Cameron Blake, Herman the Cripple, Broyles - (my new confirmation name)

Herman the Cripple is the saint that I chose for confirmation. The reason I picked him is that he was born with cerebral palsy, cleft palate and spina bifida. He also couldn't walk or talk very well. But Herman was very intelligent. He knew Arabic, Latin, and Greek but nobody could understand him because of his trouble speaking. I connected to Saint Herman because I also have cerebral palsy and spina bifida. He had to deal with his struggles and he stayed faithful with God. Sometimes it is hard for me to not doubt myself and to stay faithful and to live through certain things. And I think that many other people in the world struggle with that nowadays too. 

Herman was born in 1013 in Altshausen, Germany to a farm family. His parents cared for him until he grew to the age of seven. But, back then if you were disabled, the parents didn't really know how to take care of them and it was a daily challenge. I think that I am pretty blessed to live in this time period to have the parents and blessings that I do have. His parents placed him in an abbey in Reichenau, Germany to be cared for by the Benedictine monks. This is where he eventually became a benedictine monk himself at the age of twenty. Although he was bedridden and had a speech impediment that made him nearly impossible to understand, he had enormous intellect. He was a scholar, mathmatician, astronomer, composer, writer and a historian. He built astronomy equipment, and musical instruments, most likely the same way my dad builds things for me so I can use them in a different way. Saint Herman was the most famous religious poet in his day within the Catholic Church. He is the author of "Salve Regina" (which is the Hail, Holy Queen and recited at the end of the rosary) and "Alma Redemptoris Meter". I think these were the most important reasons why he was canonized a saint. But, later in his life he became blind and had to give up his writing. I'm sure this was very difficult for him since writing was his only way of communicating. This would most likely be a struggle for me as well since I have a blog to help convey what's going on in my head.

After reading about Herman the Cripple, I felt very connected to him because he was able to do so much in his short disabled life that it seems overwhelming to me and gives me hope. He did not limit himself due to his cripple body. Maybe I can find something in my own life in a meaningful way to give back. Right now I still struggle to think about what I could do to help others. I'm hoping God will speak to me and guide me in the right direction.

Although Herman's body was a wreck, his spirit was full of Love for God. Sometimes, the more challenges God gives us, the closer it brings us to Him. I'm very lucky in that way. My parents always say, I will go straight to heaven because I'm so close to Him... not so much for my little sister. Blessed Herman was called a "wonder of his age". He died at the age of 41 in the Reichenau, Germany abbey. He was known as a "Saint for the Unborn Child" and "Saint for the Disabled". He was beatified in 1863 and feast day is on September 25th.

In closing, I came across this poem that someone wrote about him that kinda spoke to me as well...

I am least among the low, I am weak and I am slow; I can neither walk nor stand, Nor hold a spoon in my own hand.

Like a body bound in chain, I am on a rack of pain; But He is God that made me so, that his mercy I should show.

Brothers do not weep for me! Christ, the Lord, has set me free. All my sorrows he will bless; Pain is not unhappiness. 

From my window I look down, To the streets of yonder town. Where the people come and go, Reap the harvest that they sow.

Like a field of wheat and tares, some are lost in worldly cares; There are hearts as black as coal, There are cripples of the soul. 

Brothers do not weep for me! In his mercy, I am free. I can neither sow nor spin, Yet, i am fed and clothed in him.

I have been the donkeys tail, Slower than a slug or snail; You my brothers have been kind, Never let me lag behind.

I have been most rich in friends, You have been my feet and hands; All the good that I can do, I have done because of you.

Oh my brothers, can't you see? You have been as Christ for me. And in my need, I know too, Have become a Christ for you!

I have lived for forty one years, In this wilderness of tears; But these trials can't compare, with the glory we will share.

I have had a voice to sing, To rejoice in everything; Now loves sweet eternal song, Breaks the darkness with the dawn.

Brothers do not weep for me! Christ, the Lord, has set me free. Oh my friends, remember this; Pain is not unhappiness.

Halloween 2016

This year for Halloween l was Charles Xavier from X-Men. I think that it was a perfect costume for me and  amazingly, some of the people who were giving out candy realized who I was. Now for Caleryn, she was a princess kitty cat. We saw Snow White passing out apples so Caleryn had to have one. I had to carry her in my chair for a little bit because she got tired of walking house to house. We started heading back home before she blew up. Once we got home, we spread out all of our candy and what does she want to eat the most...the apple!! Anyway we got lots of candy this year and I think that I was definitely goofy looking in my costume. 

My new school subjects for this year

My new school subjects for 11th grade are: consumer math, physics, a new vocabulary book, U.S. history book, Latin and a catholic faith handbook for confirmation. And I also just started reading "Uncle Tom's Cabin" which is just about 500 pages. But my favorite subjects are U.S history and the catholic book.  Im enjoying U.S. History because it's neat to read about how the country started. Honestly, if any student was really taught about history and actually paid attention then I just don't get how so many people could be a socialist or a communist or even a liberal in some ways. Those systems just never work throughout history. I am struggling with consumer math because of the amount of steps for each problem and it is hard to visualize the problem too. Math is usually my strongest subject so I'm a little worried about that. I only have one more Latin lesson left and then I think we will start on Latin II. I think I'm going to be heavily into Catholicism this year for sure, I'm learning so much through the book and at class. Plus two of my old school buddies are in my group at church. Maybe I will start praying 3 times at night again like I used to, I like to pray at night because I'm alone. This will be my goal this year.

Book report on Harry Potter and the cursed child

This book was about what happened twenty years after the last Harry Potter movie. It was a great book to read but l would highly recommend you to watch all of the previous Harry Potter movies first in order to fully understand this last book. There were about six settings in the book but the main setting was at Hogwarts. The summary of the story is that Harry Potter's son, Albus and Draco Malfoy's son, Scorpius go back in time to save Cedric before he gets killed by Voldemort. But in doing so, they have problems in the present time. The boys eventually come to a realization that they can't save Cedric. All and all, the whole book was pretty interesting and I loved it. Now, my mom says I have to read a serious book.

The Pumpkin Patch

Yesterday my family went to a pumpkin patch for Caleryn to play at. There was not much there l could do but she was like a kid in a candy store. My mom and l was constantly trying to catch up with her and my dad! Activity after activity, it was ridiculous! My mom really wanted to come there to take pictures of her. The place was crowded with kids but it really wasn't so bad because it was so spacious as well. They had a band playing and me and mom just sat under the trees listening to the music. They have a huge corn maze that you is spooky and haunted at night but dad said it was a little too narrow for my chair. I'd probably be too chicken anyway! We didn't get a pumpkin because Caleryn went to sleep when we left. So haha! 

First Confirmation class

Last Wednesday, l had my first confirmation class. I also have to go to Lifeteen classes too. There are about 250 kids going through Confirmation this year at my church which is like the largest amount ever in our diocese. All of the kids there, including me, had to take a test to see how much they knew about God. Some of the questions were, can you name all Ten Commandments, name the Pope, our Cardinal, write the words of the rosary, what is the Holy Spirit,how often do I go to mass, who helps me in my faith, how do I feel about going to confirmation classes. I actually started the test early because it takes time to write down my answers. The lady that copied my answers on a sheet of paper said I did really well. I knew most of the questions off the top of my head. One assignment l have to do later in October is write a paper about a saint that I like and why I connect to that saint. I have to have a sponsor, I also have to do two service projects this year to help give back to the community and I have to go on a retreat. So I think this year is going to be a pretty big year!

I'm becoming a cranky grandpa!

Two weeks ago I finally urged my mom to set up an eye doctor appointment. I was having trouble seeing small font words far away. I have to squint because of my blurry vision. And its not just that I have trouble with ether; I also have trouble reading the signs on the roads too. The doctor did an optical test and she said that my vision is 20/70! Then the doctor put a lens on me to tryout and the difference was night and day! I could see the author names on the books behind my dad easily and that's about six or seven feet away from where I sat! The doctor then put some dye into my eyes to see how healthy they were. While the dye was drying up, I looked for a cool frame for the new glasses.  After fifthteen minutes, my dad wheeled me over to the room we were in; the doctor told us that my eyes are healthy. I eventually picked the frame I wanted. The glasses took two weeks to make. I looked like an old man/a geek when l first saw the pictures my mom took. I can totally see better now! FINALLY!!