2011 Student Leadership Retreat

Over the weekend of October 13th - 16th, Jackson State Community College hosted the annual Student Leadership Retreat at Natchez Trace State Park out towards Lexington, Tn. This was my second year going and for many it was their first time. 

Over the course of time from last years retreat I can totally see how people have changed, including myself. Everyone that attended the retreat contributed something different and what made for an amazing weekend.

I think my overall favorite part of the retreat was getting to make the new friendships and build on the existing ones.  Incase you don't know, I am an extrovert, yup it's true. I am completely a people person, in some situations I shouldn't be bragging about this because having that trait causes me to get side-tracked and procrastinate on my homework because I'm wanting to talk to people! haha. But anyway. The reason I brought that up was because at last years retreat I pretty much was quite the whole time. I mean I said a few things here and there but then, swish, I was back in the shadows (not in a creepy way of course) but I would sit back and watch everyone and take everyones personalities in. I could figure out who were the "leaders" in the group, who were the "loudest", who I wanted to avoid and so forth lol. And even though it came off like I didn't have a good time last year, I really did, because most of those people I became friends with over this past year. 

To be honest, I think this year was even better than the last. Maybe it's because I was more out of my shell, maybe it was because I was in a new leadership role, or maybe it was the people that made it great. I don't know, but I felt really good about that weekend. There were a few hiccups along the way, but lets be real, in what job or profession, what sports game, what anything is not going to have a few hiccups? It's part of life, and the thing I'm most proud about with everyone, is we still had an absolute blast! We let whatever it was bother us for a very short period of time and moved on, and THAT makes me happy. We could have held on to it and let it ruin the weekend, but why? I'm happy I was there with the people at the retreat this year. Y'all are awesome and I love you guys and gals. 

Here are some pictures of the Leadership Retreat: 

I love this picture! This was taken by Kim and then the quote was added by Kim. I think this pic says a lot about everyone, I don't know why, I guess you had to be there. But it makes me smile :o) 

Here is our group pic with a couple of the National Guard guys that were at the retreat for a few hours to help with some team/trust building activities. I laughed a lot on this day. Especially when I beaned McJagger in the face with a plush ball.... (sorry Jags! Love ya!) lol 

This is Lauren (Luscious Lola/Dolly Parton) and Martin (Silver Hawk/Fox). These are a couple of the coolest people I have met. Martin is an introvert and I enjoy messing with Martin, especially because he can take a joke ;o) Love ya buddy! And Lauren, well, I'm not even gonna explain Lauren because she is one of those people you just have to meet and understand why I'm smiling :o) Love you as well Lauren!

This is Alex (McJagger), Me (Grizzly) and Raven (Midnight). These too are also some of the coolest people I have ever met. They have given me so many laughs and smiles since I have met them and I am very grateful for that! It's exactly what I've been needing. I like this picture because we all grew together at this years retreat and something we give to one another are hugs, and even though Alex is not participating in the hug at this moment, we love her anyway ;o) Thank you both, and thank you all for being apart of the retreat this year and hope to see you soon! 

P.S. If I did not mention you in this blog, it's not because I don't love you, it's because I don't have a pic of you and my butt is going numb from sitting here too long so it's time to go for a walk. But I love you all. The end. 

-Mike "The Griz" Moorman 

Theme for English B

We read this in class on Wednesday and I thought this is one of the best we've read so far. Enjoy:


The instructor said,

Go home and write
a page tonight.
And let that page come out of you---
Then, it will be true.

I wonder if it's that simple?
I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem.
I went to school there, then Durham, then here
to this college on the hill above Harlem.
I am the only colored student in my class.
The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem
through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas,
Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y,
the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator
up to my room, sit down, and write this page:

It's not easy to know what is true for you or me
at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what
I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:
hear you, hear me---we two---you, me, talk on this page.
(I hear New York too.) Me---who?
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.
I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I like a pipe for a Christmas present,
or records---Bessie, bop, or Bach.
I guess being colored doesn't make me NOT like
the same things other folks like who are other races.
So will my page be colored that I write?
Being me, it will not be white.
But it will be
a part of you, instructor.
You are white---
yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.
That's American.
Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me.
Nor do I often want to be a part of you.
But we are, that's true!
As I learn from you,
I guess you learn from me---
although you're older---and white---
and somewhat more free.

This is my page for English B.

By Langston Hughes (1949)

Crazy Love

Or maybe life is tough right now, and everything feels like a struggle. God has allowed hard things in your life so you can show the world that your God is great and that knowing Him brings peace and joy, even when life is hard... It is easy to become disillusioned with the circumstances of our lives compared to others'. But in the presence of God, He gives us a deeper peace and joy that transcends it all. (page 44)
-Francis Chan, Crazy Love

Amen.

P.S. If you have prayer requests, please leave them in the comment box of this page and I will be praying for you this week. Love you all!

MjMoorman

Walk It Out

So I totally forgot this existed until like a week ago. I went down to Oxford, MS to visit some friends and see the campus of Ole Miss and we were out walking around and of course there's people dancing, partyin' and all-in-all having a good time. As we were walking through the streets I could hear one of the clubs playing this song "Walk It Out" and right there popped up my little internal flag, dance time! I didn't dance at that exact moment but it did remind me of the video that was taken of me while I was in Iraq.

So the story behind the video and why it happened, call this "Moorman: Behind the Moves" if you will.

There was a day, well, there were many days, but on this day my platoon was on a reallllllly long patrol and we had been out all day and most of the night. We had finally gotten back to out Patrol Base and when we got all the trucks parked and gear put away, we had all immediately went back to our rooms. I don't remember why but I had picked up my Zune and unpaused where I had left my movie I was watching "Hitch". Well it was at the scene where Will Smith is getting ready to teach Kevin James how to dance and the song in the movie was "Apple Bottom Jeans" I think, I dunno, it was a dance song, and I got up out of excitement and asked the guys to throw on some music and they picked "Walk It Out"And this dance video is what was produced after a long day and silly fatigue kicks in. Enjoy ;o)

P.S. In order to see the video you'll have to copy and paste this link below into the URL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjEZQucZnBA 

Taking the time to listen to a friend

About an hour and a half before it was time for my Criminal Justice class, I went and sat with my friend Tanis while she smoked a cigaret outside the Classroom building at Jackson State. Tanis and I talk everyday and always, no matter what the situation or the mood, we share a laugh.

But today was a little more interesting. I got to hear a story from my friend that touched my heart. A few years ago Tanis lived in Mississippi. Her daughter, friends, family, house, mother, job, all in all her life was there. On one hot, humid, clear, sunny day everything changed...

I can't explain everything in full detail but to sum everything up, Tanis' house was destroyed by an F-3 Tornado. Tanis was in the house covered up in her bathtub as the Tornado ripped her house to nothing in 12 seconds. Watching and listening to her tell this story and hear the emotions and the words she uses to describe her experience was nothing short than impressive. Not impressive as in "that's so cool" but impressive to the power of a Tornado and impressive to see how she has came from this experience. Tanis lost everything in the matter of seconds. Her daughter stayed the night at her Grandmothers house that night because weather reporters had said weather was rolling in and stayed to keep her Grandma calm. She's the sweetest girl.

I had never heard this side of Tanis' life. I am so thankful that she decided to share this story with me earlier today. It really got me thinking that it's great to see how people can come back from things and grow from a disaster like that. Like I said, Tanis lost nearly everything that day and now, you can't catch her without a smile as she cruises the Jackson State campus. Simply amazing. And it warms my heart because that is the kind of person I want to be.

I hope Tanis doesn't kill me now for sharing this story but honestly, it's too good not to. I hope her story has and will inspire you also to just sit with someone you know or don't know and ask them about a story in their life. Doesn't matter good or bad, it's just good to talk and it's always good to listen.

Thanks for reading!

Mikey J

The Happenings

Hey everyone, 
I hope your summer is treating you well this far! School starts in almost a week and I'm having bittersweet feelings about it. Ya know the whole "well I'm ready to get back into school" but at the same time "once I start I'm gonna want out" sort of feeling hahaha. But anyway, I think it'll be alright, it'll keep my mind occupied if anything else. 


So I haven't really been keeping up about what's been happening over the past few months so here is a small recap since the summer began. I'm sure I'll end up repeating some things and leaving some stuff out lol... 


May
-Elected Student Government President at Jackson State.
-Spring semester classes ended. Grades: A, B, B, C


June
-Summer classes started. 1 on-ground class and 1 online class. 
-Gracie and I broke up. Took really hard... 
-5 week math class ended. Grade: B


July
-July 4th spent spent the day up at Fort Campbell, KY with friends I served with in the Army.
-July 16-17, Motorcycle Safety Course. Now a licensed motorcycle rider with no motorcycle. 
-July 20th went to Summer Slam Racquetball Tournament in Lebanon, TN. Took 1st place in my division D.  
-July 25th - August 8th, flew back home to Washington to spend time with family and friends. Had a blast.


August
-August 8th, returned back to Tennessee and back to the humidity, yuck. 
-August 27th classes officially begin. My current class load = General Biology 1 with Lab; American History 1; English Composition 2; and Intro to Criminal Justice. 




So there is a short overview of some of the things that have been happening in the past few months. I've been trying to do as much as possible to keep my mind free of things, some days better than others. I will try and figure out how to get some pictures on here also, that's my next project lol. 


I hope everyone reading this has been having a good, safe summer! I will try to post more often about things happening. Take care, God bless and have a great day!


-MjM-

Deck of Cards

A young soldier was in his bunkhouse all alone one Sunday morning over in Afghanistan. It was quiet that day, the guns and the mortars, and land mines for some reason hadn't made a noise. The young soldier knew it was Sunday, the holiest day of the week. As he was sitting there, he got out an old deck of cards and laid them out across his bunk. Just then an army sergeant came in and said,

"Why aren't you with the rest of the platoon?"

The soldier replied, "I thought I would stay behind and spend some time with the Lord."

The sergeant said, "Looks like you're going to play cards."

The soldier said, "No sir, you see, since we are not allowed to have Bibles or other spiritual books in this country, I've decided to talk to the Lord by studying this deck of cards."

The sergeant asked in disbelief, "How will you do that?"

The soldier replied: "You see the Ace, it reminds me that there is only one God.

The 2 represents the 2 parts of the Bible, Old and New testaments.

The 3 represents the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

The 4 stands for the 4 Apostles: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The 5 is for the 5 virgins that were 10 but only 5 of them were glorified.

The 6 is for the 6 days it took God to create the Heavens and Earth.

The 7 is for the day God rested after working 6 days.

The 8 is for the family of Noah and his wife, their 3 sons and their wives,

In which God saved the 8 people from the flood that destroyed the earth for the first time.

The 9 is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy. He cleansed 10 but 9 never thanked Him.

The 10 represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on tablets made of stone.

The Jack is a reminder of Satan. One of God's first angels, but he got kicked out of heaven for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell.

The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.

The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.

When I count the dots on all the cards, I come up with 365, one for every day of the year. There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week, 52 weeks in a year.

The four suits represents the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.

Each suit has thirteen cards; there are exactly thirteen weeks in a quarter.

So when I want to talk to God and thank Him, I just pull out this old deck of cards and they remind me of all that I have to be thankful for."

The sergeant just stood there and after a minute, with tears in his eyes and pain in his heart, he said, "Soldier, can I borrow that deck of cards?"


I hope this was encouraging. Have a great day.