Sunday, March 15, 2009, Nashville, TN~

Dear Journal~

Howdy!  Johnathon writing; thought I'd write in here before getting ready to go downtown:  our family is attending the annual St. Patrick's Day festival, which started yesterday and ends on St. Patrick's Day. 

Seems I'm on Easter break for the next two weeks, so I will have plenty of festival time to kill.  In addition to that, I will also be practicing for our Easter cantata at church:  in the dramatization, I play a little boy who drowned and ended up in Heaven; he and his family are reunited.  (I know, I know:  I'm sixteen; hey, I can't help it if I'm short, so I still can get away with playing little-kid roles!  LOL)

It's better than my mom or my sister Ronee':  they end up going to hell.  Mom didn't go to church, and Ronee' took drugs.  LOL  Not funny, I know, but that's what happens to them in the play.

I have been feeling a little stronger since my recent bout of the flu.  It really knocked the stuffin' out of me.  For a minute there, I thought I was going to end up in the arms of Jesus (not that I would have minded!); still, I have an awful lot of living to do, and Jesus decided He didn't need me just yet, so He let me get better.

Thank goodness for that!  :)

No, I may not walk anymore, and I may breathe with a trache tube in my throat, but I still can do a lot of things:  sing, talk, sign language, read, write, witness to others about Christ, among other things.  So I'm not totally helpless or totally without hope!  :)  I'm a (former-walking), talking, living miracle! 

I'm looking forward to the Cantata:  I get to perform in it, and before that, we get to see the Gaither Vocal Band.  Some of my sisters have a crush on David Phelps and Gary McSpadden.  LOL  They are good; I especially like it when they sing "Because He Lives"; talk about getting chillbumps on top of your chillbumps!  Wow, but that group can SING!!

The Gaither Vocal Band performs that weekend, at night, and during the day, we do our Easter Cantata.  Then on Sunday, it all culminates with the GVB performing during our Cantata; that will bring the masses to our church!  We are expecting overflowing crowds; the GVB is very popular!

I just hope Mack doesn't show his assets again, like he's done for the past two Cantatas!  As he is going up to "Heaven", the stupid stage crew always forgets to make sure his robe is all the way down in the back, and he ends up showing his undies to the crowd as he's ascending into Heaven. 

It's kind of funny, but I feel sorry for poor Mack:  he's supposed to be Jesus; I don't think that happened to Jesus when He went up to Heaven 2,000 years ago! 

It's supposed to be a drama, NOT a comedy!!

Maybe this is why this year we're doing "Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames" instead of our normal Easter Cantata, with the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ!  I guess Mack's tired of getting embarrassed or reminded of the past two Cantatas, so Pastor Bilkey decided to do something different this year.

Oh, we do HGHF every year, but we usually do it in the fall.  This year, we're doing it in the spring, and maybe again in the fall, do it twice instead of once.

Anything to get the Message of salvation out there!

I always love this time of year:  besides the Cantata, I get to stuff myself with chocolate until I'm nearly pukey-sick, sleep in to noon (or later if I so choose), play my video games or my music to my heart's content, and annoy my little (or older) brothers and sisters!  LOL  I don't have to worry about homework, or teacher's dirty looks, or being slammed into walls by throngs of kids!  I have more bruises on my arms and sides from kids runnin' into me!  Can't they even see me? 

(I guess not; I'm sittin' in a wheelchair.  GRRR!)

Maybe I'll get surprised and see Rebekkah; I hope so!  She's been known to pull surprises like this before!  I just love her so much!!

Ronee' has a potential boyfriend in Michael Stinkowitz; he goes to our school, and he has a crush on her.  She's starting to like him too:  every time she mentions his name, she blushes redder than a fire engine, and she gets this goofy look on her face.

Ronee' 's in looooooooooooooooooove!  LOLOL

Well, mom's callin' for me; guess we're ready to head on out to the festival, so I will go for now.  Take care, and I will write in here again soon!  Happy St. Patty's Day; don't drink too much, be safe, and above all, have FUN!!  And let me wish y'all an early happy Easter!!  Don't forget why we celebrate Easter!

God bless!  Love ya!

~Johnathon.  :D