Blogs I Like

Design Inspiration - As a Graphic Design major, I appreciate blogs like this one :)

Take Hold Of That Which Is Life Indeed - I am honored to be able to call the author of this blog my cousin; she is one of the most inspiring people you'll ever meet.

Damien's Fingerpost - This is my uncle's blog.. and it is my favorite blog ever. I am related to awesome people :).

The Logastellus - Awesome blog right here. Read it, and be inspired!

Tortured For Christ

Media Review #3

I have been blessed to have come across the book entitled "Tortured for Christ." Written by Richard Wurmbrand (founder of The Voice of the Martyrs), Tortured for Christ is an inspiring collection of his stories of the underground church. Wurmbrand wrote the book in only three days, after his release from prison. It has been used as a mighty tool to strengthen the body of Christ (God's people). This is an example of print media being used for an EXCELLENT purpose.

Tortured for Christ is a testimony of overcoming faith in incredibly difficult circumstances. In the book, Wurmbrand relays the atrocious stories of what life was like in the prisons of Russia during the time of communism. As appalling as the true stories are, it is awakening to see the devotion these men and women have to God.

Whether or not you believe in God, I challenge everyone to read this book. It is a phenomenal wake-up call to evaluate your calling and priorities in life. Where does your joy come from? Can there be joy in suffering? I believe so.. when the reason for the suffering is faith in Jesus. He died for us, why shouldn't we suffer for Him?

To receive a free copy of Tortured for Christ, visit the Voice of the Martyrs Website.

Record Stores and Oxford Spectators

As amazing as technology is today, it saddens me that some pleasurable quaint practices are lost forever. Record stores and bookstores are nearly extinct, and I can't think of any other two stores I would rather spend an afternoon in.

Innovation and advanced forms of media are astounding, but I hope that our culture has not lost its taste for precious and wonderful things.

What is replacing things like record stores? tapes and CDs were quickly replaced by mp3's and minuscule cloud files that are purchased through computers, not in a store. Convenient? Yes. But exhilarating? not so much. There's nothing quite so satisfying as walking into a store and purchasing something you've been eagerly anticipating.

I am not wary of new commodities, but I am wary of the mindset that has been overtaking this generation. The mindset that when you want something, you can get it at the tap of a finger. This new mindset has forgotten the beauty of things lost. And this generation has forgotten the beauty of patience and healthy anticipation.

I hope that this generation, that has only had a glimpse of the wonderful things of the past, will stop and recognize that this world is constantly changing around us. I hope we also recognize that we effect the change in the world. We are the generation whose demands the world seeks to please. Change happens through demand and this generation is more demanding than any previous generation. If we can learn to stop and appreciate all that we have, the world might also slow down just enough for us to learn how to enjoy the wonderful little things that don't last forever. Or maybe we could make them last..? Just some food for thought.

P.S. This post was inspired by Dan Fogelberg's album: Never Lands. I highly recommend purchasing this phenomenal album :-).

March Madness

March 26th Assignment

It is horrifying that America is so drastically run by greed and power that rarely does anybody stop to see how every choice he or she makes affects others.

March Madness is an event organized by the NCAA that makes billions of dollars from the talent of college basketball players. This event rakes in billions because people love entertainment, however, the NCAA has not fairly distributed the profits. 

The NCAA believes that college athletics is "purely commercial"; the majority of their representatives believe that it's okay to not pay the basketball players since they say: "it is a great opportunity for the college students to develop their skills and talents so they can go further in the sport." Mark Emmert an executor of the NCAA said: "Student athletes don't deserve to be paid as professionals because they have access to the best educational opportunities." The NCAA makes all the athletes sign a long agreement that essentially turns all their rights as over to the NCAA. 

College sports is not "purely commercial", it is professional except for the athletes do not get paid. Because of this fact, college sports can be classified as exploitation. The players generate all the money, but they don't receive any of the profits. Not only do they not get paid, but they also don't receive travel benefits of for the players and their families. The athletes play because they love the sport, but when they play through the NCAA it's a great detriment of the players. Inherently NCAA sports is a labor force.

Sonny Vaccaro has shed light on this situation so there will be an end to the exploitation of college athletes. Sonny sued the NCAA and began a lawsuit to rectify this injustice which thankfully has provoked the NCAA to begin changing their customs regarding the treatment of college athletes. 

Sadly, there are so many forms of human exploitation that are ignored and even unconsciously endorsed. But thanks to Sonny Vaccaro and people like Michael Lewis (author of The Blind Side) college sports exploitation is on the decline. 

October Baby

Media Review #2

A new movie, October Baby, has come out this past march and has blown away false perceptions of abortion.

October Baby is about a girl who finds out she was adopted after a failed abortion attempt. She comes to this realization through searching for answers to her health issues, including epilepsy and asthma. In the movie, this girl named Hannah goes on a journey to discover what she has not known about her past. 

The movie is a phenomenal portrayal of the horrific reality that abortion kills. 

I think October Baby is a must-see today in this world where perceptions of abortion have been so greatly distorted. It is a sad realization, but this movie is a refreshingly clean and real portrayal of how abortion affects lives. 

October Baby has not been released in very many theaters, so I am grateful to the Regal Cinemas Germantown Stadium 14 for showing this movie and awakening the local populace to the truth about abortion.

Family Fued

Media Review #1

Naturally I'm not big into computer games, game apps, and video games. However, because I have 5 siblings living at home with me, and am the only one with an iPhone, I have thereby been appointed to have needless apps on my phone for the enjoyment of my siblings.

Typically I do not trifle with the 4 games that are on my phone, but a few weeks ago, while I was babysitting for a couple who was out uncharacteristically late, all I could do to not embarrassingly fall asleep on their couch was to pull out my iPhone and explore it's apps.

In my lethargic state of mind, I was pretty entertained with the Family Feud app. Not only does this app reteach you random bits of information you may not think you know, it is also a great game to play with family (as the title gives away), as well as friends. Also as I learned from experience, it's a great game for awakening your mind whenever you need to stay cognizant.

Pretty much like the tv show, you play against someone else and answer questions as fast as you can to get points. The "money" you earn for guessing correctly goes towards advancing you to a higher level.

I've enjoyed playing it with my siblings in my free time. I'd suggest the Family Feud app because, unlike most other game applications that encourage isolation, it encourages participation of a group.

A Little About Me

Bangalore, India 

I'm Kirstie. I was born and raise in Frederick, and I have nine siblings each of whom I love dearly and am very grateful for! I enjoy any type of sport; but especially: ultimate frisbee, cycling, soccer, dance and tennis. I love playing and listening to music; and I love to read as well. My favorite books are anything by C.S. Lewis, L.M. Montgomery, and St. Augustine. I endeavor to learn as many languages as I can so that I can be effective for God's kingdom in places other than the US; so far I’ve started learning Spanish, ASL, French, Latin, and Kanada (the Language of Karnataka, India).

I'm studying Graphic Design here at FCC. I enjoy communications and social media, but I haven't studied many of the mechanics of media, so in this class I hope to learn more about media from a more academic standpoint. When I am done getting my associates here at FCC, I plan to go to a four-year school (either Eternity Bible College or Ligonier Ministries Bible School). From there I would like to work in India or Southern America in ministry work and share my faith and knowledge of Jesus' all-redeeming love.

I could say a lot more about me, but I doubt this post will get many readers, and I prefer to communicate with people face-to-face, so I'll end here. :)

~ Kirstie Howard

P.S. Here are links to 3 student blogs that I think are worth reading:

• All Nicked Up
• Sincerely, Heidi
• This Side of Heaven