The Bean Shooter is...

Beau Suder.  The Bean Shooter is a guy named Beau Suder, mystery unveiled.  The web alias of "the Bean Shooter" was acquired through a long and painful process but what you need to know is that no actual beans were harmed in the making of this site and I do not condone shooting beans, they should mostly be eaten and sometimes planted, and if you're under 8 yrs old you can also glue them to cardboard paper.

Writing about yourself as a means to describe yourself is, to me, a daunting task.  Here's what you should know:
I am one of 26 people who was raised in Wyoming.  I was raised by  parents who have stayed together 25 years now in a world of tumultuous marriage relationships.  I am a momma's boy through and through and am convinced that my mom is an angel.  My dad cares about his family more than I can describe and I am lucky to be the bi-product of these two people.  I have a sister who reminds me of a sunflower and a brother as my best friend.

I attended the Air Force Academy from June 2003 to May 2007 when I graduated with a B.S. in Foreign Area Studies-Slavic Region, which means that I studied the economics, politics, history , and language of East Europe and Russia.  This degree was perfect for me because I am fascinated by other cultures, people, and languages.  At the Academy I was lucky enough to fulfill every boy's childhood dream of competing at the Division 1 level in football.  I have always played sports and love athletics for the lessons that it teaches but am careful not to define myself by past successes.  The Academy afforded me more opportunities than I couldn't have imagined, but the most valuable takeaway I had from my time there was the people that I shared my life with.  I have been blessed with some of the greatest friends in the world.  I have some reservations about serving in the military, especially in light of the current war in Iraq, but I am not ashamed to, as the oath says, "uphold and defend the Constitution".  I believe the US Constitution is one of the single most influential pieces of literature in the history of the world and has afforded God given liberties to millions of people.  My desire is that bound people will be set free.

I believe in God.  I believe that the world is too beautiful to not have been created by Him.  I believe that Jesus was God's son and that his sacrifice set me free.  I also believe the church in America looks drastically different than how it is called to look and that true Christianity in America has been confused with a blend of patriotism and far right political stances.  However, I echo St. Augustine who said, "The Church is a whore, but she is my mother."  I have seen the lowest depths of moral failures, but I know that God still loves me beyond what I can say and his power is made perfect in my weakness.

I love hockey because playing hockey makes me feel like an artist.  I love skiing because it makes me feel free.  I love music because it nourishes my soul.  I love to read because I like to grow.  I love the mountains because they have oft served as my sanctuary.  I love the poor because a mediterranean-peasant-refugee-carpenter-hobo turned out to be the Son of God and I never would have recognized Him.

These are the things I think it is important for you to know about me.  This is who I am, this is where I am on my journey to forever.

Beau Suder



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