The One-Minute Writer: Today's Writing Prompt: Obama

The One-Minute Writer: Today's Writing Prompt: Obama

I don't know that I could speak to him. I voted McCain/ Palin and I'm proud that I voted McCain/ Palin.
Beyond being civil like I would to almost anyone, there is very little beyond civility that I could say to him and REMAIN civil. I do not like him. I did not vote for him. I do not agree with him. I am not looking forward to inauguration tomorrow. I do not believe that he is the best thing for our country. I don't care that this is "a big deal" because the first black president is being inaugurated and it's a big day in history (seriously? It's crap like this that continues to allow racism to prevail -- people continually pointing out the difference between black and white). So, at most, if he spoke to me first, I would speak back like I would to any random person I sat next to on a plane, but I would say as little as possible.

Tears

One Minute Blogger Question -- What is the last thing that made you cry?

Exhaustion. Sunday night, due to excitement about school starting mixed in with some anxiety and just a generally difficult time falling asleep these days, I didn't sleep at all.

Monday was an intense day, filled with frustrating things and so as I sat there, I just felt like crying because I was so completely exhausted. So, I did.

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

One Minute Writer Prompt: What one moment in your past do you wish was immortalized in a photograph?

When I look back on my past and the things that I will remember most, there are a few times that stand out for me. One is cutting the grass with Papa or reading on the couch with him. He had a huge yard and he'd let me ride on the lawnmower with him whenever he cut the grass. We read so many books on the couch too -- Old Mother Hubbard, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, that book about the little girl who's dog/cat had puppies/ kittens and she took them around in her wagon to get rid of them and ended up trading them for other animals.

And there are other moments I'll never forget -- Stephen and I holding each other and crying everytime he left to go back to Southern, Andrea and I wearing our "beer goggles" around Wal-mart, walking down the sidewalk at Pisgah in the brief moments before sunrise and thinking that there could never be a more peaceful time of day...

But there is one moment that will forever last in my memory and it was captured in a photograph. It was sitting in the dressing room with my best friend before her wedding and laughing and whispering and talking together. I guess it was then that I really began to understand that this friendship is not just another college friendship -- it's forever. Thank you Jeremy Hess Photography for capturing that important moment in my life.

A Good Day

The weather was beautiful today. Well, it didn't start out that beautiful, but it turned into a lovely day. I got up this morning, laid in bed for a long time with my laptop listening to music, catching up on blogs, seeing what was new on the Facebook scene, etc. Then, I got up and went out for a walk. It was cloudy, but warm. I came home, got a shower, and made myself a boca burger to curb the intense hunger I was experiencing... and it was yummy! Then, I went out on the back porch and sat on the swing and finished a good book. I came inside and dinked on the computer for a while and then went back out and started another good book. It eventually got a little chilly out once the sun started going down, so I came back in the house.

I'm really looking forward to going back to school next week, but for now, I'm thankful that today I had a good day.

He Knows My Name

Cyrus, I am sending for you by name. I am doing it for the good of the family of Jacob. They are my servants. I am doing it for Israel. They are my chosen people. You do not know anything about me. But I am giving you a title of honor. I am the Lord. There is no other Lord. I am the one and only God. You do not know anything about me. But I will make you strong.
Isaiah 45:4,5

My freshman year of college, I was at Southern and I was taking Earth Science from Dr. Hansen. Like a good girl I attended class everyday, stayed awake (most of the time), did my homework, made average grades. I didn't speak up in class or do anything to draw attention to myself. I was just one of the other students. Of course, he made an effort to learn our names, but there was nothing about me as a student that was memorable.

I met my two best friends in that class and we've talked many times about Dr. Hansen and how, to this day, when we pass him on the promenade or see him around campus, he always greets us by name. We were just wallflowers and yet, he knows us.

God knows and calls me by name. Before I was born, He knew me and had a plan for me. Before I knew Him, He knew who He was making me to be. God called me and appointed me and gave me a title of honor, Daughter, before I ever knew who He was. And with that calling, He gave a promise that He would make me strong and equip me with everything necessary for His plans for me to be realized.

But Dr. Hansen doesn't just know my name -- he knows Brooke and Beth-Anne's as well. I'm sure that he also knows Desmond, Jonathan, and Jessica too. God doesn't just know my name either. He knows every single person who has ever lived and will ever live.

The God of the Universe knows YOU and cares for YOU personally. I think that's pretty incredible. Even more incredible than a professor who still remembers his wallflower-student's names from three years ago.

Walking with God

I finished reading The Shack recently and did not like it for various reasons; however, the overall message of the book was good. Since reading it there are a few things that have stuck with me -- one being that God is all about relationship.

So often, I think we get caught up in the "rules". Don't drink, don't smoke, go to church, be a good person, don't screw up, don't say bad words, don't have pre- or extra-marital sex, dress modestly, and on and on. I think most of you would agree with me that all of those things are very good things to do/ not do, but I think you would also agree with me when I say that sometimes in trying to keep the "rules", we lose sight of what God is all about -- relationship.

The book brought out the point that without the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, we are powerless when it comes to doing all the right things. Another point that the book brought up is that the law was intended to show us our need for help and that there is no possible way that we could do all of that on our own.

This morning, I went over to BibleGateway to check out the verse of the day and it said, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). I love this verse so much. In the book, Mack asked what it was that Papa (God) wanted him to do when he went back to his normal life and what was expected of him. I think this verse answers that question best. God wants us to walk with Him and let Him take care of making us into what He wants us to be.

Snowflakes

Varenda and I went to Target today. As we walked into the store I commented on how it was warmer than what I had expected (about 50ish) and that I didn't really need my jacket. When we walked out of the store, she said, "Oh look! There are snowflakes!" I said, "No.. it's too warm." And then I looked, and sure enough -- there were white flakes falling from the sky!! "It really is snowing!"

And then we heard the man walking behind us say, "It's just ash." Poopy-head.