony "Laz" Lazarowicz
Saturday, April 12, 2008
The Memories
I thought I would get a little sentimental on you this one, because I had a lot of thoughts rush through my head last night. As you may/may not be aware, I am a senior this year. That means less than 30 days until I walk through the campus for the last time as a current student. Everyone in college can remember the day they walked through the line as a senior in high school, grabbed their diploma, and was on their way to freedom. In college you have the freedom already, and this time its a walk to a new step in life, even bigger than the one before. its a bitter-sweet good-bye to the things you have come to know and love over the past four years. For me, it will be the end of a great experience in which I met so many great people, made so many fond memories, and learned just who I was. I have a lot of great friends here at college, and I hope to stay in touch with them after graduation in May.
Last night, we had the student recital in which a handful of the students were classmates of mine for four years. As they played their songs, I began to think about all the times I had throughout the past four years. Next year is going to be completely different for me. At this small school you truly get to know everyone on a personal basis, and you know everything about each other. You support the other people and they support you. Its truly a family, and I continue to keep realizing that fate is only a month away. In a month we won't be side by side anymore, talking to each other every day in person, we won't be helping each other with assignments, or going to activities on a regular basis. We'll all go our separate ways, and communication by e-mail for many will be the most we see each other for the rest of our lives. I just pray that we all remember the people we met, and the memories made and hold on to and cherish those memories for the rest of our lives, as I know I will.
Fortunately for me, I have at least another 2 years of school ahead of me, as I was accepted into graduate school at UN-L. That is a completely different atmosphere, but I think it will be important for me to continue to build new relationships, as well as try to make time to keep the old strong. As I said before, it is a bitter-sweet rejoicing for graduation from college, because now it is time for the real-world. No more late nights every night because you don't have class until 11am, and no more activities planned for you where you just have to go a walk down the sidewalk to get to. You have to take responsibility and that can be scary. I know some people do not like the song, but the lyrics to Vitamin C's song Graduation (Friends Forever) summarize exactly how I am feeling right now, so I thought I would add them here for you to read, especially as you get set to graduate from high school, or maybe are exploring new paths.
And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
But when we leave this year we won't be coming back
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track
And if you got something that you need to say
You better say it right now cause you don't have another day
Cause we're moving on and we can't slow down
These memories are playing like a film without sound
And I keep thinking of that night in June I
didn't know much of love
But it came too soon
And there was me and you
And then we got real blue
Stay at home talking on the telephone
We would get so excited and we'd get so scared
Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair
And this is how it feels[1] -
As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
Come Whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
So if we get the big jobs
And we make the big money
When we look back now
Will our jokes still be funny?
Will we still remember everything we learned in school?
Still be trying to break every single rule
Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?C
an Heather find a job that won't interfere with her tan?
I keep, I keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
And this is how it feels
As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
Come Whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
We will still be friends forever
Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?
Can we survive it out there?
Can we make it somehow?
I guess I thought that this would never end
And suddenly it's like we're women and men
Will the past be a shadow that will follow us 'round?
Will these memories fade when I leave this town
I keep, I keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
And this is how it feels
As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
Come Whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
So that's how I feel. We don't know what comes next for us, or how we will change, but the bottom line is to keep living life to its fullest and try to keep in touch with those we love. I challenge you to do the same, and I hope that God continues to bless you in ways you never knew. So as I end each blog,
Until Next Time,
Tony "Laz" Lazarowicz
Last night, we had the student recital in which a handful of the students were classmates of mine for four years. As they played their songs, I began to think about all the times I had throughout the past four years. Next year is going to be completely different for me. At this small school you truly get to know everyone on a personal basis, and you know everything about each other. You support the other people and they support you. Its truly a family, and I continue to keep realizing that fate is only a month away. In a month we won't be side by side anymore, talking to each other every day in person, we won't be helping each other with assignments, or going to activities on a regular basis. We'll all go our separate ways, and communication by e-mail for many will be the most we see each other for the rest of our lives. I just pray that we all remember the people we met, and the memories made and hold on to and cherish those memories for the rest of our lives, as I know I will.
Fortunately for me, I have at least another 2 years of school ahead of me, as I was accepted into graduate school at UN-L. That is a completely different atmosphere, but I think it will be important for me to continue to build new relationships, as well as try to make time to keep the old strong. As I said before, it is a bitter-sweet rejoicing for graduation from college, because now it is time for the real-world. No more late nights every night because you don't have class until 11am, and no more activities planned for you where you just have to go a walk down the sidewalk to get to. You have to take responsibility and that can be scary. I know some people do not like the song, but the lyrics to Vitamin C's song Graduation (Friends Forever) summarize exactly how I am feeling right now, so I thought I would add them here for you to read, especially as you get set to graduate from high school, or maybe are exploring new paths.
And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
But when we leave this year we won't be coming back
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track
And if you got something that you need to say
You better say it right now cause you don't have another day
Cause we're moving on and we can't slow down
These memories are playing like a film without sound
And I keep thinking of that night in June I
didn't know much of love
But it came too soon
And there was me and you
And then we got real blue
Stay at home talking on the telephone
We would get so excited and we'd get so scared
Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair
And this is how it feels[1] -
As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
Come Whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
So if we get the big jobs
And we make the big money
When we look back now
Will our jokes still be funny?
Will we still remember everything we learned in school?
Still be trying to break every single rule
Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?C
an Heather find a job that won't interfere with her tan?
I keep, I keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
And this is how it feels
As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
Come Whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
We will still be friends forever
Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?
Can we survive it out there?
Can we make it somehow?
I guess I thought that this would never end
And suddenly it's like we're women and men
Will the past be a shadow that will follow us 'round?
Will these memories fade when I leave this town
I keep, I keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
And this is how it feels
As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
Come Whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
So that's how I feel. We don't know what comes next for us, or how we will change, but the bottom line is to keep living life to its fullest and try to keep in touch with those we love. I challenge you to do the same, and I hope that God continues to bless you in ways you never knew. So as I end each blog,
Until Next Time,
Tony "Laz" Lazarowicz
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Mid-Week Review
Well today marks the middle of the week, and I got a spark of exciting news. POSSIBILITY OF SNOW!!!! Okay, so its April and you might say, well thats not really good news, college doesn't get snow days. Well coming to the small town college can have its benefits, and you may see an occasional snow day depending on how bad the weather turns out to be. They are expecting anywhere from 6-10 inches of snow. I like days off!!! However, that would mean that we would have to move baseball games this weekend as well as a change of many events.
Today I had to give my practice presentation for Senior Seminar and it went over really well. This week is campus clean-up week, and a lot of moving and garbage collecting has been done. Numerous visits to the dumpsters, over 10 TONS of paper shredded and things moved around. Its been a great experience especially for me to get to talk with a lot of people, work on my leadership skills, etc.
29 full days left until the last day of school and I will be ready for summer. Tomorrow I have to help out with the campus clean up, we have a practice recital at noon, and then I have to a phone interview with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln staff for an assistantship interview. I really hope that I get the position. Anyways, I am on duty tonight, so I have a lot I am trying to accomplish in the next few hours since I have to be up anyways. That being said, I probably should try to get that finished. Like I continue to say, if you have any questions, feel free to write me.
Until Next Time,
Tony "Laz" Lazarowicz
Today I had to give my practice presentation for Senior Seminar and it went over really well. This week is campus clean-up week, and a lot of moving and garbage collecting has been done. Numerous visits to the dumpsters, over 10 TONS of paper shredded and things moved around. Its been a great experience especially for me to get to talk with a lot of people, work on my leadership skills, etc.
29 full days left until the last day of school and I will be ready for summer. Tomorrow I have to help out with the campus clean up, we have a practice recital at noon, and then I have to a phone interview with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln staff for an assistantship interview. I really hope that I get the position. Anyways, I am on duty tonight, so I have a lot I am trying to accomplish in the next few hours since I have to be up anyways. That being said, I probably should try to get that finished. Like I continue to say, if you have any questions, feel free to write me.
Until Next Time,
Tony "Laz" Lazarowicz
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Glad its Over
So today was the big day for me. First and only professional play experience. I played God in Scene 1 of a 5 scene play. I must say we did a great job, and I thought I would add the picture to give you an idea on the play. It was a powerful experience, because I had the opportunity to step into the shoes of the most powerful being in the history of the world. I had to try to reinact how I thought God would behave, and while no one will ever know, nor can anyone compare themselves to the greatest of the great, all we can do is try to portray each actor the way we envisoned them. I am guessing we had about 600 people for the show which I was pleased with.
The thing that is nice, is now it is one more thing off the list. While it is nice to have things done, it does mean that I am getting closer to the end of my MMC experience. While most would think great, I am hesitantly looking foward to it. Yes, I wanna be done, but I also know that this is the only opportunity that I have to be a kid and it is winding down, so it is semi-depressing too.
Things will begin to wind down, concert and music tour coming up in a week and a half, and then before you know it, April will be over and it will be time for the summer.
The bottom line i say here is, make sure to take advantage of your college experience, because it will be over before you know it, and you'll wonder where time went. Anyways, I am going to finish a paper quick and then go hang out with some guys on the floor, so as I continue my tradition,
Until Next Time,
Tony "Laz" Lazarowicz
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Mid-week
So lets recap this week so far. Monday we had a lot of snow that started in the morning, and because of that and the road conditions, we cancelled school. Yes, they do cancel school in college. Okay well like one time a year if you are lucky. Tuesday, I only have choir, plus I had a few meetings so other than that I really was not too busy then either. Today, I had to work from 8-10 in the Cyber Cafe, class from 10-11, ate lunch, choir 12-1, senior seminar 1-2:15, and then choir 4-7:00. Busy day, but now it is over and I can relax because I really do not have a whole lot of homework left between now and the end of the semester.
While this blog talks about my college life, I must say that a portion of this college life is my faith life. Over the past four years my faith has grown, been challenged, and changed. I have been truly grateful for the many religious opportunities I have had here ; whether it be rosary, adoration, religious groups, or the like, I have gained a lot personally from my experience. Why do I bring up religion into my blog today you ask? Well, I received two powerful emails the past few days that were very touching to me. The first I want to copy over. It is a story of a professor at college with a religion class talking about the lack of enthusiasm to learn about God. It deals with donuts. I encourage you to read it, as it was very powerful and proves a very valid point about God and Jesus' endless love for us.
'DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE DESK' Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States , taught the required survey course in Christianity. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major. Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously. This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class. One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. 'How many push-ups can you do?' Steve said, 'I do about 200 every night.' '200? That's pretty good, Steve,' Dr. Christianson said. 'Do you think you could do 300?' Steve replied, 'I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time' 'Do you think you could?' again asked Dr. Christianson. 'Well, I can try,' said Steve. 'Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,' said the professor. Steve said, 'Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it.' Dr. Christianson said, 'Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explainwhat I have in mind.' Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class. Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, 'Cynthia,do you want to have one of these donuts?' Cynthia said, 'Yes.' Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?' 'Sure!' Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk. Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, 'Joe, do you want a donut?' Joe said, 'Yes.' Dr. Christianson asked, 'Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?' Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut. Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popularand never lacking for female companionship. When the professor asked, 'Scott do you want a donut?' Scott's reply was, 'Well, can I do my own push-ups?' Dr. Christianson said, 'No, Steve has to do them.' Then Scott said, 'Well, I don't want one then.' Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?' With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups. Scott said, 'HEY! I said I didn't want one!' Dr. Christianson said, 'Look!, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it.' And he put a donut on Scott's desk. Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, 'Jenny, do you want a donut?' Sternly, Jenny said, 'No.' Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, 'Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?' Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut. By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, 'No!' and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved. Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely. Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it. Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set. Steve asked Dr. Christianson, 'Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?' Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, 'Well, they're your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want.' And Dr.Christianson went on. A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, 'NO! Don't come in! Stay out!' Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said,'No, let him come.' Professor Christianson said, 'You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?' Steve said, 'Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut.' Dr. Christianson said, 'Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?' Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. 'Yes,' he said,'give me a donut.' 'Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?' Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered,was handed a donut and sat down. Dr Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room. The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, 'Linda, do you want a doughnut?' Linda said, very sadly, 'No, thank you.' Professor Christianson quietly asked, 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?' Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda. Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. 'Susan, do you want a donut?' Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. 'Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?' Dr Christianson, with tears of his own, said, 'No, Steve has to do it alone;I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.' 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?' As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups,his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor. Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, 'And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten. ' Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. 'Well done, good and faithful servant,' said the professor, adding, 'Not all sermons are preached in words.' Turning to his class, the professor said, 'My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid.' 'Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?'
If you took time to read this story, I hope you enjoyed it and it touched you. Now the second one I received today was from my girlfriend's sister with a link to their friend's website. Why is this so important. Her friend has lyme's disease and is dying, but continues to fight. They have a very strong faith life, and as I visited the site, it nearly made me cry to think about how much we as the healthy people take for granted. How often do we wake up and rise out of bed and not thank God for a great gift of the ability to move. How many times do we forget to thank God for the ability to eat food. This young girl named Alex hasn't been able to eat or drink in the past year. Everything is fed through a feeding tube. Sad life huh? Not so fast. The story she tells is a remarkable walk of faith and I admire her for it. It reminded me as I head through this next and last month of school here at MMC to be grateful for all the little things I have been blessed with because I am so fortunate to have these gifts, and I recognized I need to be more thankful for the opportunities I do have. I do encourage you to take a second and visit Alex's site. As you get set to embark on your college journey, remember to be thankful for the opportunities you have and for the gift of life you have received. Be thankful you are able to think of college, because some do not get that opportunity. www.caringbridge.org/visit/angelsforalex
Until Next Time,
Tony Lazarowicz
While this blog talks about my college life, I must say that a portion of this college life is my faith life. Over the past four years my faith has grown, been challenged, and changed. I have been truly grateful for the many religious opportunities I have had here ; whether it be rosary, adoration, religious groups, or the like, I have gained a lot personally from my experience. Why do I bring up religion into my blog today you ask? Well, I received two powerful emails the past few days that were very touching to me. The first I want to copy over. It is a story of a professor at college with a religion class talking about the lack of enthusiasm to learn about God. It deals with donuts. I encourage you to read it, as it was very powerful and proves a very valid point about God and Jesus' endless love for us.
'DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE DESK' Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the western United States , taught the required survey course in Christianity. Every student was required to take this course their freshman year, regardless of his or her major. Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously. This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class. One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. 'How many push-ups can you do?' Steve said, 'I do about 200 every night.' '200? That's pretty good, Steve,' Dr. Christianson said. 'Do you think you could do 300?' Steve replied, 'I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time' 'Do you think you could?' again asked Dr. Christianson. 'Well, I can try,' said Steve. 'Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,' said the professor. Steve said, 'Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it.' Dr. Christianson said, 'Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explainwhat I have in mind.' Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class. Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, 'Cynthia,do you want to have one of these donuts?' Cynthia said, 'Yes.' Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?' 'Sure!' Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk. Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, 'Joe, do you want a donut?' Joe said, 'Yes.' Dr. Christianson asked, 'Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?' Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut. Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popularand never lacking for female companionship. When the professor asked, 'Scott do you want a donut?' Scott's reply was, 'Well, can I do my own push-ups?' Dr. Christianson said, 'No, Steve has to do them.' Then Scott said, 'Well, I don't want one then.' Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?' With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups. Scott said, 'HEY! I said I didn't want one!' Dr. Christianson said, 'Look!, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it.' And he put a donut on Scott's desk. Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, 'Jenny, do you want a donut?' Sternly, Jenny said, 'No.' Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, 'Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?' Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut. By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say, 'No!' and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved. Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely. Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it. Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set. Steve asked Dr. Christianson, 'Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?' Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, 'Well, they're your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want.' And Dr.Christianson went on. A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, 'NO! Don't come in! Stay out!' Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said,'No, let him come.' Professor Christianson said, 'You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?' Steve said, 'Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut.' Dr. Christianson said, 'Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?' Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. 'Yes,' he said,'give me a donut.' 'Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?' Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered,was handed a donut and sat down. Dr Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room. The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, 'Linda, do you want a doughnut?' Linda said, very sadly, 'No, thank you.' Professor Christianson quietly asked, 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?' Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda. Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. 'Susan, do you want a donut?' Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. 'Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?' Dr Christianson, with tears of his own, said, 'No, Steve has to do it alone;I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes.' 'Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?' As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups,his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor. Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, 'And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten. ' Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. 'Well done, good and faithful servant,' said the professor, adding, 'Not all sermons are preached in words.' Turning to his class, the professor said, 'My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid.' 'Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?'
If you took time to read this story, I hope you enjoyed it and it touched you. Now the second one I received today was from my girlfriend's sister with a link to their friend's website. Why is this so important. Her friend has lyme's disease and is dying, but continues to fight. They have a very strong faith life, and as I visited the site, it nearly made me cry to think about how much we as the healthy people take for granted. How often do we wake up and rise out of bed and not thank God for a great gift of the ability to move. How many times do we forget to thank God for the ability to eat food. This young girl named Alex hasn't been able to eat or drink in the past year. Everything is fed through a feeding tube. Sad life huh? Not so fast. The story she tells is a remarkable walk of faith and I admire her for it. It reminded me as I head through this next and last month of school here at MMC to be grateful for all the little things I have been blessed with because I am so fortunate to have these gifts, and I recognized I need to be more thankful for the opportunities I do have. I do encourage you to take a second and visit Alex's site. As you get set to embark on your college journey, remember to be thankful for the opportunities you have and for the gift of life you have received. Be thankful you are able to think of college, because some do not get that opportunity. www.caringbridge.org/visit/angelsforalex
Until Next Time,
Tony Lazarowicz
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