Upperclassmen

By: Mason Dehmlow

Have you ever had an experience with an upperclassmen? They are some amazing people. CMCS has the best upperclassmen in the world.  Even though they are older, it is amazing to see the amount of respect and care that they have for us.

When I was in Junior High, we took a day and went to Unity Church for a mini retreat. We combined with the Junior High from CCS. Some of the upperclassmen from both schools came to be small group leaders. I was in Christine’s group. We played lots of games and then came the serious time. We were all given a piece of paper and we had to write something we wanted to change about ourselves to make a difference in life. We all came together and there was a microphone and we could go and share what we had written on our paper with everyone else. Michel went up and shared what he had wrote and then he said that if any of us ever needed to talk, he would be there. Then Christine got up. She shared and then she said that she was there for us if we needed to talk. I started to cry. That meant the world to me. The thought of a “big kid” caring about me was unbelievable.  When it was all over, Christine came and asked if anyone wanted prayer. Nobody did but I just walked up and hugged her. That was a start to any outstanding relationship. Christine and I have had some great conversations. She has told me been so encouraging and such a great role model in my life. We have shared problems and prayer requests with each other. We are in art together and that is my favorite class. Christine is like the big sister I never had.

Basketball season is here. During one of our first practices, the JV and V team practiced together. We did drills so we all did them at the same time. We were going back and forth from one end of the gym to the other. One of the drills I was terrible at so I was the last one to the end of the court. The older guys saw that I was having a hard time so they started to encourage me. That made me feel so much better.

When the high school band went to Dort for the band festival, we went out to pizza ranch for supper. I got my cup and went to go find a place to sit. I asked someone if I could sit by them but they said the seat was taken. I turned around to look for a place to sit but they were all taken. Then Lexi, who was in the booth behind me, asked me if I wanted to sit with her, Kourtney, and Tarra. So we ate and just talked about life. It was a great time that I will never forget because of the older girls that were so nice to me.

I don’t know about you but I love our upperclassmen. Sometimes they can be pretty annoying. But hey, so can us younger grades. I thank the Lord for the relationships I have with them and I am very thankful that they are there for me if I ever need them. So, what do you think about upperclassmen? Have you ever had any great experiences with them?

Grandpa Denny - Celebration Essay

By: Mason Dehmlow

Grandpa Denny is my mom’s dad and he is married to my grandma Vicky. Grandpa Denny has taught me a countless number of things. That is why he is so special to me.

I can remember going to my grandparents house when I was as old as three or four years old. I remember riding on the fender of the tractor. We would go feed the horses a bail of hay, make hay in the field, or go water the horses. I can imagine all the times when I was little and I’d be riding on the tractor with Grandpa and we would go down into the ditch and I would always be afraid of falling off or rolling the tractor, but Grandpa Denny always had his hand on me so I wouldn’t fall.  Sometimes we would be in the hay field with my aunt and uncle bailing hay and when they were done, I would get to ride on the very top of the hay rack. One time we were coming out of the ditch from the hay field and we were pulling the full hay rack. When we came up out of the ditch, the hay bails fell off, thankfully I wasn’t on top.

Grandpa has taught me so many things. He taught me how to drive. I started when I was about eleven or twelve years old. I started driving with the same beat up old Dodge Dakota Sport that my mom started driving with. To this day whenever I go to their house, I still drive that pickup.

He taught me how to change a tire. I always did for some reason enjoy changing tires for Grandpa Denny.

One weekend on Christmas break, I went to Grandma and Grandpa’s by my self. We spent about three days turning an old horse drawn cart into a new one. Grandpa and I tore apart the old one but kept the chassis. We took measurements of the old parts and made brand new ones. It was a really cool cart. When we were measuring, Grandpa Denny taught me that if you spread your hand, the length from the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb is eight inches. I have used that trick so many times and when I do, I always think of him.

I remember one conversation I had with my Grandpa about when my mom was younger. He told me about when they went to the lake and they would be out there so long that they would run out of gas. My mom and her sisters would have to swim the boat back to shore. Grandpa didn’t care that he used all the gas, he wanted to have a good time with his family. That is still true today, the amounts of money he and grandma spend on us is crazy.

Grandpa also taught me how to ride. I even used to have my own horse that I would ride all the time when I went to his house. He taught me how to put the saddle on and put the bit in. I still remember those things even though it was a long time ago. I’m so thankful for grandpa.

I always love it when Grandpa Denny tells stories of the old days. He tells how it used to be and then compares it to how it is now. He’s so smart.

I love His personality. His is one of the toughest people I know. Yet, he is one of the kindest and most gentle and loving person ever. He shows it in many ways. He will yell at us if we are going to do something bad, but that’s only because he cares.

When I grow up, I want to be just like Grandpa Denny.

      American vs. Spanish Bullfighters

Mason Dehmlow

When people think of bullfighting, most people think Spanish bullfighters. What most people know is that there is another kind of bullfighter. The American rodeo bullfighter. The main difference between the two is that American bullfighters save lives and Spanish bull fighters kill bulls.

American and Spanish bullfighting are two very different sports. Spanish bullfighting is a sport in which an adult male enters an arena with a bull. The fighters has a big red or pink sheet to attract the bull. The bull charges at the sheet runs through it. When the bull charges, the bullfighter stabs a spear into the spine of the bull. He does this until the bull dies. The is is a very bloody event that people pay money to go and watch.

American bullfighting is very different. An American bullfighting is a very dangerous and testing job. An American bullfighter is in an arena at a rodeo. During the event of bull riding during the rodeo, the bullfighters’ main job is to read the actions of the rider and the bull. They have to be smart and be able to make split-second decisions. When the rider falls off the bull, the bullfighters rush in. Since American bullfighters work in teams of two to three guys, they each have a separate job. The main purpose of the bullfighters is to protect the cowboy that fell off the bull. So one fighter will rush in and literally put himself between the bull and the cowboy. Sometimes the fighters have to actually grab the bull by his horns to protect the cowboy. Sometimes the spurs that the cowboys wear get caught in the rope that is used as a handle for the cowboy to hold while riding the bull. In this situation, two of the bullfighter will try and keep the bull bucking in a straight line while the other bullfighter puts himself on the bull and attempts to free up the spur that has gotten stuck.

Spanish bull fighters also wear very different clothes. The Spanish bullfighters wear clothes that show great wealth and power. The pants, jacket, and shirt are usually gold and red in color. They are sometimes also gold and black or gold and pink.

American bullfighters usually wear some kind of shirt, a cowboy hat, and pants with a pair of cutoff, baggy jeans with overalls. Pro bullfighters have a specific pair of shirts and pants for bullfighting. Some bullfighters also wear face paint. Only rarely will you see a bullfighter with face paint though. If you saw an American bullfighter you would probably think that he looks pretty silly. But, there is nothing silly about their job.

When an American bullfighter steps into the arena, he knows that his life could end at any second. They lay down their life for cowboys, that is their job and they are very willing to give themselves for others.

Spanish and American bullfighting are very dangerous events. Spanish bullfighters don’t wear any type of protective gear. The American bullfighters wear protective vests, shorts, and sometimes even shinguards.

Spanish and American bullfighting are outstanding events. American bullfighters save countless lives, Spanish bullfighters just kill bulls.

Montana

By: Mason Dehmlow

Montana is the most diverse state for vacationing. The state of Montana has a countless number of activities to do and places to go for vacation.

Montana is very scenic. The Rocky Mountain range runs along the western border of the state. These snow-capped mountains are some of the most beautiful things that you will ever see in your life. The towering mountains are amazing and show God’s amazing beauty and his unfathomable power.

In the Rocky Mountain Range, is Glacier National Park. Glacier National Park is 1,583 square miles of majestic mountains, fabulous lakes, countless types of wildlife.  Glacier National Park has 762 lakes and 563 streams that combine to make 2,863 miles of water.  Glacier’s tallest mountain is Mt. Cleveland. It is a towering 10,448 feet tall.

Glacier National Park has so many different kinds of animals. There are birds, bears, moose, big horn sheep, wolves, coyotes, and a countless number of other kinds.

Montana is also one of the very few states where you can just escape and be free from all the hassles of life. You can drive for miles and see nothing but spectacular mountains, wide open prairies, and lakes abounding in beauty.  

When you are in Montana you can also visit the town of Missoula. While you are there, you can visit the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and learn about the wildlife in Montana. You can also go to the Missoula Smokejumpers Museum. Which features many stories and facts of the smoke jumper fire fighters.

While you are in the great state of Montana, you also need to visit the outstanding rodeo. The rodeos in Montana are some of the best rodeo in the country. They have some awesome cowboys and really good rodeo announcers. They also have great rodeo livestock.

Montana has a vast array of gorgeous mountains. While you are in Montana, you and your family can take advantage of the snow. There is skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. If you choose to visit Montana during the summer time, can take advantage of the many outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, four-wheeling, horseback riding, and canoeing and kayaking.

If you are a hunter, Montana has many things to offer. It doesn’t matter what kind of hunter you are, Montana pretty much has it all. Deer, moose, bear, antelope, elk, and big horn sheep are some of the many animals available to hunt on great state of Montana . If you are a fisherman, you can take advantage of the many lakes, Whether it is ice fishing, fly fishing, or regular fishing, Montana has it all.

The state of Montana has a variety of things to do. It doesn’t matter if you have a big family of a little one, if you are single or married, it doesn't matter what your interests are Montana is the place to go on vacation.

The Search for Significance

      Search for Significance

Mason Dehmlow

The book is called, The Search for Significance; it was written by Robert S. McGee. The genre of this book is Christian living personal growth. The Search for Significance is a book about growing in your faith and how we can apply some of what God has said and done for us to our lives. I read this book in a new members class I took to become a member of my church and as part of my profession of faith.  We skipped chapter one.

Chapter two is titled, The Origin of the Search. This chapter talks about how we need to stop trying to gain righteousness on our own. We need God. Chapter two says, “we must give up our own efforts to achieve righteousness, and instead believe that Christ’s death and resurrection alone are sufficient to pay for our sin and separation from God. The book also talks about the equation, “self-worth = performance + other’s opinion.” I really liked this equation because it is so true in how most of us live our lives. We feel like we need to have to approval of everybody around us and that we have to be perfect to feel worth anything. This is so true in our society today. We are constantly being pressured to look better, talk different, wear different clothes, eat different food, and to do about everything that God has commanded us not to do.

This book also talks about how important self-image is. Our self-image is important because it determines so many different things. It determines how we view ourselves as well as others. If we have a bad self-image, we feel as if we are below everyone else and we think we can’t do anything right.

If we have a good self-image, we see ourselves as capable of completing difficult tasks and if we fail we need to learn from our mistakes and try again.

This book also talks about forgiveness.  God forgives us even  when we mess up and make mistakes. He forgives us when we feel like no one can forgive us. We do not need to beat ourselves up for our mistakes. We need to learn from our mistakes and move on and try and forget about them.

I really loved this book. It has taught me so many things. It has taught me how to better view myself and I know I don’t have to worry about what other people think. It has taught me not to be “afraid” of God punishing me for every mess up that I have. The Search for Significance has also taught me to view others in a very different way. I try not to judge everybody because I know that they have problems that I could not ever imagine.

The Search for Significance also includes a diagram called the Feeling Wheel . This is a way to help identify your feelings so that you know how to handle certain situations. For example, the middle of the circle starts off with the emotions: mad, sad, peaceful, powerful, joyful, and scared. From there you find your first emotion in the middle and work outward from there.

It also talked about how our action reflect our beliefs. The process was writing down an act that we had done, then identifying our emotions that led us to that act. After the emotions, you figure out what thoughts led you to have those emotions. Finally you see how the action that you took reflects a negative belief of God. This process helped me. It helped me think before I even acted and then it helped me after I made a mistake and messed up.

The Last Pickup Fiction Story

` The Last PickUp  

      By: Mason Dehmlow

Why did this happen? Jack was lying in the hospital bed not knowing what had happened. He sat up, looked around, and suddenly realized, he had no legs.

Jack grew up the son of a saddle bronc rider. Jack and his family went to watch his dad perform every weekend. After each rodeo, his dad would be so tired and sore from being pounded into the ground by horses. There would be weekends where his dad would stay on the horse for eight seconds and then the pickup men would ride up along side of his horse and rescue him.  The pickup men saved his dad many times when the situation could have ended up badly.

When Jack was seventeen, he and his family were at a rodeo watching his dad just like any other normal weekend, however little did they know, it wouldn’t be a normal weekend. It was his dad’s turn to ride. He got into the chute, got on the horse, and nodded his head for the gate to be opened. His horse didn’t move. All of a sudden the horse flew out of the chute. His dad fell off immediately. He scrambled back into the chute for protection but the horse charged back into the chute after him. The horse reared up and brought all one thousand one hundred pounds on top of him. The cowboys ran to help the downed cowboy. The horse was taken care of and Jack’s father laid there in the chute, motionless. The ambulance crew came as fast as they could. It was too late, he was gone.  Jack  jumped down from the crowd and into the arena as soon as the horse had been taken care of.

He knelt down beside his dad and started to tear up. His father was gone. All of the memorable weekends, the long car rides to the different rodeos, the Saturday nights his family would eat out at a fancy restaurant, the outstanding rides his father had, they were all just gone. Jack stood up and walked away. He didn’t know what to do. He went and sat in his father’s truck to think. After a couple of hours, he decided that he would be a pickup man. A pickup man is a cowboy on a horse, that helps the cowboys riding the bucking horses, to  dismount their ride safely.

Jack finished school in the following two years and finally became a pickup man. Jack traveled all around the country saving cowboys from the danger of the bucking horses that they ride to make a living.

Once again, it was a regular weekend just like any other. Little did Jack know that his life would be changed once again forever. Jack had saved a lot of cowboys that weekend.

It was the last rodeo on Sunday night. It was about halfway through the rodeo and it was time for another ride. The cowboy came out of the chute. The horse started to buck, kick, and spin, but the cowboy stayed on for eight seconds. The whistle blew and Jack rode alongside the horse and rider. He assisted the cowboy in dismounting the wild horse. The cowboy got away safely and Jack roped the bucking horse to take him back to the coral. Suddenly the horse charged Jack and pinned him and his horse to the wall. Jack’s legs were broke. Jack passed out.

Family

Dad is the big semi
He pulls us in the direction we should go

Mom is the mechanic
She fixes us when we are broken 

I am the pickup truck
I do whatever needs to be done

Tucker is he sports car
He thinks he's the coolest out of us all

Kadin is the car with no break
He doesn't know when to stop

Preston is the little smart car
He runs on energy