Odyssey Connection: Hard Work

Odyssey Connection - No Chemistry Whatsoever:

No Chemistry Whatsoever tackles one theme from two different angles. Two important angles, but we'll look at each one at a time. 

Connie signs up for what she thought would be an easy Chemistry class and winds up having Eugene as a teacher. She quickly finds out that she might actually have to put some effort into her work in order to get the grade she desires. Honestly there are a lot of people out there pulling a "Connie Kendall". They want to get through a class (or whatever) with very little effort and as quickly as possible. The problem is that with that mindset, you don't actually learn anything or at least not as much. The verse that comes to mind is Ephesians 6:7. 
"7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,"

I think they should have tied that verse in there somewhere, but that's alright. The point is even with our school work we should work at it as if for God. 

The second angle was with Barrett memorizing verses. Like Connie, he attempted to take the easy way out and memorize only the shortest verses he could find in order to get the prize of water world. He quickly found out that the prize wasn't the point. Mr. Whitaker was trying to get them to memorize scripture so they would have it as defense against the enemy and as a comfort in the hard times. The Bible isn't just a bunch of words for us to store in our noggins. It's our sword. And it's necessary for us to treat it like one. Let's say you're house sitting for a friend and an armed man comes to the door. You know there's a gun somewhere in the house, but you're friend didn't tell you where. The gun can't protect you since you don't know where to find it. Memorization is oober important for the same reason. It can't help us out if we don't know where to look. And yes it does take work to memorize the verses and their context, but it's worth it. 

Both of these angles stick out in my mind. I'm sometimes guilty of trying to take the easy way out. Hard work is well... hard. But that's the idea. You appreciate something a whole lot more if you actually spend time pouring, sweat, blood and tears into. Ok, maybe not blood but you get the idea. 

Here are some questions to ponder in reflection to this episode;

1. What is God telling me about working hard?

2. Am I working as if for God or for men?

3. Am I armed with the sword of the spirit?

4. Am I constantly working on sharpening my sword by memorizing scripture?

I want to challenge you to use this episode as a spring board for inspiration. Ask God to pinpoint the areas in your life where you need to work harder and put in the extra effort, and remember to work as if for God and not for men. That small change in mindset makes all the difference in the outcome.

Once again this has been Freddy Jay connecting the gap between Odyssey and YOU!

Odyssey Connection: Revamped (Hearing God's Voice)

Hey cyber world and the few possible readers I might have! I know it's been forever, and the main reason is that I've been keeping busy. It's an old excuse but a valid one. Anyway, I'm going to try something different with this blog and hopefully get it going again.

Back when I first started this blog, I did something I called "Odyssey Connections". After a while the connections got fewer and fewer and the news got more frequent. I'm going to try to bring those back in a slightly different way. (You'll understand by the end of this post.)

Your Servant is Listening 1&2- Odyssey Connection

If you take a look at Odyssey's biblical episodes they have covered a lot of the major stories; Moses, Joseph, Esther, Jacob and Esau, Ruth, Paul, Jesus, and more recently the Early Church. Honestly I was surprised when I heard that the story of Hannah and Samuel was gonna be in album 57, only because it came with the realization that they hadn't done it before.

This episode hit me like being double flip kicked in the face. Hannah and Samuel is possibly one of my favorite stories. But just hearing it as a dramatization was phenomenal, plus they added some really deep quotes. (I'll get to those in a minute.) Hannah had it bad. She couldn't have children and then on top of that Peninha constantly reminds her of this fact. The thing I like about Hannah is that she doesn't blame God for not being able to have kids, but continues to pray that God would make it so. She kept her faith strong in the Lord. 
One of the best quotes from this episode is this;

Camilla Parker: God's never talked to me.
Hannah: God is faithful to do what he says he will do. Perhaps the problem is that you haven't been listening. That you have ears, but fail to truly hear.

Mind = BLOWN! Hello? Does this sound familiar. Let's say you're in a classroom and you're "hearing" the teacher but then when he asks you a question you have no idea what the answer is. You heard him but wasn't listening to what he said. This thought is bookended with a quote from Samuel in part 2.

Samuel: I've never experienced God talking to me like he did last night, but he has spoken to me before.
Camilla Parker: Really?
Samuel: Yes, in other ways. Like when Eli reads the words of God out loud from the holy scrolls, or in the things my mother tells me when she visits, or that nudge in my heart reminding me what's right and wrong.
Camilla Parker: I've never thought abut God talking to me that way.
Samuel: I guess it takes time to recognize his voice.

O.O If you intentionally seek God's voice you'll hear what he has to say. He can speak through many things, but if you don't really know him you can fail to recognize his voice. It's so easy to miss God's voice due to the distractions we surround ourselves with. But He's still there nonetheless. Another example similar to this, is the story of Elijah going to the mountain. There was a fire, wind, and maybe some things I can't remember, but God wasn't in any of those. Then Elijah heard a quiet whisper and God was in the whisper. Sometimes we just have to be still and separate ourselves from things in order to hear God's whispers.

Here are some discussion questions to ponder in reflection to this episode;

1. How can Hannah serve as an example for my faith?
2. How has God been speaking to me lately?
3. Have I heard him recently? 
4. Am I truly listening?
5. How am I purposefully seeking his voice?

 The whole concept of this episode has really spoken to me. Which in part inspired the revamp of my blog, and Odyssey connections. I hope to continue these with my insights from the new episodes. (Maybe I'll catch up, but I won't count on that.) Feel free to drop your thoughts, on the new episodes or anything I've said. Comments are always welcome

Well that about wraps things up, I'm Freddy Jay with another attempt at connecting the gap between Odyssey and YOU!

Odyssey Connection: The Joy of Speeches...

I'm only a few posts away from reaching my two hundredth post. I may or may not have something special in mind for that post. You'll have to keep your eyes peeled.

I realize I mentioned Q's return before. But since Agent 3XQ's return he has ranted and raved about many things. In his most recent posts he has hinted at something mysterious in his past involving a "her". It's really intriguing and I can't wait to see what happens next. It's worth checking out.

Odyssey Connection:
Monday I had to give a speech for one of my classes. It wasn't a difficult speech, but the idea of speaking in front of people always makes my stomach crawl. No matter how many times I practice it, that feeling is always the same. And like Trent in "Called on in Class" I always make it out to be worse than it actually is. I imagine the worse case scenarios, like tripping over my shoe lace, or forgetting to breathe and passing out in front of the class. But every time, I've found that saying a prayer calms me down a little bit. And then when I actually gave the speech, it really wasn't that bad. I was still a little nervous, but I really had nothing to worry about. The key verse for this episode is:
^{John 16:33} “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Once again this has been Freddy Jay with CC Connection, connecting the gap between Odyssey and YOU!

Odyssey Connection: Hate, More than Just a Word

A bit ago I was watching an episode of Seventh Heaven. That show is amazing. It's a slice of life show that touches on real life lessons just like AIO. Granted some of the lessons are for a more mature audience. In this particular episode, the Camdens learned about hate. Ruthy learned that parents sometimes do things kids don't understand or like, but hate is a strong word that shouldn't be thrown around. Lucy and Mary hated a girl for no reason, and due to this caused problems between the girl and Matt. They all learned how troublesome hate is, and that love is a more appropriate action.

After watching this episode it made me think of the episode; The Greatest of These. Robyn learns a lesson about loving unconditionally.

Mistaken For Good Review

Mistaken for Good

Once you have a reputation it's hard to reset it. Jay is no exception. He's got a reputation for being rough, and picking on others. So far Jay has pretty much shown more bad than good, but unlike Rodney Jay expresses feelings like guilt and compassion. Vance is the type that seeks out ways to hurt others and scam money. Vance scares Jay, and Vance knows that he can get Jay to do things. This episode pushes Jay to a new level. I really enjoyed this episode, it shows Jay doing the right thing even when it meant putting himself under the bus. It's funny how Mrs. Kramer is appearing all over Odyssey, but it's kind of cool. It shows that she likes getting involved with the town, and you never really know when she could turn up next. Jay getting the music box for Mrs. Wilson, was so nice and the fact that he wasn't wanting anything in return makes it even more unlike the Jay we're used to.

To Mend or Repair Review

To Mend or Repair

 This was an episode I really looked forward to, and amongst message boards such as Campbell County, it had fans speculating and frantic to find out what the news could be that Eugene and Katrina got.

This episode is handled fantastically. The tone is really sad,

The Labyrinth, Part 3 Review

The Labyrinth Part 3

 In this episode things pick up the pace really quick. Jason figures out most of the information he gets from conversations he has. The idea of a toxic powder being shaped into a vase and released into the air by way of having it sit at room temperature is genius on Mr. Grote's part. In some ways, this mission was one of Jason's easier cases. Mycroft gives Jason information as to where the vases are in the museum, and they get a hold of authorities by way of Mycroft letting them keep their cell phone.

Childish Things Review

Childish Things

This episode opens with Penny worrying about how she can trust people. In an effort to find a sure fire method to figuring out who she can trust she turns to body language. After a few minutes the listener is found laughing with Penny as she tries to figure this out. This episode also strengthens the relationship going between Penny and Wooton. The happenings at the restaurant make the listener wonder if Penny knows that Wooton likes her. Penny on the other hand hasn't really suggested that she has further feelings for him than just friends. This episode takes a humorous approach to the theme Putting Away Childish Things. Penny automatically makes judgments against Henri due to his body language. at first the notion of this episode was kind of hard for me to grasp. Why would Penny be so easily persuaded to try this method because of a book. But after listening a couple more times, it kind of grew on me. It really is a pretty funny episode, and overall it's not bad.

News on Album 54!

The album art for 54 is out, and the characters are from left to right Priscilla, Jay, and Barrett. I'm not convinced that this is the final however because some spots look more like a rough draft. But this is exciting because all three of these characters we haven't seen drawn before.

This was posted on the album 54 page:


"Twelve all-new entertaining and character-building episodes based on 1 Corinthians 13. The album will teach kids what authentic agape love is and how to express that love to others. Featuring secret word/code access to new content on WhitsEnd.org and a fold-out Whit’s End map."

Odyssey Connection: Lately I've been loading myself with a lot. Keeping this blog going, frequent visits to Campbell County and Town of Odyssey, experimenting with different techniques in Gimp, keeping up with Senior stuff, and the list seems to go on. One thing I have trouble with is making sure I have time for the things I have to do, and squeezing in time for the things I want to do. Today I was reminded of the NO factor, a purposeful reference to the episode The No Factor. Sometimes it's better to say no than to try to pile yourself with a lot. So much I like to do, so little hours to do it. I need to work on prioritizing my time and get the stuff I have to do done first. I haven't been posting as much lately due to this. But senior project is about over. Yes! So I may have a teensey bit more time than I do at the moment.

Christmas was here and now gone.

I had intended to post last week...but with Christmas, last minute wrapping of presents, family visiting, catching up on my sleep, and working in Odyssey Christmas episodes.....That didn't happen. So here's a post to make up for the one I intended to post. (That was sorta rambly...but below is the more important stuff. :] )

Odyssey Connection: It's very easy to get caught up in the Christmas rush. Making a wishlist that is six pages long, running around getting last minute shopping done, and getting the house clean for company always seems to be a natural part of the Christmas spirit right? There's an episode that comes to mind that talks about this very theme (most likely several have similar themes). In the beginning of Peace on Earth,  Tom has to remind Whit what the true reason for the season is. He was so caught up in getting this and that done, that he didn't have the time to enjoy the snowfall. Also in this episode the Barclay parents went all out and got the kids nearly everything they asked for, which was followed by them getting robbed of nearly everything, except their health. This episode reminds me that even though Christmas is a time that I get gifts, it's more fun to give.

Last wednesday, my church did something we called a "cookie ministry". We made up bags of various types of cookies and candies and then delivered them to the community. (We had 136 bags, and around 15 people passing them out.) It was great giving them away for FREE. No catch whatsoever. The recipients of the cookies always had a slightly surprised look on their faces followed by a smile. Even though it was cold when we did this, the smiles warmed me up a little..(Figuratively speaking.)

My point of all this is during the Christmas season and the holiday rush, it's important to remember the real reason for the season. The birth of Jesus in a stable. How he could have been born in a bright shiny palace with servants, in any other place but Bethlehem. He could have been raised as a well known prince. But no. He was born in a stable with stinky filthy animals and placed in a manger (Feeding trough). He was a gift to mankind that in the end was the ultimate gift.

Thanks to those that wished me a Merry Christmas, and I hope your Christmas was a great one as well. Every year my family gets together and we play lots of games, and we always have a ping pong tournament. What did you do for Christmas? What'd you get? Feel free to share in the comments.

That's all for the moment. This is Freddy Jay saying "Merry Christmas."

The Imagination Station Series and More Poetry

 The first two books of the Imagination Station series are available to order, and are for a low price of $4.99 on Brock's blog, The Quest For Truth. These books look really good, and would make great additions as Christmas gifts/ on a Christmas wish list.











Odyssey Connection: A while back, I did an Odyssey connection that had to do with poetry in Odyssey. 
A month or so ago I took one of my poems to a church talent dealy. Here it is below.


He Is There
 (A poem By me )

When you feel alone.
like no one else is there
or when you are angry
and want to rip out your hair
He is there
When you need a friend
someone you can talk to
or when you have a problem
and dont know what to do
He is there
When things have gone wrong
and no one seems to care
or when you walk in and
everyone seems to stare
He is there
When a big strorm is brewing
and things are getting rougher
when everything is piling up
and life is getting tougher
He is there
When you need to make a choice
between wrong and right
or when a big ol bully
is forcing you to fight
He is there.
God is always there
no matter what the need
He is there for you
and he is there for me

Since my other post I found a couple more poems from Odyssey episodes.

Beyond the window (From Lost by a Nose)
I see my face
reflecting in the window as the rain falls.
How many times have I seen that face
staring in the glass?
How many times have I wished that face was not my own?
The rain fades softy away.
A shaft of sun pierces the brooding clouds like a sword.
And a thought pierces me as well.
There is one who knows me deeper than the others.
He knows how I cry inside while I put on a smile for the others.
He knows how I remember mocking words and deeds.
He knows how I dream of countries and castles far away.
He calls me by name and smiles at me.
He reaches out his hand for mine.
He knows me. Because he made me.
And now shows me life beyond the window.
~ Gwen Kablonski

The Dishrag (from Plan B, IV- Resistance)
By Connie Kendall
The dishrag sits on the counter,
Catching no one's eye
The polished bronze a reflection
Clear as the cloudless sky.
The dishrag is tossed,
The laundry is it's fate.

 I must say that  Beyond the Window is one of my favorites among Odyssey poems.
TTFN, Tata for now.

Covers Released

We now have glimpses of the final covers for albums 5 and 1. Here they are.

Also there is a new cover for Passages Darians rise and it has the updated look along with the updated logo. The red on album 5 really compliment the designage of the art. Same with the blue of album 1.






Odyssey Connection: Wow it feels like forever since I've done one of these. Anywho. After listening to Opposite Day, Barrett kinda made me think of myself. I mean, club kid-chat is an obvious reference to facebook. I am a big fan of facebook. But it's sort of funny how some people want to be your "friend" on there just by simply knowing your name or by going to the same school. I have quite a few friends on facebook, but only a small amount are close enough friends to be called friends.......This episode just kinda made me really think of the definition of "friend" that facebook puts into our minds.

This is Freddy Jay saying "Tomorrow airs the new episode The Owlnapping. You won't want to miss it."

NEWS!

Sorry I haven't posted in forever. I've been busy with things...but now there's some exciting news that I just couldn't help but post about. Even if most true fans probably know this already. We now know 11/12 titles for album 52. Plus we know some of the schedule. The title that we didn't know before was Wooton's Broken Pencil show. For some of the season schedule, and episode summaries. Click here.

Odyssey Connection: Today in P.E. we were playing one of the most dangerous and most fun games ever. Dodge ball. It was fun. Until we figured out that we were going to lose no matter how hard we tried. It reminded me of the episode Snow Day. How it was Mandy, Alex, Nathaniel, and Cal against the Bones of Wrath.This may not have been a snow ball fight, and we weren't trying to deliver cookies, but we were indeed out skilled. It was then that Alex's chant came to mind. "Are we warriors or are we wimps?" I think my response was pretty much "We are wimps sir."And we gave it our all. We were persistent and didn't give up. Even though we were beaten 5, 6, or 7 times...It was still great fun though. Ahhh the joys of getting hit in the head by a dodge ball and chucking them at people. Great fun.

Well that's about all for now. This is Freddy Jay saying "So long."

Flat Tire...

The Odyssey Scoop now has a new feature called time line. This is a time line of events in Odyssey, and has some very interesting pictures/audio clips. You can check it out here.

Also the OBC has taken a step towards setting up the web ring. This will link all the OBC blogs into a ring of sorts. If you are part of the OBC and would like to learn how to set it up on your blog click here. 
(Scroll down for a preview of what it'll look like)

Odyssey Connection: Well today we were on our way back from a family reunion...and we began to hear this strange thunky sound. My dad pulled over and looked at the tires and sure enough one was flat. I helped him change it (It was really hot, so that made me sweat a lot.....) and once again we were back on the road . My sister said something like "Well now we can say we've had a flat tire." And I said "Well it wasn't completely flat, just the bottom."(A reference to a quote from For Better or For Worse ). Ah it's so much fun to use quotes from Odyssey in everyday situations.

Well I think that's all for now. This is Freddy Jay saying "I'm glad we have air conditioning."

Slow..but here's some news

Not a whole lot happening in the AIO news section, but there is an interesting interview with Nathan Hoobler that you can check out at the Odyssey Scoop. Also The podcast having to do with the "Whitty"...I mean the now called "Avery Awards" is now up. Be sure to check out the finalists and vote for your favorite.

In the Odyssey blog department we have several news items actually. After a short break from the blogging world Squirrel Original Joe is back to business with more Odyssey Squirrel. There are also some contests going on. The Odyssey Times has a survey you can fill out and then receive a ToO dollar. The AIO Blog is having a Guess that Album contest. The ceiling fan has their 26 Podcast up and it's an interesting one at that. On The AIO Fan's Life you can comment question's for Marvin to answer in an upcoming audio clip/podcast. (Also Happy 13th Birthday Marvin) The ceiling fan has their 26th podcast up. This is the beginnings of an adventure with Ethan you won't want to miss.

Odyssey Connection: I was randomly surfing the internet, and happened to come across something called "Emotiv Epoc". The really strange thing is that I came across it in an image search for mind control. Apparently, this device is a headband type thing that somewhat makes me think of novacom. Here are some of it's key features.

• Artistic and creative expression - Use your thoughts, feeling, and emotion to dynamically create color, music, and art.
• Games & Virtual Worlds - Experience the fantasy of controlling and influencing the virtual environment with your mind. Play games developed specifically for the EPOC, or use the EmoKey to connect to current PC games and experience them in a completely new way.
  
• Life changing applications for disabled patients, such as controlling an electric wheelchair, mind-keyboard, or playing a hands-free game.
  
• 
  
  Market Research & Advertising - get true insight about how people respond and feel about material presented to them. Get real-time feedback on user enjoyment and engagement.   

Also another connection is with the episode "My Girl Halie " where a kid in the Twilife Zone learns the importance of time management after getting a new computer that came with a headband. This kid could control the computer just by telling it commands. The Emotiv Epoc sounds and looks cool, but it kinda freaks me out that it knows the users thoughts....I don't think I'd ever get one, especially after hearing the Nova Com saga...

 I think that about wraps things up. This is Freddy Jay saying "Beware Emotiv..ha ha.".

Ceiling Fan Contest and Other News

Hey do you like Adventures in Odyssey? Would you like the chance to win numerous cool Odyssey prizes? If so, then head over, and check out the Ceiling Fan's latest fan hijack contest, by clicking here.

 It seems another fan blog has joined the ranks. This one is done by our very own Camilla Parker. It has posts written from her perspective. So far it is really good. If you want to check it out, click here.
There are some blogs from other Odyssey characters, but most of them haven't been updated for a while. If you would like to check them out here are some of them. The most up to date one being Mandy's blog.
Mandy's Blog - Rodney Rathbone's Blog - Rusty Gordon's Blog   - Bart Rathbone's Electric Palace - The Secret Witness

Also, Audry (AIO Insanity) is getting close to her 100th post, to celebrate she plans on having a podcast. Can't wait to see what it sounds like.

Odyssey Connection: When I was younger I loved baseball. I started with t-ball. I was decent, and if I remember right, I even hit a grand slam. But that was t-ball. Once I moved up into baseball, things weren't quite so easy. I wasn't good at baseball, kinda like Davey Holcomb in Whit's Flop. I'd often strike out, drop pop flies, but I did have a good arm. Anyway like Davey learned, everyone has their own talent. Mine is definitely not baseball, although I do play it for fun every now and then. I later learned what my talents are. They include: playing the trumpet, singing, and boy scouts. Davey got discouraged and thought he wasn't good at anything. He later helped Whit invent a pizza oven from the old photo copier, and that oven is still in Whit's End to this day, as far as we know.

That about wraps things up for now. This is Freddy Jay saying "Don't be afraid to comment. We bloggers like fan input."

Album 52! More info.

More information on album 52 Cause and Effect has been released. Part of that info includes that the cover that was shown in various areas is not the final version.  If you would like to read more about it you should check out AIO Insanity, and The Unofficial AIO Podcast. and AIO Wiki.

Mysteries abound in Odyssey as Eugene tries to figure out why the Odyssey clocktower is counting down to a mysterious deadline and Emily Jones unmasks the phantom of the school play. Meanwhile, the crew at Whit's End tries fasting,—with hilarious results—and Wooton tries his hand at a radio show ... with no script! 

Odyssey connection:  On Campbell County we have started elections. Which got me thinking about elections in Odyssey. In the early days Curt ran for president (Student council of course) twice in fact. The first time he made all sorts campaign promises he most definitely couldn't keep (By Any Other Name).  The second time Curt ran against Lucy. Which ended up with Curt playing the smear your opponent's reputation strategy. (It Takes Integrity). Then there's Bart who ran for mayor twice. The first being against Tom Riley (Tom for Mayor Parts I &  Part II) and the second against Margret Faye (The One About Trust, Parts I & Part II). Both failed attempts and run in only the way Bart could do it. Our candidates on CC so far prove to be worthy ones unlike Bart and Curt. It'll be hard to choose when it's time to vote.

That's all for now. This is Freddy Jay saying "Elections are so much fun!"

Sigh.....

The winner for the act like Odyssey contest was revealed in the latest Official Podcast ! And the winner was Broken Window! Which was the one I voted for as well. Congrats to the winners.
The title for album 52 was revealed in the podcast...well sort of...they gave us a clue. What it means I have no idea...but am working on it. What do you think it means???

The episode Grandma's Visit is up.  My review will come later today.


Odyssey Connection: Why does it have to be so dreary outside? It kinda goes with my mood yesterday. Gloomy.(Which explains my current background..... Yesterday with it being a half day we had to prepare for testing that is coming next week...We've been preparing for a while now. At least I'm not putting this off till the last moment like Robyn in "A Test for Robyn". Which is somewhat surprising, because I have the dangerous disease called chronic procrastinatitus (Like Isaac in "Isaac the Procrastinator.) But I think I'm on the path of recovery.

That's all for now. This is Freddy Jay saying " I'll get the review done when I get around to it....or later which ever comes first : )"

Odyssey Facebook page

That's right. Adventures in Odyssey has hit Facebook.  This page has fun things like behind the scenes clips, pics of the characters as of right now. I'm sure more behind the scenes stuff, and other goodies are on the way as well. Or at least I hope so.

Word on the street is that Jacob of the Odyssey Scoop has another surprise up his sleeve. I think he just loves keeping us in suspense. He plans on revealing his latest surprise approximately 8640 minutes or 6 days if you want to be plain about it..Can't wait to see what it is!


On the other side of the street there's a short, yet entertaining video, and well done might I add. In this video it answers a very intriguing question. What is that question? What is this video that I'm talking about, and what site is it on? Why does the Earth evolve around the sun? Why is the grass green? Why does my dog consistently drive me insane? Why is sherbert actually spelled sorbet? Why  am I asking so many questions? The answer (to the first three at least) lies on the Odyssey Way. Original Joe has made a video where...well you can see for yourself.

Odyssey Connection: Today I took a kid who goes to my church to baseball practice. It was fun to watch. But by watching for a bit, I kinda thought to myself these coaches have a bunch of work to do. But I guess as long as the kids are having fun, winning isn't as important.  Unlike Bart's way of thinking in The Winning Edge. I think that is an important thing to learn. Bart was so caught up in winning that he made one of his players hurt someone else so they could win the softball game.

Well that's all for now. This is Freddy Jay saying "Ice cream time!"

The Scoop's surprise was....!

The Odyssey Scoop's surprise was released Yesterday, as promised, and it was worth waiting for. They call it The Guide to Odyssey. It's definitely a great addition to the site. He took the different AIO Official Podcasts and chopped them up, and paired them with questions. You can check it out yourself by on the Odyssey Scoop.

As you can see I changed the toolbar again...You can help me decide which one should stay by voting in the poll located on the tool bar.(This one is Skysa, the one I originally had then switched to wibiya...now can't decide....) This one has a couple of different options I/you can use. So try it out and then vote on which one you think should stay.

Odyssey Connection: Today I listened to the episode "Go Ye Therefore". In this episode Connie tries to use a book for a guide to sharing her faith, and has several failed attempts. (Passing pamphlets out in the park, putting pamphlets into books at bookstore, covering her mother's car with bumper stickers.)After those she tries being bold in school, with the result of getting made fun of. I can totally relate to Connie in this episode. Witnessing to others isn't really that easy. A while back I went to a retreat called Dare2Share. It was a retreat where they trained you to witness then the next day you went door to door asking for canned foods and then witnessed to people. It was a new experience, and it got me out of my comfort zone. Also these retreats inspired me to get out and try to express my faith more, and make an impact to my peers. I can't say that I have been real successful...but I can say that I won't give up.

That's all for now, This is Freddy Jay singing "Tomorrow, tomorrow I love ya tomorrow, it's only a day away."