It's late, but I must post...

You have missed out on much my dear friend. I suppose this is the first real journal type post I've made on this blog, but still, much has happened since I last posted.
Me and Sheila went to her sister's house this past week and created the beginnings and most of the rest of a short film. We were initially just planning to, "hang-out" with her sister, but as artistic sorts we had to create something. So we did. The day before leaving, me and Sheila whipped up a quick story synopsis and began planning. We packed costumes and Sheila filled her trunk with weapons of various kinds. Combined with the weapons already at her sister's house, we had quite the cache. I brought my film equipment and Chinese lanterns (which are perfectly portable do to being portioned well for packing - these little guys brighten up a room with very natural looking light).
There were many brilliant moments which will be posted up on youtube later. Me and Sheila will likely begin our own page for all our joint projects.
A couple memorable moments could be simply captured in this brief quote:

"First time my boyfriend saw me cry was because I was being forced to marry a man I didn't know...filming keeps a relationship interesting,..." (Sheila in a post she wrote after filming a scene)

And if that doesn't make you curious to see the film:

"Tell me your name so when I cut off your head, I can have the pleasure of knowing who the new addition to my collection is! *pause* *sudden burst of laughter* Sorry, I'm just kidding. *big childish grin aimed at a girl stupefied within her shock*" (Beck, my character in the story)

 So hopefully you will be looking out for that youtube link. =]
Now it is off to bed. Tomorrow I take off for a week at french creek bible conference, to direct the activities...perhaps making a movie will be on the activity list =]

"I am Superman"

The piece I wrote 2 years ago which led to my relating to superman:

Dear Beautiful, the girl I’ve yet to meet,

Where are you now? Where have you been? I’ve seen your silhouette cross my mind and it warms my heart each time, because I wonder if, or rather hope that, it will be the time you stay with me, but each time it is not. So I wait.

I often wonder if I will know you the moment I see you, like true love at first sight. Perhaps that won’t be the case and, maybe, I have been glancing over you all this time. Either way, if you are there, we will meet someday or suddenly become aware of each other after having known each other for some time and, in a sense, meet for the first time, again.

I must warn you in advance of something I hope you have already come to know: I am Superman. Yes, it is true. I’m not lying, or making a metaphor; it is a fact: I am Superman. That is, if when you think of Superman you think of just a man, constantly protected from the screaming bullets of this world, a man constantly being lifted up by a power our minds can’t even comprehend, a man whose hands are constantly supported by a might more powerful than a speeding locomotive. If that is what you think of when you think of Superman, then, in that sense, I am Superman…and the thought that I may have found you is my kryptonite. The great strength that once carried despair off of the ones I love is gone and I am despairing. The impenetrable skin that could take every cruel shot from the spiteful and sinister becomes like paper and I am torn with a mere glance. Soft eyes have made me bleed and a gentle touch has thrown me out of the sky and shattered me. It is not that the power at work in me fails me when I think you are near, but that I have failed to keep my eyes set on it, rather than you. I have failed to look to the great hope that is my strength, the sunlight shining in my heart.

This is my great flaw, my Achiles heel, my kryptonite. So for fear that it will destroy me, I’m flying into the sun, to God and the great hope I have in Him. His power is my strength and filled with Him I am never overcome by the powers of this world. So if you are out there my beautiful girl, leave the Earth and hide yourself in the sun. I will find you and you will see me as who I am, a superman of sorts. Only then will you build me up rather than tear me down. Only then will I be your protector rather than dead weight pulling you under. So hide yourself in God, it is the only way I’ll find you.

Sincerely Your Superman

Living by the red of my cape

It took a long time, with many long talks with my girlfriend and sister constantly tossing back and forth of words and phrases before finally coming up with this name. The name was meant to express the purpose of the blog and since that purpose was to document my life and my calling, the title was really meant to describe me. Well asking my girlfriend and sister to put into a few words who Arel is, proved to be asking a lot. Apparently they know me well and have Many words with which they'd describe who I am. But finally I told them I'd let the blog title describe part of me and the words I write in the blog describe the rest.
By Red Of His Cape, did a little more than describe part of me though. I wrote a poem a couple years ago which I will post on here next, which describes me as Superman. Before that poem I never identified with Superman because he had all these super powers which made it feel like he was just cheating. He seemed invincible and who can identify with someone who never gets hurt? Well, almost invincible. The moment kryptonite enters the scene, he crumbles. Not much of hero when a little shard of rock brings him to his knees. Then I had an epiphany. Superman never worked out for his great strength and I never earned Salvation. Both of us received these supernatural gifts. Superman wimps out when his kryptonite is present and how often have I lost my nerve when my emotions get tangled up. Back when I wrote my poem, I hadn't met my girlfriend Sheila, and many girls had played with my heart and made me feel as weak as Superman when his kryptonite is sucking the life from him. So it turned out Superman and I had a lot in common. Both of us were supernaturally gifted and easily crumbled. Both of us, in light of our gifts, had callings to fulfill and despite the unusual amount of "kryptonite" in existence all over Earth, we were both expected to accomplish our callings anyway.
Now back to the name, which should now be clear to you, is a reference to Superman's red cape. But the metaphor also refer to the red blood of my Savior, spilled for the sake of my soul and who was resurrected to assure my Salvation. Now my life is a bought one and I have been given a red cape to remind me of the fact. So this is my lot and it is a happy one, that I should live by the red of my cape and write of it all to encourage you to do so as well.
I'll post up my poem soon.