Concerning the Hobbits - Seth

A Far Green Country...

Salutations! 
I wanted to share a little bit about myself, and how I have come to be crazy enough to go to New Zealand as a missionary with Youth With A Mission. For starters, my name is Seth Baggins. Okay not really. Seth Blanton is my real name. Obviously, I am a Lord of the Rings fan. I am 18 years old, and am nearly done with my senor year of homeschooling. Yes, homeschool senors do exist, but they are endangered, so if you see one remain silent and observe it in its natural state. I live in the Misty Mountains of Western North Carolina with my loving parents, Robert and Connie, and my two siblings Shelby and Winston. And I can't forget the dog, Luthien. No joke, thats really her name. I belong to a faith family here in Waynesville called the Vine of the Mountains. Outside of my family, the Vine has been the most influential aspect of my life. There, I have learned what it means to be a Christian, and to live in community and fellowship with others. It is largely due to members at the Vine that I made the decision to pursue a a Discipleship Training School. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me bring you up to speed on the recent string of events in my life. 


Last year, as a junior in high school, I started thinking about what I was going to do for the rest of my life. College, of course, was the obvious choice. I didn't feel called to any college, I didn't feel at peace with college.Something else bothered me about college as a default  decision. Not to say that I do not desire to pursue further education, I do. But I didn't want to mindlessly follow the American Dream, only to wake up with mortgage, two cars, two and a half kids and a white picket fence. Not that those things are bad, but I didn't want to confine my future, or God, to what society says is the the ultimate goal in life.


I had heard about Youth With A Mission's Discipleship Training Schools from several friends, and after though and prayer, it seemed to be a great option. After deciding to complete a DTS, I set about emence task of choosing the location in which to do my DTS. Around this time, I heard from Dan Snyder, a longtime friend. Dan just graduated (with honors!) from NC State. He was also interested in doing DTS, and we decided that going together would be a epic adventure! 


After much prayer and deliberation, Dan and I choose the Marine Reach DTS in Tauranga, New Zealand. As avid Lord of the Rings scholars, New Zealand was a tempting choice. We are currently fundraising, and are scheduled to leave on July 12th, and return home on December 12th. Dan and I are exciting about what God has for us as we journey there, and back again!