The Star Shooter!!!

Okay, so the title really doesn't make much sense, but it will probably make sense by the end of the entry :D

So this past weekend was I.E. break, which basically means they kick us off of campus for the weekend after we get back from Brazil. Instead of going all the way home to Texas, my amazing family flew up to see me. And not ONLY did I get to see both of my parents and all 3 of my beautiful siblings, but Melissa my best friend drove up (down? over?) from Savannah to spend the weekend with us too!
Anyhoo. All of this to say.
We stayed at a cabin in Callaway Gardens. It was peaceful, and quiet, and for the most part (okay, like one day) we had most of the complex to ourselves. For the most part we just relaxed.....but one day we drove down to Atlanta and went to the GEORGIA AQUARIUM.

So incredibly much fun.

We saw a LOT of different things at the aquarium. Lots of different fishes (or fushes if you're from Impact) and just generally really cool sights to see. First of all, everything just looks cooler if it's in the water. Or under water. Either way you prefer really. Secondly, some of these animals that God created to function under water are just incredibly.....well, INCREDIBLE. 

Daniel had an unfortunate run-in with a Spider Crab.

Now, normally I'm not one of those people that takes an everyday, rather boring situation (or something that is seen a lot...like fish...) and finds this incredibly glory of God in it. But walking around the aquarium...it just got super hard to ignore the fact that God CREATED all these incredible, weird, freaky looking animals to swim around under the water!! 

Look at that! It's like an underwater butterfly! I realize that this blog post is not coming out as eloquently as I would like it to, but since I'm just trying to get the thoughts OUT of my head I'm not really worried about it right now :D I also had a really good picture (it was super scary looking too) of this jellyfish that pretty much looked like it was on fire. And the fact that God created these incredible, complex, beautiful, graceful, peaceful, mysterious, amazing, AWE-INSPIRING creatures absolutely blows my mind.

My mind was further blown (oh yes, it's NOT done) at the Dolphin Show later that afternoon. And this is where the title SOMEWHAT comes into play. At the Georgia Aquarium they do this dolphin show that's about this man called the Star Shooter who is essentially responsible for the hanging all of the constellations in the sky. And these evil sea monsters are after him to stop him forever!! So the star shooter and the dolphins MUST defeat the sea monsters!!! 


Yes...the plot line is incredibly cheesy. But may I just say, that this actor/singer/whatever he was, had one of the most INCREDIBLE glowing, star capes that I have ever seen in my entire life. It twinkled. It was AWESOME :) 


But anyhoo. The dolphin show led to the most mindblowing moment of the entire night because these creatures are SMART. They are unbelievably intelligent. They did flips, and they did synchronized swimming with the other dolphins, and they did ALL of this from a few whistles or hand motions from the human trainers. Who formed a relationship with each of these dolphins. And it sent chills down me, my sister and Melissa's spines. All of our spines. That phrase sounds weird and slightly makes me chuckle to myself :P 

One of dem' super cute dolphins! I wish there was some way I could own one :) 

So yes. That was my day at the aquarium :) IF re-incarnation was real, I think I would most definitely want to be some sort of fish. Probably a dolphin. Because they seem like they have a lot of fun! And all in all, it was just an unbelievable day where God appeared in the small, unexpected places and absolutely blew my mind with how incredibly complex and beautiful these creations of His are. And how absolutely....magnificent that must make their Creator. 

His creations are great.....but He is SO much greater. As Hunter so often says....men are without excuse!! 

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- His eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that MEN ARE WITHOUT. EXCUSE."

Romans 1:20