Though the mode of celebration is different, most celebrate it as a festive season, with caroling, dinner feasts, gift-giving, and festivities that last from a week to a month, some starting on the Advent on November 26 and ending on January 6, with the feast of Epiphany.

“In Spain, we celebrate Christmas Day on December 25, as in most countries of the world, but the gifts are exchanged on January 6, which is the feast of the Three Wise Kings,” explained Journalism Teacher, Mrs. Maritza Gomez. Though she is not a native of Spain, she spent most of her childhood in Madrid, where she grew up as a kid until her parents came to this country when she was 11 years old.

“Christmas in Spain is not a huge commercial occasion as it is here in America,” she explained. “But it is a festivity that everyone enjoys from December 8 until January 6, when kids receive their gifts from the Three Wise Kings, not from Santa Claus, like in America and England. Christmas Eve is known as “Nochebuena” or “Good Night,” a time for family gatherings with dance and joyous feasting until the morning hours. Stores are beautifully decorated with Christmas lights and stuffed with Christmas merchandise with the beautiful mini-sized Belénes (Nativity scenes) that includes baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Three Kings, and the shepherds and their animals—depicting life in the village where Jesus, our Savior, was born.”

The United States borrowed many traditions from several European countries. From Spain and France, they learned to set up the nativity scene in each household, and from England and Australia, they learned to go around town, singing Christmas carols. We got the concept of Christmas trees from Germany, and Christmas parades from Latin America. And the belief of Santa Clause or Father Christmas came from the Netherlands.

There are more than 196 countries in the world, and a little more than 160 of them officially celebrate Christmas. Other countries like, Uruguay and Angola don’t refer to it as a religious holiday, but a Family Day.

Among all the cities around the world where Christmas is celebrated in a grand way is Bethlehem, the town where Jesus Christ was born. Here, Christmas Day is observed on different days, as Bethlehem consists of people of different Christian denominations—from Catholics, Protestants, Greek Orthodox, to Armenians, Ethiopians, and others.

While Roman Catholics and Protestants celebrate Christmas on December 25, Greek, Syrian and other Christians observe it on January 6. For Armenian Christians, Christmas Day is on January 18, which is why Bethlehem is the city with the longest Christmas celebrations than any other place. Christmas parades or processions usually pass through Manger Square, believed to be the location of the real site of Jesus’ birth.

Though many countries celebrate Christmas Day as a festive holiday with merry feasting and gorging on a luxurious meal, sadly, most people, especially the youngest generation, doesn’t know the true meaning for the celebration. They only know that it is a wonderful time to give and receive gifts, to get together with the family and friends for a wonderful, jolly holiday.

Here at CCA, we enjoy celebrating Christmas Day, our Lord Jesus’ birthday, with our family and friends. We set this time aside to worship together, dine together, and pray together, giving the Lord thanks for loving us so much that He sent His only Son to live among us for a time, and then rescue us for all eternity.

“Well, we celebrate both,” said a third parent. And there, in a fraction of a second, one parent personified the 45% of Christians who believe that Santa Claus is a harmless tradition, while another one represented the 43% who believes that the big man, Saint Nicholas, Fat man in a red suit, big guy with a bag, the “not so real reason for Christmas,” Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, but most commonly Santa Claus, should not be the image kids celebrate on Christmas time.

Then there’s the third parent who represented the 12% of Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus, but also celebrate the Santa Claus myth. Both sides have valid arguments and evidence that supports their beliefs:

They Believe in the Santa Claus Myth because…

• It’s extremely legalistic to not tell kids about Santa.

• Children are deprived of a simple joy of  Christmas if you don’t let them believe in Santa Claus.

• Santa promotes sound biblical beliefs such as, generosity and kindness.

They DON’T Believe in the Santa Claus Myth because…

• Telling my kids about Santa is a lie. And lying to make a child enjoy the holiday more is not a compromise some are willing to make.

• The after effect of finding out that Santa is not real is naughty, not nice.

• The word Santa means Satan!

•  We should be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ alone for the season, not the gifts that a fictitious character will bring to a child down a chimney!

Now, as the subject of this debate came about, another parent who is an avid fiction reader and movie buff, said: “I love this line in the movie, The Usual Suspects, ‘The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.’ And then recently I read this blog of someone who quoted that line and then added: ‘To see Satan’s second greatest trick, we just have to look at the myth of Santa that has so captured our imaginations and become such a symbol of Christmas that Jesus has taken a back-of-the-sled seat to the jolly old guy in Yule popularity.’”

“I don’t mind people believing in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, for that matter, or making their children believe in them; that’s their business,” she added. “Most of us enjoy the fun surrounding the plump gift-giver and the cute bunny. Yet, I do lament the fact that Jesus’ birth and resurrection are forced to share the stage with make-believe characters.”

Senior, Kalley Hernandez, and her family adore Christmas and the spirit of the season. The Hernandez family will rent a pickup truck and pile in with blankets and pillows. Then, Mr. Hernandez will drive his family around the neighborhood at night to see all the sparkling Christmas lights on the local houses.

“Our family has always done this, and every year it’s priceless,” says Kalley. “We open our presents on Christmas morning, but we always open one gift on Christmas Eve. Although I love the thrill of waking up and opening presents, one gift the night before is just perfect.”

Michelle Giambrone, also a senior here at CCA, gathers with her family at a friend’s house on Christmas morning. Then, they kick off the day with a generous brunch. “It’s the way we’ve always done it, and I love it!” said Michelle.

CCA student, Katie Gottfried, has an interesting way of celebrating the holiday season. At the Gottfried’s house, Thanksgiving comes around twice a year. On December 25, they prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal, from the turkey and stuffing to the mashed potatoes and apple pie.

As Christmas Day rapidly approaches, take time to find out how your friends celebrate it. You might just learn that in Brazil, Father Christmas is called Papai Noel and their favorite feast is a Christmas meal of chicken, turkey, ham, rice, salad, pork, and fresh and dried fruits. Or if your friends are from Romania, and you get invited to their house on December 25, get ready to eat stuffed cabbage for lunch.

It all began when Creative Director of CCA Communications Department, and Journalism Teacher, Mrs. Maritza Gomez was inspired to create the literary magazine. Being a writer herself, she has always had a passion for working with the upcoming generation, encouraging them to be the best they can be.

“It [the literary magazine] is just a way of encouraging the next generation to explore their arts,” Gomez stated. Mrs. Gomez is firm in her belief that there are many students who have talents that they, themselves, are not aware of.  Her goal is to ignite the light of the Arts, whether it is writing or pottery, painting or photography, inside of students. Last year was the first issue of Journey, and if all goes as planned, Gomez plans to have the magazine completed and distributed by May 2012.

Junior, Avery Reeder was inspired, and submitted a photo to the magazine, although she would not describe herself as “artsy.”  She said, “God used one of my own favorite photos and brought a deeper meaning to it, while also showing my ability to create art.” Reeder’s stunning picture, Flicker, was showcased in the last issue of Journey.

The photo was taken in an old church in Israel, but to Avery it is more than just a photograph. “My spiritual connection to Flicker was added after I took a good look at the picture,” she continued, “I remembered how the candles flickered, and I realized how much I did not want my relationship with Christ to flicker.” Reeder was honored to have her artwork displayed, and loved to see her finished product blown up on the page. She definitely plans on submitting more photographs for this upcoming issue.

All it took was for one person to be inspired, and now there is Journey. If you have found inspiration in the arts, you have the opportunity to compete to have your masterpiece in the upcoming issue of Journey. You can email your story, painting, poem, script, or any other form of art to Mrs. Gomez at maritzacg@ccaeagles.org no later that January 12, 2012.

Curiosity Killed the Cat by Amber Miller
It was Christmas Eve, ten years ago. I was five years old and very excited about Santa Claus coming the next day. The house smelled like fresh baked cookies and cake, and there was the usual hubbub, the swirl of holiday details in the house with all my family there. And then, my grandpa came over and called me to him, saying, “Amber, do you want to know the truth about Christmas?”

Never in my life to be at a loss for words, I said: “Yeah, yeah, yeah!” and got closer to my grandpa’s knee, expecting to hear a magical story. He pushed forward in the rocking chair and whispered, “Santa is not real.”

His words stopped everything that moved, and for the first time in my five years of life, my mouth flew open and stayed like that for what seemed like a year. In a millisecond my dreams were crushed. I didn’t understand. How could this be? I remembered the previous year, placing the cake and cookies with M&M’s on a plate made just for Santa. I saw them gone the next morning! How could that happen?

“Your parents ate the cookies and the cake, and drank the milk,” my grandpa explained. Now, my grandpa wasn’t a mean old man, or anything like that, he just didn’t believe in Santa Claus. He also didn’t believe in telling tales, especially around Christmas time, that wasn’t about Baby Jesus.

So, not wanting to believe what I knew in my heart was real, I went to my parents and asked them, “Really? You did this?”
“Well, yes, we did,” they confessed feeling sorry for me, and a tad mad with my grandpa. “We took turns every year eating the cake,” added my Mom, who smiled sheepishly as she looked over at my Dad. I guess neither expected to reveal their secret to me for another few years.  But, the cat was out of the bag.

I’ve always been curious about things, but I’m sure I didn’t want to know that! I don’t remember much more about that day, but I probably cried at some point, and then went to bed. The next morning we continued the tradition of gift-giving to celebrate the birth of Jesus. There were presents under the Christmas tree and I ran to see what I got.

So, curiosity killed the cat. No big deal. Some kids would have been traumatized by my adventure, but oh, no, not I. Every Christmas Eve, I just recall the story of when my grandpa told me about the truth of Santa Claus. The memory is as clear today as it was then.

The Attack of the Christmas Roaches by Connor Walcott
It was Christmas of 2004, and my Mom’s 40th birthday. To make this holiday memorable, my Dad decided to take my mom, my little brother and I camping. My Dad and I had visited the campsite towards the beginning of the year and had had a wonderful time. The trees were beautiful and the scenery was wonderful. Unbeknownst to us, a hurricane had touched down near the campsite several months before our Christmas trip, leaving a little surprise for us, would-be campers. When we arrived at the campsite, to our horror, we found that the hurricane had destroyed every single tree, leaving only scattered twigs where huge trees had once stood.

The campsite had been converted into a temporary trailer park for people whose homes had been destroyed by the hurricane. Since our reserved campsite had a trailer sitting on it, we were given a new spot: an empty concrete slab. As if things weren’t bad enough, it started pouring rain. My Dad attempted to set up our tent on the concrete, but, as he braved the downpour and the gale force winds (with the rest of us staring at him from the relative comfort of the family van),  he reluctantly admitted defeat.

We drove around until we found a motel. We checked in, unloaded our bags and then got some very disgusting take-out food for dinner. Despite a mix-up with our order, we were determined to make the best of things. We went back to our room and watched the movie, “Home Alone.” After a long day filled with disappointments and horrendous weather, we were glad to have something nice to do for a change. Things were starting to look a little better…that is, until we found out that we weren’t the only ones staying in the room.

You see, people whose houses had been destroyed by the hurricane were not only at the campsite, they were also staying in the motel. Those people brought food with them…and the food attracted some unwelcomed visitors.

The movie ended, we turned the lights back on and one by one, cockroaches of all sizes started to appear everywhere. At first, it seemed like there was only one or two. Those were dealt with swiftly and violently. However, after crushing the fourth roach, my Dad confessed that earlier, he had found a dead roach in the shower and a live one behind the toilet. He hadn’t said anything because he didn’t want to upset my Mom on this already upsetting day. Needless to say, we quickly gathered our things, got a refund and left the motel. We were able to get a room at another hotel that, thankfully, didn’t have surprise visitors of any kind.

Even though the trip was kind of a bummer, it wasn’t a complete waste. We got to spend quality roach-killin’ time together as a family. I can actually look back fondly, albeit squeamishly, on that trip: the trip that will always be known as…The Attack of the Christmas Roaches!

Small Packages by CCA Parent

In my family we used to make lists of what we wanted for Christmas, wish lists that hung on the refrigerator door for several months in advance, and had to include a range of things so that the kids could also participate in the purchase and wrapping.

The Christmas I turned nine I really wanted a watch. I listed it several times, amongst the other items of lesser import and price, and which I included only because that was the rule. All I really wanted was a watch. Where I grew up, getting a watch was a big deal. You couldn’t just go to Wal-Mart and buy a cheap watch – we didn’t have places like that, and my family didn’t have a lot of money, with four kids on the single salary of a college lecturer. Even with a birthday in December that could be ‘combined’ with Christmas, I knew a watch was going to be a stretch at best, and was highly unlikely. I didn’t even dare hope for it!

Our family used to place pillowcases under the tree. This was to keep the presents a closely-guarded secret and hence build the surprise value until the big day. In hindsight, though, I think it was to minimize the jealousies that inevitably arose amongst four children, inclined as we were to establish our expectations based on the sizes and quantity of the others’ gifts. Traditionally on Christmas, we opened gifts after church over mince pies, shortbread, nuts in their shells, and hot tea.

As a consolation (and probably so that we wouldn’t be too distracted during church) we were allowed to open one present before we went to church. But only one, and my dad picked out which one—of course, because he was one of two who knew what was in each pillowcase. We didn’t like the fact that he would pick the present, but it was either that or nothing until tea, so we went with it.

That Christmas morning, as we gathered in high excitement before church, I was quite chagrined when Dad placed an exceedingly small gift in my hand. I think he could see my disappointment, and I will never forget the expression on his face as he looked me in the eye, wordlessly conveying the message “trust me, this is the one you want to open, now, before we leave.”

Grudgingly and with extraordinarily low expectations, I accepted this one small gift before Christmas service and went to unwrap it in a corner chair. I prized open the lid of the cardboard jewelry box to see, lying in yellow cotton, the most beautiful Oris wristwatch, with tiny diamonds all around its face, winking up at me from beneath the glass. My world went quiet as I put it on my wrist, and held out my arm to admire it.

All through church I kept looking at my watch. Not to see the time, but just to admire it. At some point Mom whispered in my ear, “You see? The best gifts come in the smallest packages.”

The Gift by Kim Diaco, CCA Parent
There are many Christmas that we can always remember, but there is one that stands out in my mind. It was the Christmas of 2009.

In June of that year, our family experienced an extremely hard time. We had lost my brother suddenly to a very tragic situation, and two weeks later we lost my mother-in-law who suffered from cancer and been diagnosed only six weeks prior.

This was not the year for our family to do any type of celebrating during the holidays. This was most definitely going to be the hardest time for our family, and not just the adults, but for our kids as well. We used to spend our Christmas Eve’s at my mother-in-laws, where the kids would anxiously await the mounds of gifts Nana and Papa had for them. Well, this year was going to be a lot different.

As we gathered for Christmas Eve, we began our journey of starting a new tradition. The mounds of gifts are no longer awaiting, but what is still waiting is the love and time spent with family. Regardless of the storms we may go through, there is always reason to celebrate our Lord, especially His birth!

We realized, that while we were here on earth celebrating Jesus’ birth together, our loved ones were on the other side of Heaven’s gates, celebrating with Jesus and His angels. That by far is the best Christmas gift we received; the reassurance of knowing Him personally, and the comfort of one day being with Him.

Times Are Changing by a CCA Parent
My sister to my niece: “Drea, do you want to call Santa?”
My niece: “No.”
Me to my niece: “Why not?”
My niece: “ Because I already E-mailed the list to my Grammie!”

“Burst!” by Ceri Usmar
This one was handed down by my parents and it is, apparently, quite true. When I was three, we had Christmas at my grandparents’ house. My grandfather was a Baptist minister whose adoration of yours truly was exceeded only by mine for him. After our monstrous Christmas dinner, I went and cuddled up on his lap, which was something we used to do after meals and before bedtime.

After a while, Grandad said, “Mmmmm, I feel so full after eating Ceri for dinner.” A bit puzzled, I looked up at him and said, “No, you didn’t!”

“Oh yes,” he said, “She was so yummy, and I feel so full!”
“No,” I asserted, “You did not eat Ceri for dinner, Grandad, I am right here, look!” and I turned his face to look right into mine.
“Oh, but I did, and that’s why I feel so full,” Grandad said again.“Well,” I said, still pulling his face right up to mine, “If that’s true, then BURST!”
I suppose somewhere along the line I had heard the phrase, “I’m so full I could burst”!

Christmas–My Family’s Favorite Time of Year by Anna Maria Burnside
Many years ago, when I was still living with my parents, we used to celebrate Christmas—the birthday of Jesus Christ our God—in a big way. For our family, it was, and still is, the most important and especial time of the year.

My Mom would make delicious Italian cookies, pastries, and hayacas Venezolanas. I would help her in the kitchen all day along, cooking, stuffing, backing cookies, and having a special time together. My brothers and I would paint the house to make it look fresh and clean for this occasion, then we would decorate it with Christmas lights and build our Christmas tree to make it look beautiful. We even made our own nativity with newspaper, building the mountains carefully, painting them, and then placing the little animals and mini people all around.

The nativity was the last touch, which we placed on top of the mountain with lights and fake snow. We enjoyed so much spending time together. My father would bring panetones (bread filled with chocolates and fruits)—my favorite dessert from a nearby Italian shop.

A typical Spanish tradition is to celebrate Nochebuena on Christmas Eve. And on that day, my entire family would get together at my oldest brother’s house, where everyone would bring something—from sweet ham, pork, hayacas, to potato salad, cookies, cake, and and other delicious homemade goodies.

Christmas music was played all day long, as we enjoyed each other’s company. All the Christmas gifts were placed under my brother’s Christmas tree, and sometimes we couldn’t fit them all—there were so many presents! At dinnertime, we would set two tables for dinner, one for the adults, and one for the kids. The ladies usually served the food, while the men and kids sat at the tables, waiting to be served. When everyone was served, we would pray, thanking our Lord Jesus for our wonderful family—for the joy, love, and happiness it brought to our lives. Being all together was a gift, and we were all very thankful for that.

After eating dinner, we would dance, chat, and make jokes until midnight, when we would open the gifts. Our tradition was to sit around the tree, and call the names on the gifts, one by one, until everybody had theirs in their hands. Then, we all opened them at the same time. We would go around thanking each other for the gifts we received from that person, hugging them, and wishing them Merry Christmas.

The noise in the house was awesome. There was so much of it! From the adults’ laughter to the kids’ noisy toys, like the trains and musical instruments. But the night wasn’t over. My family and I would go around our neighborhood, wishing a Merry Christmas to all the neighbors, as the kids played in the streets until it was time to go home.

These were the most precious moments of my life, and I will never forget them.

But what about Christian teens in America? What does the world expect from us? What’s our generation all about, anyway? Now, that’s a good question and to that, we would say, we’re different. Do we follow the latest trend? Sure, sometimes, but we don’t let them define us. We’re under construction—in the process of becoming who and what God has designed us to be. That’s not to say that we’re perfect, because we’re not. Only one Man in history has been able to accomplish that. And although most of us try to model Him, many times we fall flat on our faces. But the good thing is, we are not stuck there. Even though…

The world is looking on. Waiting for us to fall. And yet, while they point at our mistakes, they sometimes justify them as, “not as bad as what else is out there.” While that may be true, we know God’s standards have so much more expectation for us. Whether our niche is playing sports, drawing, singing, dancing, or acting, our soul desire is to please the One whose desire is for us. Everything we do, points to Him.

“I Will Follow You,” a song by Chris Tomlin says:  “Who You love, I’ll love, how You serve, I’ll serve, If this life I loose, I will follow You.”  Truly walking with the Lord affects every aspect of our life. As His desires become our desires we find ourselves becoming different—a God immersed generation, as some would call us. But just in case you didn’t know, generation-naming is not our thing. We don’t like to be labeled. We do believe that Jesus is our hero and He makes us into the people He wants us to be.

Many of us are the product of a generation who made some mistakes along the way but found the right path before they became our parents. They sought to make a different life for us—and here we are, at CCA. They have encouraged us to explore our interests and talents. To seek the Lord with all our hearts, to pray, to honor Him with our gifts.  Yet, some of us, a big chunk of our generation, don’t know Christ. They wear a fine mask, hiding behind the label of Christianity, but theirs is a frustrated, disillussioned, and worried world. Thankfully, for all of us, we attend a Christian school, where we are encouraged to be real—with our faith, with our words, with each other. The hope is that we  do more than simply talk about it, the hope is that we live it. That we don’t turn into a generation that totally missed it—missed Him and were
left behind.

There is also a light side of us. With our friends, we joke, poke fun at each other just because we can, and still love them despite their faults, as well as our own. With our parents, we respect and obey them (most of the time)—with the knowledge that they do the things they do to prepare us, working for our future. And with a significant other, we cherish and appreciate them for who they are, for what we love and admire them for. We are called, whether it seems arduous, strenuous, or even unfeasible at times; to persevere through any disagreement, misunderstanding, or fight with someone close to our hearts.

In school, we work to achieve. Grades. Homework. Quizzes. Tests. Exams. Report cards. PSATs. SATs. GPAs. Entrance exams. College. Everything is for a purpose. But prepping for the future isn’t our only goal when accomplishing our daily bucket-load of schoolwork. In everything we do, we do it for the glory of the Lord. A simple commandment, but one that commands much from His disciples. This is what gives us success, and this is what gives us purpose as we live in a world that has a hard time figuring out which side is up.

Our school life is not only about academics and neither are we.  We pour out, essentially, our hearts and creativity into the extracurricular: athletics, clubs, and the arts. The feel of fresh paint under our fingernails, brush in hand; the reverberation of a lingering note as the final chord is struck; the glimmer of the spotlight in our eyes, and the relief and pride as the curtains draw close on an epic performance; the rush of adrenaline after the completion of a perfect pass; or satisfaction as the ball slides into the hoop—nothing but net. All purposing for God to be exalted through our talents, for all things.

The lives of Christians in the Next Generation may not be simple or easy, but if it were, there wouldn’t be a need to be different than what the world expects us to be. That’s the word: we’re different. We’re children of God. And because we are, we labor to be extraordinary. If you must label us, that’s the best line.

No homework, no schedules to plan other than travel trips. No 5:30 morning alarm calls and no appointments to keep. Oh, yes, summer is a time for hanging out… with friends, with family. But is that all summer is intended to be?

Growing up as a child, I remember spending some lazy days in my leaving room watching endless hours of TV.  It was my best friend in those days, but then I got older and things changed. I began going to summer camps, mission trips, and taking different summer classes, exploring new things and activities that I wouldn’t even think about during the school year. I soon learned that summer is the perfect time to get out and discover new hobbies and talents, while serving others along the way.

So, yes, summer is here and with it there are many opportunities to serve, learn, and have fun.  In this issue you will find many options to do one or the other, or if you are incredibly ambitious to find that summer adventure… try them all!
Whatever you do, do it whoheartedly and thank God for it!

Enjoy your summer!
Aileen Alegre, Managing Editor

Red Dead Redemption is rated “M” for Mature for intense violence, blood and gore, sexual themes/content, use of alcohol/drugs, and frequent use of strong language. In one sequence, a bloodied and mutilated corpse can be seen hanging from the rafters of a barn; in another, a man is depicted injecting himself with cocaine; and yet another contains sexual content, including female nudity.

A question you might ask is should a follower of Christ play video games like this. Even though it’s “just a video game,” games like these influence kids at a young age, and even call someone’s faith into question, hardening hearts so that they begin to believe it really is not that bad after all. And, if you start to compromise your beliefs, it is a downhill slide from there.

Players are not that worried: “If you don’t mind the M-rated content, it’s actually a good game,” says a CCA student. Like him, there are other CCA students who don’t seem to realize how dangerous this kind of thinking really is. One minute, it is just a game, the next, who knows?

Mr. Rob Lofthouse, secondary principal, advises against the game. “A verse that puts this into perspective is Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

Clearly, what you do during your free time is your personal choice. The question is: would it please God?

The sophomores looked very fit in their 80’s aerobics wear, and Ryan Arnst was voted best dressed by the judges. Tied for second were Matt Wiles and Emily Groeneveld, and for third place was a four-way tie between Michah Lowe, Isabella Umana, Daniel Reid and Team 3000.

The juniors went back to the future as cavemen, sporting clubs and crazily teased hair. First place was Justin Rich and Ryan Reilly, while second place went to LJ Dutton and Mario Alvarez. Coming in at third place was Shawn Lashbrook, Zach Knoch, and the Flinstones.

The senior class came to school dressed as their favorite board games, such as Monopoly and Checkers. First place was Candyland, second place was Senoritis, and in third place was Scrabble, tied with students Erika Toderic and Daniel Hernandez. — Report by Heather Wroth, Sophomore

More reports…

Powder Puff Football Game Freshman vs. Sophomores
October 20, West Field, 2:45pm

Down by two points and less than two minutes left on the clock, Luke Niles, the Freshman Deffensive Coach rushes to Clarke Niles, the Offensive Coach in a last effort to score some points.

Luke Niles: “Hey Clarke, a Sweep, tell them to do a Sweep.”
Clarke Niles: “Alright,” he says as he turns to the field. “Jessie, come here!”
Jessie Gushue (Freshman Quarter Back) runs back in from the field. “Yeah?” she asks.
Clarke: “Okay Jessie, I want you to go out there and do a Sweep.”
Jessie: “Okay.” She turns to run back to the field, but stops short and spins back around. “Wait, Clarke, what’s a sweep?”
— Alexandra Gomez, Freshman

The Powder-Puff football games were a big hit this Homecoming Week. Seniors once again dominated and won. First up were the freshmen vs. the seniors and the sophomores vs. juniors. Juniors came out strong this game with coach Javan Shashaty, quarterback of the varsity football team, defeating the sophomores 12-0. But not only were the powder puff football players entertaining to the students; singing and dancing was going on as well, as some students from the freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors classes came together and danced to Shakira’s famous song, “Waka Waka.” This year’s powder puff was full of singing, dancing, noise makers, and cheering as students represented their grades and had a fun time doing so. —Report by Karly Palmar, Sophomore

On Thursday, October 21, students dressed as their favorite people for Pop Culture Day. The first place winners for each class included “Bay Watch” for the Seniors, and “Harry Potter” for the Juniors. The Sophomores had a three way tie for first between “Toy Story”, “The Office”, and the “The Incredibles”. The Freshmen also had a tie between Michael Phelps, and Michael Jackson.  “My favorite group was ‘The Office’! They looked just like the show.” said sophomore, Nick Kumar. —Report by Chris LeMaire, Sophomore

When the student-organized Homecoming Week 2010 blossomed on the CCA campus last week, its mission was a simple one: To make it a fun one! And it was. The last day of the week was marked on our personal calendars with a “To do list” longer than a science experiment check list. As that sixth day approached, the vision was as “epic” as Homecoming Week. Girls in curlers, collars being folded, jackets being put on and shoes being strapped on the way out the door. On the sixth day of our fun week, our final destination was Bahia Mar in Fort Lauderdale, where the dance would begin at 8 o’clock sharp.
— Aileen Alegre, Senior

One who has defended himself from Satan’s disguised tactics is Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale’s Senior Pastor, Bob Coy. Shepherding a mega-church of over 20,000 people and being husband and father all at the same time cannot be an easy task. Yet Pastor Bob is filled with a power that pales in comparison to all others—that which comes from having an intimate relationship with the Most High God. Recently, he took some time to talk to us, and here’s what he said…

DG: As the pastor of Calvary Chapel for almost 25 years now, how have you maintained the fire in your faith to wholeheartedly serve the church?

PB: God is eternally exciting and He’s always acting in new and dynamic ways.  That’s just who He is.  His fire never goes out, and the key to maintaining the fire in my faith personally and in my service in ministry, has been to simply stay close to Him.  When you’re connected to God, when you’re abiding in Him, then it’s His fire that’s going to fuel your faith and everything that you do in His service.

DG: How must a CCA student guard against apathy in his or her walk with God to ensure that ministry and service is a lifestyle and not just a list responsibilities?

PB: Keep it real!  Stay absolutely sincere and transparent with God.  A lot of times I think we’re under the impression God can’t handle or understand where we’re at.  He can and He does, and we just need to trust that.  We need to honestly express what’s going on in our hearts to Him, whether it’s anger, temptation, disappointment or even doubting His existence.  He can handle it, and when you open up this way with Him we keep things real and protect yourself from spiritual apathy.  And when your walk is strong, your service will naturally follow.

DG: Being the leader of both a family and a church, how have you determined where your top priorities lie and have you found it difficult to follow them?

PB: Again, it all goes back to my relationship with God.  He’s the one who provides the wisdom and perspective that has ordered my priorities over the years.  I learned a long time ago that God knows more than I do, even when it comes to myself!  So I depend on Him to show me how to prioritize the relationships and responsibilities that He’s brought into my life.  And because it’s coming from Him, it’s always right and reliable.  Has it been difficult?  At times, but I’ve also found God’s grace to be more than sufficient when I’m following His lead.

DG: What are the dangers of overcommiting one’s self? even in seemingly harmless areas such as ministry?

PB: In ministry, the danger is that you can become an imposter.  When you take on more than the Lord has actually called you to, you fall into the trap of talking about Jesus instead talking to Jesus.  That can only last so long before burn-out sets in.  Outside of ministry, you fail to fulfill God’s higher calling on your life when it comes to your family.  God can change where a person ministers, but family is forever.  I will always be responsible to pastor my wife and children, and I’m not doing any good if I forsake that calling by overcomitting myself.

DG: Why do you think many students experience burnout from their involvements in ministry, school, and social activities?

PB: I honestly believe it all stems from 2 things.  First, not really praying about what God actually wants them involved in.  And second, engaging in more events and activities than He’s called them to.  The Lord doesn’t want to burden or burn us out, and is we find ourselves in that condition, then it means we’ve run through a red light somewhere.

DG: What advice would you give to CCA students who struggle with balancing their spiritual walk, academics, and extracurricular activities?

PB: This is going to sound simplistic, and I want it to…the best advice I can give to anyone is to develop a real intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit.  Get familiar with what it means to hear His still-small voice inside your heart by being in the Word on a consistent basis, because that’s how He primarily speaks to us.  When you get that going, you’re going to find it a lot easier to be led by Him.  And when you’re led by the Spirit you’ll find the balance you need, and be able to by-pass the things that the Lord just hasn’t called you to.

DG: As CCA continues to excel in areas of academics, fine arts, and sports, what must we do to ensure that the school’s main focus of spiritual discipleship still plays the number one role?

PB: By being disciples.  By understanding that CCA is only going to become a bigger version of what’s happening in the individual lives of the students and faculty.  When discipleship is happening outside of school, I believe discipleship is going to happen in school.  If it’s who we are, then it’s what we’ll do.