A weekend away

Hey everyone.
Just feel like saying hi really fast.
I have had a busy last week. School is going alright and everything is coming along in the life of michael. Friday after school I took off for a short weekend in Portland, OR, with my sister. In the last two days I have been all over that city. My weekend was filled full of many things from the biggest book store in the world to playing random games of spoons with soccer player (who are three games away from winning the NCAA championship). I really like the city of Portland, and I had forgot how much I miss it. I totally get along with my sister! We care about the same things, so we could just sit there reading things out of the New York Times and reading a prayers together. I really needed to get away from this town for a day or two so this worked out awesome. So thank you Val

Stay strong and GO PILOTS

Mike

Something To Think About.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday �Morning �Commentary.

My confession:�

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. �And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. �I don't feel threatened. �I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.�

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. �I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. �In fact, I kind of like it.��It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . �If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.�

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. �I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.. �I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. �I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.�

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? �I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. �But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.�

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: �This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.�

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. �Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. �She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. �And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. �How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'�

In light of recent events.... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. �I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. �Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. �The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. �And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). �We said an expert should know what he's talking about. �And we said okay.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. �I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'�
�
�Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. �Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. �Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. �Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.�
�
Are you laughing yet?�

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.�

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.�

Pass it on if you think it has merit.�
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�If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did. �But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in. �

�

My Best Regards, �Honestly and respectfully,�

Ben Stein������

Church Life

Many friends and family have been asking me what my walk with God/church life looks like, now that I'm back from mission work. Which is a really good question that takes more then a few words to answer, and defiantly hard to sum up in passing. Life back here in the US makes personal standers of daily bible reading and prayer a lot harder to live up to; however, my walk with God has been really strong. Starting with my home life, here at my new house. My roommate does not agree with me on most things, but we constantly have long talks about our realign point of views. Which is the one thing I really wanted in this first year of college. I think I'm walking in the perfect plan of God's will for my life. Which means God is leading me in my walk back to school and life here in the good old U.S.A. therefore I don't feel as if I have left the mission work at all. It only has taken on a new form, as I continue to better myself. We don't just walk the path of God's good plan when we are in some form of ministry, but everyday we go to work or school. It's like that old saying "it's about who you are the six days you are not in church that matter" in the same way life outside of ministry has not changed so much, and just because I'm back here in the states does not mean I have given up my life of traveling and helping the least of these. I have been involved in two churches here in Washington, and I'm learning a lot from another church in Redding California from their online podcasts. I'm teaching Sunday school at one of these churches here, and getting involved with an outreach program to Spain, yes Spain. I am becoming an intern of a teaching youth in north Spain program. This program will be sending me to Spain next summer with the hopes to build relationships. So I have been totally blessed! I can go to school, travel, work with youth, and grow in every way myself all at the same time. The only passion of mine that has been put on hold is the dream of playing college basketball. The coach here at my school did offer me a spot on the team; however, I turned it down due to my health condition. I will be playing basketball for a city team here tho which will be a lot of fun, and should give me a chance to get a lot better. So the man wearing number 15 will still be his old self playing, and out working everyone in the gym. A friend told me last week that I have everything going for me more and I should be thankful. With that I totally agree I have been blessed, but this life did not just fall in my lap. I have spend the last two years working my way up with two or even three jobs; nevertheless, I have been blessed, and my hard work in all areas of my life have started to pay off. So I thank God for my life, friends, and finances. My belief point of view is the ruling factor in how I live today, and for the rest of my life.

Stay strong all

Michael Silliman

In Loving Memory

In Loving Memory

Because of a man named Mike, I try to live every day to its fullest. It was December 19, 2004, and I was only fourteen years old at the time. I had never seen him before that day; however, later I found out his name was Mike and he was 57 years old. He was taking a long walk down a path, on a cold Sunday morning. I just happened to be standing outside of a small church along that same path, taking in the beautiful clear air. Someone on the path saw Mike fall, and yelled for help. I heard a yell, and thinking I had a chance to be a hero I started to run. I found him limp and face down, and fear shot down to my toes as my heart started to race. I was there within minutes of a small heart attack. I turned his body over on it’s back, just in time to see his eyes full of life for the last time. I held Him as the blood turned cold and the eyes rolled back into the head. Soon I heard the siren of the ambulance, but it felt like a lifetime before help arrived. Medics picked up the body and put it in a car, then drove away lights flashing. After a night with no sleep I got a call from a man who said he was from the fire station. He filled me in on the details about the man with the heart attack, saying I was the last person to see him alive. After that day I will never think about life the same. Before that I was just surviving, living one day at a time. Ever since that cold Sunday morning I have been trying to be, and dreaming about becoming a world changer. The fireman told me there was nothing I could have done for Mike; nevertheless I started to cry as the thoughts ran in my head “if I only was a little faster getting there” or “if I only knew C.P.R.” The feelings that I failed that day have never gone away, and I’m still trying to be a hero to this day. I traveled to a poor country which is called Cambodia. While I was there I helped those who are starving and have no hope for tomorrow by building schools and showing them how to clean their water. I worked for the Boys and Girls Club for a year because I have committed my life to helping the next generation. I’m now getting my degree in social work, for the dream of being a world changer still lives. After I saw this life come to an end so suddenly I realized our time on this earth really is short, and I want to make the most of it. As for me I need purpose in this life; therefore, I will spend my life searching for meaning, and helping make this world a better place. Because of Mike, I will live every day to its fullest.

The Last Of Summer

Big news in my life this week. As many of you know I have set a goal for my life. The first step being college. Dreams are free and school is not. So until a week ago my dream of school was still far out. I was planning on working full time this first year while going to Peninsula College right here in Port Angeles. My budget looking something like $600 a week to live on. All this changed overnight because of something I did over 7 months ago, Back when I first got back from Cambodia I got online and looked up Financial Aid for ten different schools here in Washington. Guys my age are not known for planning their life's even a half of a year ahead. However with some awesome talks from my sister I put in the work before I got a job, and even before I had a car, or my laptop. I was so ready to get started on my big plans I walked over to my brothers house had some coffee with his wife and got online (because my Dad's Internet sucks) and started looking up schools and googled "where to start" then after finding schools I would like to start at I got a ride over to my best friends house (Andrew) and filled out all the paper work for Financial Aid. Tho my hopes were high I did not plan on ever seeing anything for my hard work. After a long summer of working nights paying for my car, laptop, books, and a house, I saved over $2,000 ready to take on my big dream and the even bigger fear "school!" all of this worry came to a happy ending last week when I got a letter in the mail starting like this "Your financial aid award" my eyes ran over the words looking for the numbers which they found with my mind going crazy and heart in my feet, and at last I found the answer to my dream of school. The numbers turned into words in my head just YES that's all I saw as my eyes filled with water. I now have a scholarship which will pay for everything and then some me a full-ride. I found myself saying "forgive me God for my little faith" these are not just my plans. I never would have guessed I would get a scholarship. I had no faith in myself. I'm a home schooler who did not learn how to read till high school. I can not even start to make you understand how much fear has been in my life, fear that someone would find out that I'm a fake. I have been faking it most of my life. Now all that has been taken away. People somewhere now have taken that load off of me. I have so many people to thank that I can never get to all of you. I will show my thanks the same way I always have by working a little bit harder. I have a calling on my life that I set for myself to be a would changer! This is just the next step down the road I have picked. May my God be with me Amen.

Stay Strong and keep dreaming.

Michael Silliman

The End Of My Summer

Here we are again at the end of summer. A year ago I was about to leave for Hawaii with out looking back, now I'm about to start school, and yes I'm looking back. How could I not miss last school year, living out of my bag on the road, something new everyday. I was meant to live like that. This page of my life is really good however not near as much fun. So these last three weeks of summer before school start I'm going to do as much as I can. Tomorrow I'm leaving for California. Driving down to Redding with Sarah and flying back next week. Next weekend I want to go down to Portland to see a old friend and maybe swing by and see my sister. I can't wait for school to start. I'm taking three classes this first quarter. I have been working as much as I can to pay for this school year. My church family has helped me out a little. So as of now it looks like I can make it this first year with going into debt. Which is a really big deal coming from my family. I have a little life all set up here with my house and roommate, job and school. I don't need anything more. I'm getting really close to my roomy Jack. I'm talking to him on skype right now. I just got a new laptop for school so I'm spending a lot of time online. Which should mean I start blogging more but we will see. well I have to be off now. tomorrow is a big day, full of driving. I wish you all the best in the world. Feel free to Email me I would love to meet for coffee or something.

Stay Strong.

Michael Silliman

summer 2009

Wow this year has gone fast. It's now half way into this year. It's been a busy six months for me. I'm working two jobs and that makes time go by fast. I just got my own house with a guy named jack. He is totally not like me but turns out he is a good roomy. It's a cute little two bed room house right outside of Sequim. 15 minuets from my college come fall and 5 minuets from my first job the Seauim Wal-Mart. I have the mind set that this is the first day of the rest of my life. I'm trying to make the most of every day. I miss my family but get to see my brother Josh sometimes and the little boys from time to time. Dave is just as busy as me so I don't see much of him. I see Dad almost everyday but only talk about work really. I'm dating a girl by the name of Sarah. I have been friends with hear for about 5 years. being with her has made this summer really fun. All I really do is work sleep and hang out with Sarah. this summer I find to be one of the best times of my life. Every morning I get off work and I thank God for my life, and drive home to start a new day. This is who I have become. I have picked a path for my life and for the first time what believe makes me a happy person. This summer has been about making myself a better person one step at a time and $1 at a time. Fall is coming and I face school with a lot of fear, a big smile, and a summer worth of savings.

Stay Strong.

Mike