Just Think...
you're here not by chance,
but by God's choosing.
His hand formed you
and made you the person you are.
He compares you to no one else -
you are one of a kind.
You lack nothing that
His grace can't give you.
He has allowed you to be here
at this time in history
to fulfill His special purpose
for this generation.
~Roy Lessin~
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Random Blarg
(because it's coming out, one way or another)
What a crazy week! I started out skipping my Sunday Snippet and opted for a more loose schedule between services. No problem, we have established how I feel about Sundays. I am proud of the way I stuck to my guns this week (or pencils comparatively speaking), in the face of my work schedule. Monday I worked 12 hours, Tuesday was 10, Wednesday and Thursday were 9 each. So if we do the math, I knocked out my 40 in 4 days. So, what to do with Friday? Normally, I would have had the option to take the day off, but there is so much to do, I dove into Over Time.
I did, however, take a long lunch to go to my daughters' school and enjoy elementary cuisine... and I use the term cuisine loosely. I forgot what it was like to appreciate a giant chicken nugget on a bun as the best thing I've had all week. Discerning palates develope later in life, in conjunction with the frontal lobe, I assume. It was still a good time, and I don't know if this is something to be proud of or ashamed of, but one of the girl's friends refered to me as awesome.
An additional bonus to getting time and a half on Friday is that I was at my desk to get the call from corporate, offering me the permanent position I have so eagerly been awaiting. That's right, I have been doing the happy dance every 5 minutes since. "Show me the benefits!!" It was a glorious day.
Then this morning my son did a presentation at our church association district meeting and we were able to raise enough money to meet the halfway mark deadline for his mission trip to Brazil. He is a sophomore who was chosen by our International Missions board to be a part of an annual teen group that is sent out to assist our missionaries in the field for two weeks. It is exciting and I am proud of the man he is becoming.
My husband and I have also answered the call to go on the 2011 trip to Cote de Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and do photojournalistic coverage of the mission. Hubby with the camera, and me as the journalist. I have never been more proud of the man, as he has always adhered to an old military stance of "never volunteer for anything". But here he is, ready to volunteer to fly halfway around the world and provide his services, free of charge. He deserves a big 'ol smoochy for that one!
For every God moment we have, it seems, the devil gives us a pinch. He is doing everything he can to discourage us and keep us from fullfilling our calling. When we got home from the meeting there was a letter in the mail stating that my husband's unemployment benefit has run out.
Really?
We are going to lose our minivan and be left with the Dodge Dakota 4x4 pick-em-up truck. Thankfully it has a slightly extended cab, so there's a back seat. We can fit all 5 of us semi-comfortably. My oldest son, 19, is living a bohemian lifestyle and has his own car, so we don't have to try to accommodate him. While I hate the idea of forfeiting a vehicle, it will save us a payment every month and licensing fees, and insurance. What the devil meant for evil, God will use for good. There are a lot of people with way bigger inconveniences than mine... I for one am going to count my blessings.
Tomorrow there will be church where I'm facilitating a new study for Sunday School class, then we're going to a Girlscouts self-defense class, and then Super Bowl party with friends. And somewhere in there we will squeeze in a winter storm with 6 inches of snow accumulation. I just hope it's pretty like the storm on Friday. I may or may not get to the Snippet again.
We shall see what we shall see.
What a crazy week! I started out skipping my Sunday Snippet and opted for a more loose schedule between services. No problem, we have established how I feel about Sundays. I am proud of the way I stuck to my guns this week (or pencils comparatively speaking), in the face of my work schedule. Monday I worked 12 hours, Tuesday was 10, Wednesday and Thursday were 9 each. So if we do the math, I knocked out my 40 in 4 days. So, what to do with Friday? Normally, I would have had the option to take the day off, but there is so much to do, I dove into Over Time.
I did, however, take a long lunch to go to my daughters' school and enjoy elementary cuisine... and I use the term cuisine loosely. I forgot what it was like to appreciate a giant chicken nugget on a bun as the best thing I've had all week. Discerning palates develope later in life, in conjunction with the frontal lobe, I assume. It was still a good time, and I don't know if this is something to be proud of or ashamed of, but one of the girl's friends refered to me as awesome.
An additional bonus to getting time and a half on Friday is that I was at my desk to get the call from corporate, offering me the permanent position I have so eagerly been awaiting. That's right, I have been doing the happy dance every 5 minutes since. "Show me the benefits!!" It was a glorious day.
Then this morning my son did a presentation at our church association district meeting and we were able to raise enough money to meet the halfway mark deadline for his mission trip to Brazil. He is a sophomore who was chosen by our International Missions board to be a part of an annual teen group that is sent out to assist our missionaries in the field for two weeks. It is exciting and I am proud of the man he is becoming.
My husband and I have also answered the call to go on the 2011 trip to Cote de Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and do photojournalistic coverage of the mission. Hubby with the camera, and me as the journalist. I have never been more proud of the man, as he has always adhered to an old military stance of "never volunteer for anything". But here he is, ready to volunteer to fly halfway around the world and provide his services, free of charge. He deserves a big 'ol smoochy for that one!
For every God moment we have, it seems, the devil gives us a pinch. He is doing everything he can to discourage us and keep us from fullfilling our calling. When we got home from the meeting there was a letter in the mail stating that my husband's unemployment benefit has run out.
Really?
We are going to lose our minivan and be left with the Dodge Dakota 4x4 pick-em-up truck. Thankfully it has a slightly extended cab, so there's a back seat. We can fit all 5 of us semi-comfortably. My oldest son, 19, is living a bohemian lifestyle and has his own car, so we don't have to try to accommodate him. While I hate the idea of forfeiting a vehicle, it will save us a payment every month and licensing fees, and insurance. What the devil meant for evil, God will use for good. There are a lot of people with way bigger inconveniences than mine... I for one am going to count my blessings.
Tomorrow there will be church where I'm facilitating a new study for Sunday School class, then we're going to a Girlscouts self-defense class, and then Super Bowl party with friends. And somewhere in there we will squeeze in a winter storm with 6 inches of snow accumulation. I just hope it's pretty like the storm on Friday. I may or may not get to the Snippet again.
We shall see what we shall see.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Come, Let Us Write Together
Here are the rules:
I provide three random words. You write anything, incorporating those three words. Then post a link to your work (wherever you post your story) in the comments section.
The three words are: penthouse, minnow, bridge
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paul sat on the arch of of the bridge, his feet dangling. He thought of his past life, how he had taken for granted the ease, the abundance, the people. He had been a wealthy man. A man of means, respected and envied. Paul once owned a penthouse, cars, a yacht. Yet now, as he stared out at the murky waters, he wondered where he might lay his head tonight. This river called to him, its current beckoned him. He knew what he must do. Paul rose to his feet, uttered a quick prayer, and cast his line. The little minnow on the other end disappeared beneath the surface. "Come on, baby, you can do this," Paul called to the universe. It would take a miracle, but he was going to eat tonight.
I provide three random words. You write anything, incorporating those three words. Then post a link to your work (wherever you post your story) in the comments section.
The three words are: penthouse, minnow, bridge
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paul sat on the arch of of the bridge, his feet dangling. He thought of his past life, how he had taken for granted the ease, the abundance, the people. He had been a wealthy man. A man of means, respected and envied. Paul once owned a penthouse, cars, a yacht. Yet now, as he stared out at the murky waters, he wondered where he might lay his head tonight. This river called to him, its current beckoned him. He knew what he must do. Paul rose to his feet, uttered a quick prayer, and cast his line. The little minnow on the other end disappeared beneath the surface. "Come on, baby, you can do this," Paul called to the universe. It would take a miracle, but he was going to eat tonight.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Let's Go To The Map
('cause you can never know too much)
Apologue - (from the Greek "απολογος," a "statement" or "account") A moral fable, usually featuring personified animals or inanimate objects which act like people to allow the author to comment on the human condition. Often, the apologue highlights the irrationality of mankind. The beast fable, and the fables of Aesop are examples. Some critics have called Samuel Johnson's Rasselas an apologue rather than a novel because it is more concerned with moral philosophy than with character or plot.
Examples:
George Orwell, Animal Farm
Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book
An apologue differs from a parable in several respects. A parable is equally an ingenious tale intended to correct manners, but it can be true in the sense that "when this kind of actual event happens among men, this is what it means and this is how we should think about it", while an apologue, with its introduction of animals and plants, to which it lends ideas, language and emotions, contains only metaphoric truth: "when this kind of situation exists anywhere in the world, here is an interesting truth about it." The parable reaches heights to which the apologue cannot aspire, for the points in which animals and nature present analogies to man are principally those of his lower nature (hunger, desire, pain, fear, etc.), and the lessons taught by the apologue seldom therefore reach beyond prudential morality (keep yourself safe, find ease where you can, plan for the future, don't misbehave or you'll eventually be caught and punished), whereas the parable aims at representing the relations between man and God (know your role in the universe, behave well towards all you encounter, kindness and respect are of higher value than cruelty and slander). It finds its framework in the world of nature as it actually is, and not in any parody of it, and it exhibits real and not fanciful analogies. The apologue seizes on that which man has in common with creatures below him, and the parable on that which he has in common with God or with God-like virtues and thoughts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, I thoroughly enjoyed learning the difference between apologue and parable. However, I have already worked 40 hours for the week, and am currently attempting to bake cookies for a child's school event tomorrow, dealing with the finances from hell, and deflecting the laser beams of a grumpy spouse.
And I'm a dissdent writer. The idea of attempting my own apologue at this point is laughable. However, I would love to see someone else's attempt. Be sure to post a link to your work in the comments section.
Apologue - (from the Greek "απολογος," a "statement" or "account") A moral fable, usually featuring personified animals or inanimate objects which act like people to allow the author to comment on the human condition. Often, the apologue highlights the irrationality of mankind. The beast fable, and the fables of Aesop are examples. Some critics have called Samuel Johnson's Rasselas an apologue rather than a novel because it is more concerned with moral philosophy than with character or plot.
Examples:
George Orwell, Animal Farm
Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book
An apologue differs from a parable in several respects. A parable is equally an ingenious tale intended to correct manners, but it can be true in the sense that "when this kind of actual event happens among men, this is what it means and this is how we should think about it", while an apologue, with its introduction of animals and plants, to which it lends ideas, language and emotions, contains only metaphoric truth: "when this kind of situation exists anywhere in the world, here is an interesting truth about it." The parable reaches heights to which the apologue cannot aspire, for the points in which animals and nature present analogies to man are principally those of his lower nature (hunger, desire, pain, fear, etc.), and the lessons taught by the apologue seldom therefore reach beyond prudential morality (keep yourself safe, find ease where you can, plan for the future, don't misbehave or you'll eventually be caught and punished), whereas the parable aims at representing the relations between man and God (know your role in the universe, behave well towards all you encounter, kindness and respect are of higher value than cruelty and slander). It finds its framework in the world of nature as it actually is, and not in any parody of it, and it exhibits real and not fanciful analogies. The apologue seizes on that which man has in common with creatures below him, and the parable on that which he has in common with God or with God-like virtues and thoughts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, I thoroughly enjoyed learning the difference between apologue and parable. However, I have already worked 40 hours for the week, and am currently attempting to bake cookies for a child's school event tomorrow, dealing with the finances from hell, and deflecting the laser beams of a grumpy spouse.
And I'm a dissdent writer. The idea of attempting my own apologue at this point is laughable. However, I would love to see someone else's attempt. Be sure to post a link to your work in the comments section.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Share The Wealth
Today's link of the day goes to The Dissident Writer's blog, created by Emilie Cross. This blog is dedicated to those of us who sit staring at the blank page, compelled by some masochistic force to write... something, anything..... and yet allows us to delete it when we determine it is utter crap. If you think you may be a dissident writer, but are not sure, take the assessment here.
If you are a writer who eats, sleeps, and breathes writing, and from whom the words flow like milk and honey wrapped in love, you should visit the blog for entertainment value. But if you feel you may belong to the group of dissidents, join us and embrace your anti-calling.
Emilie has graciously invited me to contribute to the blog, and as soon as I write something coherent, I will certainly post it!
If you are a writer who eats, sleeps, and breathes writing, and from whom the words flow like milk and honey wrapped in love, you should visit the blog for entertainment value. But if you feel you may belong to the group of dissidents, join us and embrace your anti-calling.
Emilie has graciously invited me to contribute to the blog, and as soon as I write something coherent, I will certainly post it!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
infinitesimal fiction
(it's like fiction, only smaller)
Cognizance
If you had told Charles even three hours ago that he would be experiencing this moment, he would never have believed you. His mind drifted to this morning when he and his beautiful Belinda had been looking for trinkets at a quaint little shop in China Town. She had wanted a Hanfu, and whatever his buxom blonde wanted, she got. He had also picked up a jade and sandstone chess set, a teak back scratcher with a jeweled handle , and an assortment of incense cones. Funny, that he now recalled the shop keeper trying to give him a bundle of bamboo sticks. She had instructed Charles to burn them to keep away evil spirits. As his eyes began to glaze, his brain fogging, he envisioned the unlit bamboo on the kitchen island next to the empty wine bottle. He sensed the lifeless body of his fiance beside him, and he reached up to grab at the hardened fingers around his throat. Charles felt the splinters embedded in his hand, and wondered where he had put that damn lighter, just as the darkness claimed him.
(word count: 185)
Cognizance
If you had told Charles even three hours ago that he would be experiencing this moment, he would never have believed you. His mind drifted to this morning when he and his beautiful Belinda had been looking for trinkets at a quaint little shop in China Town. She had wanted a Hanfu, and whatever his buxom blonde wanted, she got. He had also picked up a jade and sandstone chess set, a teak back scratcher with a jeweled handle , and an assortment of incense cones. Funny, that he now recalled the shop keeper trying to give him a bundle of bamboo sticks. She had instructed Charles to burn them to keep away evil spirits. As his eyes began to glaze, his brain fogging, he envisioned the unlit bamboo on the kitchen island next to the empty wine bottle. He sensed the lifeless body of his fiance beside him, and he reached up to grab at the hardened fingers around his throat. Charles felt the splinters embedded in his hand, and wondered where he had put that damn lighter, just as the darkness claimed him.
(word count: 185)
Monday, February 1, 2010
In Today's News
50 Years Ago Today -- The Greensboro Four
On February 1st, 1960, four black college students attending North Carolina A&T staged a sit-in at Woolworth's whites-only lunch counter.
It was to be the first of many such sit-ins that culminated in the July 1960 desegregation of that lunch counter, but also spurred young African-Americans to more than 70 sit-ins in 15 cities and 5 states across the south. Greensboro, North Carolina became one of the major catalysts of the Civil Rights Movement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was the second darkest era in our nation's history. (The era of war on Native Americans is a topic for another time.) To this day, the United States has not again seen any people group as down-trodden as the African-Americans of the Pre-Civil War era through the 1960's. There are still instances of persecution, racism, and prejudice; there is ignorance in every culture that breeds hatred against other perceived inferior groups. But it seems that we have grown enough, matured enough as a nation that we can honestly say that all people truly are created equal, and that the ignorant are the minority. They may still have a voice, as protected by the First Amendment, but the voices of the majority are louder. The voices that say to everyone, "You are my brothers and sisters, we are equal in all, and we will work together to make this a place of freedom and peace."
So we celebrate the "pioneers" who took a stand against the tyranny, and who empowered others to do the same. The heroes who used non-violent protest as a vehicle to show us that the human spirit is stronger than any hate, any ignorance, and it can rise above, lifting us out of the shadows.
Inspirational barely describes it.
On February 1st, 1960, four black college students attending North Carolina A&T staged a sit-in at Woolworth's whites-only lunch counter.
It was to be the first of many such sit-ins that culminated in the July 1960 desegregation of that lunch counter, but also spurred young African-Americans to more than 70 sit-ins in 15 cities and 5 states across the south. Greensboro, North Carolina became one of the major catalysts of the Civil Rights Movement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was the second darkest era in our nation's history. (The era of war on Native Americans is a topic for another time.) To this day, the United States has not again seen any people group as down-trodden as the African-Americans of the Pre-Civil War era through the 1960's. There are still instances of persecution, racism, and prejudice; there is ignorance in every culture that breeds hatred against other perceived inferior groups. But it seems that we have grown enough, matured enough as a nation that we can honestly say that all people truly are created equal, and that the ignorant are the minority. They may still have a voice, as protected by the First Amendment, but the voices of the majority are louder. The voices that say to everyone, "You are my brothers and sisters, we are equal in all, and we will work together to make this a place of freedom and peace."
So we celebrate the "pioneers" who took a stand against the tyranny, and who empowered others to do the same. The heroes who used non-violent protest as a vehicle to show us that the human spirit is stronger than any hate, any ignorance, and it can rise above, lifting us out of the shadows.
Inspirational barely describes it.
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