So long to yesterday!

Failure. It's an ugly word. An ugly word I've been mulling over the past few days...

Maybe you mess once. That's forgivable.

Twice? That makes you human.

A third time, whoa buddy. Or at least that's what we as humans are programmed to think.

Let me introduce a new idea to you. It's not my original thought, but it will be a life changing one if you let it. Are you ready?

"You don't have to live like yesterday."

That's it. Simple. Straightforward. Honest.

Messing up is inevitable, but failure is a choice. You, I, we, the human race, doesn't truly fail until we stop trying, give up, or quit. Failure is a lazy out. There, I said it.

I may sound preachy here, but I intended it to be that way...I need to hear this message.

I don't remember exact numbers, but somewhere in my early grade school career I learned that it took Thomas Edison a bazillion attempts to finally get the light bulb to work. I'm no math superstar, but that's a lot of opportunities for disappointment and crappy attitudes if you ask me. Thank God Edison was a relentless man!

What about you? What's your mountain? Are you living in the valley of defeat?

No? No mountains? No valleys? Only treetops and singing? That is fantastic! Appreciate and cherish it.

Yes? Okay then, welcome to good company. It's time to stand up, shake off the dust, find some treetops, and sing. So you messed up 500 times yesterday, who cares!!! It's not yesterday anymore! Today is full of promise and potential if you let it be.

Don't let failure define you. You're worth fighting for.

The end.

I'm back!!

Hello, blog friends. It's been a while, yeah?

When it comes to creative writing, response writing, professional writing, and assigned writing, I am a genius. I just got my first ever "B" on a writing assignment last week and I was devastated...but I digress. Becoming an English major with a writing emphasis changed blogging into its own animal entirely. I now feel some personal responsibility to you as my reader to entertain you, teach you, captivate you, interest you, and make you think, all while not being overly political or pushy. As one professor put it, "Nobody cares about you as a writer, just make your reader happy and you'll still get a paycheck on Friday!"

Thank you, higher education, for almost ruining my soulful blogging style.

E. E. Cummings once said, "To be nobody but yourself in a world that's doing its best to make you somebody else, is to fight the hardest battle you are ever going to fight. Never stop fighting."

He's right. As a professional, I will have a personal responsibility to you as readers, but this is my blog. Down the road, it will be my column, my article, and my book. If I haven't developed my own style and prose, it could be just like any other column you read, article you glance at, or book you pick up off the shelf. I have no desire to write like the icons and legends before me, because I want to write like Lindsay (freaking awesome) Lee. If nobody ever reads my material, then that's okay, because I'll still love writing regardless, but people will read my material. It will be new, fun, original, and sometimes even a little mouthy or vocal, and people will love it.

When I'm famous and I'm holding my own book signings, the fans will ask how I got started and I'll be happy to tell them it was a small beginning on blogspot. It'll be like icing on the cake of a life spent happily every after!

...and I learned that one from the dog!

Dogs are smart creatures.

Monday afternoon I took some time to sit outside and just "be". Of course, I don't go anywhere without a 90 pound Labrador and a 65-ish pound Sheepdog.  I knew 100+ degrees would challenge Blondie's devotion, but she followed with reckless abandon.

I watched as the two moved about the yard and the Holy Spirit began to minister to me about what it is to be a child of God.

I fell in love with both of my girls before they fell in love with me. Precious was just a puppy when I adopted her, so it didn't take her long to figure out that I was her "mommy," but Blondie was a different story all together. She was already four and had a history of abuse. Getting her to a place of trusting me and enjoying the company of her sister was a long process. I couldn't teach Blondie the rules the same way I taught Precious or vice versa. They both have unique personalities and aren't always motivated by the same things. My relationship with each dog had to be individualized.

Fast forward in time, and we've come to a place where both girls do trust me (as much as a dog can exhibit such human traits, anyways). They know that I'm their mommy and that I will absolutely take care of them. They don't worry about where their food is going to come from; they've just come to expect it to be taken care of. After they've done something naughty, Precious will hang her head and lay down and Blondie will go hide for half a second, but inevitably, both will be right back by my side in a matter of minutes. When we're lying around the house, Blondie will roll around on the floor and through every ounce of her body weight around on the floor as if she were having a seizure, all the while a toy hanging out of her mouth as she “talks”. Precious lays directly on her back with all four feet up in the air and does this bicycling motion with her hind feet until she sneezes. I never taught them to do these things, it’s just who they are and I enjoy watching them be comfortable in their own skin.

Finally, the girls want to be around me every second of the day. Anywhere I go, they follow. If I leave, my roommate says they sit at the door or watch out the window and patiently wait upon my return and I’ve never received a mediocre greeting when I’ve arrived back home.

It’s a perfect illustration in my mind. Each of us comes from different backgrounds and different upbringings. For some, believing in God comes as naturally as breathing; it’s all some people have ever known. For others, taking that first step towards salvation can be intimidating and the process of learning who He is as a Daddy can take time. Regardless, He knew us and loved us long before we ever existed (Psalm 139, 1 John 4:10; 19) Furthermore, He sees us and knows individually (Isaiah 43:1, Luke 12:7). He’s patient with us in our learning, and He doesn’t ever give up and cast us aside.

He knows our needs, and He provides them (Philippians 4:19) I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in situations and thought, “Hmm, not real sure how you’re going to do this one, Daddy…” but He’s come through every single time. He’s so cool, He even provides for my wants- A few months back I wanted Starbucks on Tuesday, but it was a tight week and at five bucks a pop I knew I could spend the money more wisely elsewhere. The very next day, I received none other than a Starbucks gift card. Coincidence? I think not!

God delights in us, and he loves it when we delight in Him. I know as my relationship with Him grows, I find myself desiring to be in His presence. Sometimes there is this misconception among Christians that A + B= C. A is I have to get up at 3am and read a book of the Bible, B is praying and weeping for hours on end and then C will equal God finally being satisfied with my performance. It’s just not true. God is not a hard task master. Does he expect us to pray and be in His Word? Yes, but it isn’t punishment and it’s not about performance. It’s about relationship and it’s about delight. (Psalm 17:15)

I could go on for hours, but it's a start on some food for thought. How’s that for a lesson in reckless abandon?

I'm back!!!

It's been a while since we've chatted, and I will confess, I've missed posting tidbits of my growing thought processes to the world.wide.web :-)

It you live in Joplin or the surrounding area, you've undoubtedly seen chaos, heart break, and total devastation the past few weeks. How do you move on from that?

At the end of the day, you'll move on however you choose. A friend of mine said it best when he said something to the tune of, "The glory of God must be exalted higher than the works of the enemy" (I wish I could remember his exact statement, but it escapes me. I am, however, in the ball park of the general idea).

I can only speak as one, but I've committed myself to maintaining a heart of praise and a spirit of peace. I don't really know my audience here, but I'm not concerned who reads or who doesn't. The truth is God has been and is good and I know who I belong to. More than that, I know who Joplin belongs to, and I believe a time of change and restoration is coming. Do I believe God did this? Not for a tenth of a second, but I am confident that He'll continue to move through it because He can't be outdone, outsmarted, or over-ruled, and I would take that to the bank.

We fight a real enemy, whether it's made evident in tornadoes, sickness, bankruptcy, or broken homes. You can fight the battle alone, or you can rest during times of trouble knowing who holds all victory. I've made my choice, and I have yet to regret it.

So this one's for you, Joplin. We've got a city to rebuild :-)

Warning! Catchy blog ahead!

Have you ever stop to consider how many warning signals you come across each day?

Every morning while I'm drying my hair I stare at the manufacturer's warning label which insists I don't set the hair dryer in the sink, or worse yet, try to dry my hair while still in the shower...

...when I stop at Starbucks, my cup reads something about my made to perfection beverage being "warm"...

...as I try and edit entries in our database at work, I constantly get these fancy little messages that translate into something like, "Delete this and you'll probably curse later and have to do ten times the work you'd prefer"...

...every time I end a session of Internet banking, the bank releases a statement advising me to close my browser before someone steals my identity, depletes my savings account, and charges millions on the plastics...

I think you get the point, right? So let's up the ante. What about the warning signs in life? Everyday, most of us engage in conversations, pursue (or ignore) relationships, and make choices that will ultimately help or hinder us along. How do you discern between what's working and going down in flames? How do you measure the success (or failure) of an outcome? What, or who, guides you along the process?

I know my answers, but today's blog is about finding your own; they're worth some careful consideration.

And remember, "If you play with fire, you're going to get burned!". How was that for catchy? ;-)

Let's get happy!

I'm a little intimidated writing for you today, blog followers. Granted, I've waived myself of the self-proclaimed responsibility to change your life with a few posts, but it would be a waste of your time if I didn't give you something to chew on, right?

Life is BIG. Hugely big, as a matter of fact. I think as children most of us entertain this innate sense of awesome wonder and possibility, but somewhere along the line we allow the world to dictate our very sense of hope, thus draining our zeal.

No, life isn't a fairy tale, but it can be something we enjoy. Happiness is a choice, as is miserable, and we get to choose. Sure, it's easier to blame every Tom, Dave, and Harry for our, "emotional inadequacies" or lack of peace, but when we take responsibility for who we are, those people loose their power over us. If you've given that power to someone, take it back! Be yourself, love who you are, and create your own happy.

Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured. I've made my choice, and I'd scream my excitement from the mountaintops if there were adequate words to sustain it.

How will you choose?

Go ahead, grab a Webster

I haven't looked up the definitions for insanity or madness lately in the dictionary, but I'm guessing waking up at 5am on a Saturday morning, during a thunderstorm, following two days of torrential rain down-pours, just to run a 5K probably falls somewhere between the two...

...it didn't stop me, but it definitely takes the cake in crazy. I'll be honest, until the anti-climatic start of the race, I wasn't thrilled to be there, but after my running partner Bobbie Sue and I crossed the finish line, all 3.1 dreary, chilly miles of our race was more than worth it.

Grace, Bobbie Sue (21st birthday girl!), and Yours Truly

We didn't come in first place. Actually, we didn't even come in close to first place, but we finished it. Even better, we're training for our next race and recruiting new members of our team along the way. I'd say that fits the definition of victory.

"Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time."
-Author Unknown

Someday, we'll be excellent runners, and I'll post blogs about all the first place ribbons we collect. In the mean time, here's to you, 2011 5K Rapha Run!

My brother, my best friend...

Last night I was being super studious (well, sort of) and every time I glanced up from my desk, I would see this plaque my brother gave me years ago. It reads:

"My sister was a playmate
I knew was always near
My sister was a protector
From every hurt or fear

We share a bond of closeness
We know will never end
We're here for one another
My sister, my best friend"

I've cherished this particular gift since the day he gave it to me. My brother is absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, my very best friend. When my parents brought him home from the hospital as a newborn, I wanted to send him back; it was either him or the dog, and my vote was certainly not for the dog!

Through the years, I suppose he grew on me. There was only one other girl in the neighborhood (which, for the record, was and is still one of my good friends), so more times than not, Ben had no other option than to dress up and play my larger-than-life make believe games. No matter what he says, I'm quite convinced he loved it!

As we got older, he went from being my playmate to my very best friend. Sure, we did and still do have our squabbles, but there is not a single thing this side of heaven that would change my love for him. When I'm happy, I want to share it with my brother. When I'm sad, I want my brother there to hug me. When I'm scared, I want my brother close to me. I think you get the drift.

Basically, if you looked "hero" up in the dictionary, my brother's name would be to the right of it. Period.

Double Whammy!

"Dear to the heart of a girl is her own beauty and charm." -Ovid

Not only is she beautiful 365 days a year, but the new purple bow really brings out the charmer in her! I absolutely love being this pretty girl's mommy (and, of course, I love being her sister's mommy too, though I'm not sure her hair will ever be long enough to put in bows and pretty hair frills!)

Kisses from Heaven

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if God Himself reached down and kissed you, or am I the only one?

I've come to a place in my life where I recognize God as personal, and I do believe He is intimately accquainted with all my ways (Psalm 139). From that place comes this longing to get up out of bed everyday and seek out what awesome things He has for me; not because I'm some spiritual superstar, but because I know His heart is about people- good, bad, or indifferent. He delights in us (let that sink in for a moment...)

So many times this last week I've enjoyed that delight: beautiful sunrises and breath-taking sunsets, vibrant flowers and blooming trees, two squaking blue jays in my backyard, the innocence of children's laughter, as well as a chance to re-live my own childhood, disruptions in monotony, the sweetness of friendship, the thrill of a job well done, and the opportunity to utilize my own creativity.

I've often been guilty of trying so hard to find God in the big things that I miss Him altogether in the small things, but this week that isn't so; I've redefined my approach, and I can't help but think, "So this is what it's like to be heaven-kissed!?"

I dare you to feel the breeze dart across your face today and recognize the intimacy of the Almighty. He yearns for you, my friends.

You don't say!

It's been a week since I've blogged, and I must say it is an odd feeling to not have much to say, even after seven days of "written silence."

I haven't been out saving the world, creating new cupcakes, or pulling brilliantly creative ideas out of my brain. At best, I've painted half my room, almost conquered a two mile run, and contemplated selling my left kidney on the black market to pay for the girls' vet bill. Exciting stuff, right?

I have never been a huge fan of silence, ever. I used to (and admittedly, still do sometimes) sleep with a radio or TV on, just so I wouldn't be left to ponder in the dead of night. I also used to be a seasoned pro at scheduling my life down to seconds to prevent hours upon end of being with myself. Granted, most days my life is still jam-packed and neatly outlined in my daytimer, but fear is no longer the motivation. Life is enjoyable now and I'm happy to rise and meet it... even if it means a slower-paced week and ample time for introspection.

Research papers can be a hazard...!

...to my sanity, that is! No, this isn't your typical college student rant about gargantuan homework loads or lousy professors, though I'm quite certain I could compose such a reading if I was asked.

I have a research paper due this semester, and I chose to write about preventing juvenile delinquency. The more I researched, my feelings towards the issue became all the more vivid and poignant. Pardon my french, but who in the hell decided we should put kids as young as 7 or 8 years old away for life, without a chance of parole?! We're sending babies to prison! Granted, I'm not dismissing lethal behavior or averting personal responsibility, but who, being of right mind, can look on a very young child commiting very adult crimes and not see a victim of extreme hurt themselves?

With that, here's a little something I had to say...in "scholarly writing," of course:

"Children and teens do not stumble into delinquency or a life of crime by mere happenstance. Rather, most youth that have been labled as "criminals" are often products of a failed social system: absent and self-absorbed parents, under-budgeted school systems which intend to pass the baton of responsibility for social ills on to the justice system in the name of  "zero tolerance" policies, supposedly aimed at "safer education", and communities who assume no obligation for their cities youngest residents. Moreover, juvenile offenders are often faced with ample time and inadequate adult attention, supervision, and intervention. Given this lethal combination, today's societal trends all but endorse delinquency."

I'm not angry; I'm motivated! Do the up-and-coming generation a favor and love on a child. :-)

I am not sorry!

Have you ever noticed how often the phrase, "I'm sorry" is used in everyday conversations?

I am currently working my way out of the, "I'm sorry" rut. Last fall I was working on a project in an entry way, and every time someone would pass through and say, "excuse me," my immediate response was, "oh, I'm sorry". After about my 100th apology, a man stopped and explained I had absolutely nothing to be sorry for, and furthermore, I needed to quit apologizing. (His explanation was much more eloquent and life changing, but I'm paraphrasing here.) The rest of that particular evening and on throughout the continuation of the project, I had to make a conscious effort not to apologize; not because I was attempting to appease someone, but because the light bulb finally clicked in my head that my life is not one giant inconvenience to humanity and I shouldn't have to make amends for breathing fresh air.

Why are excessive "I'm sorries" such a big deal? After all, I can think of at least ten other phrases that are at least a hundred times worse (Go ahead and do the math on that one!) For starters, when "I'm sorry" becomes as frequent and familiar as brushing one's teeth or fixing one's hair, it voids an actual and necessary apology of any value. Secondly, it can keep the apologetic in a place of guilt and fighting a constant battle of self-worth; nobody wants to live there.

Fast forward five or six months and I still haven't got a complete handle on the issue at hand, but I'm making some serious headway. Once I started being aware of my own issue, I realized it's an epidemic for others as well. Like me, some people apologize for the most absurd, out of anyone's control type of things, to which I respond with my little nugget of new-found insight. I can't say I'm chaning the world, but it's reasonable to think (and hope) that someone somewhere will benefit.

Where is the love?

I'm afraid society has failed.

I am a people watcher by nature. Maybe I'm nosey, but I have always been intrigued by how people "work" and what makes them tick. Yesterday, the gang and I were out for lunch and I observed a couple who, if I had to make an educated guess, were partaking in an extra-marital bite to eat. Hopefully I'm way off the rector scale with that presumption, but what was explicitly clear was his lack of respect for her. From the moment they walked through the front door, his needs, wants, and whims were made priority while she was made to be his servant (and I'm not talking healthy humility here, trust me...)

Fast forward a few hours and Leann and I found ourselves at a local bar enjoying some welcomed adult time. It was an odd set-up, so we sat on one side of a glass wall, while other tables lined the other side. The man on the other side visually inspected every crevice of my body...except my face. Back on our side of the fishbowl, there was a couple who were hard to miss, with all thanks to young "love." They enjoyed each other most of the evening, but when the bill came, she enjoyed her own tab. Maybe I'm rushing to assumption too quickly, but I see this trend all too often.

I may sound like I'm spewing "man disgust," but I'm honestly not trying to attack anyone. What I am spewing is my disappointment in society as a whole. Why do we allow ourselves to treat our partners like yesterday's trash, be it man or woman? When did relationships loose their zeal in totality?

Divorce is at an all-time high, domestic abuse has sky-rocketed, and the human race seems to be digressing as a whole when it comes to how we treat our supposed loved ones. There must be an answer...

My proposition? I'm so glad you asked! Parents need to stand up and start doing what they were meant to do in the first place- love their spouses and live an example worthy of repeating, and loving, teaching, training, their offspring would be a good next step. Educators needs to quit turning a blind eye to bullying and start demanding respect in the classrooms and hallways of our school systems. Churches need to start teaching their congreations how to be lovers with the same tenacity they approach issues like premartial sex, and the media needs to adopt some standards, period.

The definition of insanity is doing to the same action repeatedly, but expecting a different result. If we don't start standing up, breaking the mold, and putting an end to these viscious cycles, I'm not sure we'll ever see profitable change.

Rest for the weary

Okay, so maybe that's a little dramatic, but this Spring Break has been the best yet!

For starters, it's the first Spring Break in at least four years that I haven't been to our Louisiana office to prepare for our annual audit- that in an of itself it cause for celebration!

This break has been particularly special though...My godson, Bryce, was born about three weeks ago, and he and his beautiful mom live in Indianapolis, so I've had the great pleasure of driving up for a visit. Inevitably, it has been wonderful soaking in time with one of my best friends and adjusting to my new job title as a god mom, but aside from the obvious, this week has been one of total rest (1 and 5 am feedings included!)

The past four days, the only responsibility I've had has been an easy one: spoil the baby! Yes, I'm thankful for my job; it has afforded me the opportunity to travel. I'm thankful for the chance to obtain a higher education; it's aiding me in securing my future; I'm thankful for all my extra-cirriculars; they keep me sane, but I am equally thankful for time to relax, recharge, and readjust my head on my shoulders.

Lately, I've allowed myself get so caught up in the day-to-day said "fiascos" that I'm afraid I've missed out on a lot of what is really important. I never want to regress to a place of just getting by. Life is an occasion, and I'm ready to rise to it!

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."
-Ashley Smith

A penny for my thoughts

"This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendship to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, love to complete your life."
-Author Unknown

I don't know any Irish blessings, but in celebration of St. Patrick's Day, I thought the above mentioned to be of at least "honorable mention" value.

What is comfort? Who defines beauty? How do you know true, life-completing love?

I don't have an answer to those questions, in part, because each of us has to discover them on our own. We were created so individual and so unique. What makes me smile may not invoke the same reaction from you, and vice versa, but that's beside the point. The point is smiling. The point is having faith. The point is truth.

Dare to know yourself! You are worth the discovery!

When words are few

"Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets." - Paul Tournier

I happened across this quote last night before I slipped into bed, and I was convinced it would result in some earth-shaking, thought provoking awesomeness that is my blog... Not.

After hours of tossing, turning, contemplating, weighing, and intense thinking, I have nothing to say, nothing to add, and no words of further inspiration to impart.

Sometimes, it's best to let the words speak for themselves. I'll add that to my pocket notebook entitled, "lessons learned", and sleep better tonight.

Do you recognize victory?

I feel like a new woman this morning!

Today's been a day of declaration, and I really like the phrase, "fake it 'til you make it." It's dangerous to say so, because I don't want to birth the idea that I believe we all have to walk around living in fake and constantly putting on fronts to appease every Jack and Jill who crosses our paths, because I don't buy that for a second.

What I do buy into is the idea that you get out of life what you put into it. If I choose to wake up after a series of difficult days and think to myself, "Gee, I might as well not even get out of bed today. Yesterday was bad, the day before that was worse, and today probably won't be much better," that is precisely what I'm going to get. BUT, if I choose to wake up after those sames series of difficult days and declare, "Today is a new day, and I will make the most of it! I will not be defeated!", my odds of actually having a good day sky-rocket. Initially, will I have to force myself to believe it? Maybe. Will I still face battles and encounter hardship? Probably. Will I still have to fight to keep my attitude in check? Most definitly, but I get to choose.

So, how has today gone? Great! I made it out of bed (on-time, for that matter!), put on the most sun-shiney spring dress I could find, spent the morning soaking in a gender-battle victory with some wonderful ladies (it's not as weird as it sounds...Bible study attendance, people...and the women brought it this morning!) received some much needed encouragement that put my mind at ease, and sang with the birds as I waltzed into the library to tackle a research paper.

I am happy, healthy, and at peace; nobody gets to steal that from me.

A lasting legacy

I've spent a great deal of time today laughing, tearing up, and smiling. The reason, you might ask? My deceased grandfather...

My grandfather was no ordinary man. He had the patience of a saint, and he was, hands down, the most meticulous man I have ever met. If he had been a blood relative, there would be zero questions as to where my extreme organization skills came from (though, I seem to be lacking in this department lately, but I digress...).

Throughout his seven month battle with cancer, he was the epitome of good examples. Even on his very worst of days, he was someone to be admired; he left a legacy.

A few blogs back, I posted about importance of seeing people: my grandfather did just that. He would spend days on end in the hospital or local nursing facility, but instead of being caught up with his own needs, wants, aches, or pains, he would be geniunely concerned with those around him. He loved my grandmother and was constantly aware of her well-being. He would try and send any of us home if we came to spend long hours with him because we had school...or work...or church...or baseball...or this...or that going on, and we needed to get our rest. He was every nurse's favorite patient because he never asked for anything.

I wish I had the time of day to write every funny story, comical instance, hair-raising moment, and good memory, because I could probably fill pages. What I can say is that I'm thankful: thankful for a grandfather who loved us, even though he wasn't bound by blood to such a commitment; thankful for a grandfather who filled my heart with inspriation and taught me what it really is to be courageous; thankful for man who will pleasantly live on in my heart as long as it's beating.

"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example."
-Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

I've given a lot of thought to the concept of time lately. One of my favorite catch-phrases is, "If only there were more hours in a day!", but for the most part, I'm glad I've never seen that request come to full fruition.

The truth is, time is often an overlooked jewel. Last year when the doctors diagnosed my grandfather as a terminal patient, time was precious. As we drove to the hospital in December after my brother tried blowing his hand off, time was precious. Saturday, when I rolled out of bed 7:42am and needed to leave the house no later than 7:45am, time was precious.

Sometimes I find myself asking, "Where has this day gone?", "Where has this week gone?", or "Where has this year gone?" and I wonder if I'm making the most of the time I've been given. Granted, I'm sure I'm guilty of wasting a few minutes every day (thank you, facebook!), but what about the grander scheme of things? In what areas of life am I dragging my feet, and what can I do to better move forward? Where do I need to make adjustments so that my priorities are where they should be?

As humans, we reap what we sow; there is no getting around or away from it. I don't know about you, but I want to "sow" my time smartley (Yes, as a matter of fact, I did just make that word up!) Now is the time for no regrets!

I do not like green eggs and ham!

This day in history, 1904, the world welcomed a literary genius, Mr. Theodor Geisel, to the planet. That's right, today is Dr. Seuss' birthday!

I have been fasinated with Dr. Seuss ever since I can remember. Growing up, my brother's two favorite books were Green Eggs and Ham and Hands, Hands, Fingers, Thumb. In a bind, I'm pretty sure I could still recite every line of both...

Last year in my comp. class, I wrote an essay on famous figures I'd like to share dinner with; Dr. Seuss made the guest list. Maybe it's the English nerd in me, but I can think of few people that would be as interesting as he. I mean, afterall, anybody that can write a best seller titled "One Fish, Two, Red Fish, Blue Fish" has got to have some serious inspiration to impart.

Speaking of inspiration, here are some "nuggets" he left behind:

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go."

"I have heard tehre are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables  you to laugh at life's realities."

Hats to you, Dr. Seuss!

It's good to see!

You know, people are important. Generally, I tend to do well at "seeing" those who are involved in my everyday life, but a few weeks ago I decided it was time to, "up the ante" and take this seeing business to the streets. I want to take the time to notice the girl behind the cash register, the man that serves my dinner, and the intelligent but overly talkative kid that I sit next to in history class.Who are they, and how can I make them feel recognized and valuable? After all, God is about people, so I should follow suit.

Yesterday, I got the privilege of  putting this idea to practice. After a turn of events, I found myself at home instead of the campus library, and I was just about to get settled when the doorbell rang. A woman whom I'd only met once before stood in front of me, and she needed help. Her initial request was for a ride, but as the moments passed, I quickly realized what she really needed was the time of day. What was originally going to be a ten minute ride across town turn into ninety minutes of listening to a woman that many would classify as broken or beyond repair. Throughout our conversation, I had two choices: I could see her for who she is and who she has the potential to become, or I could deem her as defined by her mistakes and cast her aside.

We live in a society that is too caught up on people's hang-ups to be concerned with their true identity. Sure, this is life, and some people will unfortunately choose to remain in a cycle of failure and defeat, but then there are those who show up on your front porch, actively seeking a better way. May we never be so far removed from our own faults that we turn them away.


"You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade."
-Tenth Avenue North

The "Unplanned"

Okay, so I'll admit it; I am a planner by nature. On any given day, my day timer is organized (and full, I might add) down to the last hour, my bi-weekly budget is outlined neatly in my pocket memo book, and a week's worth of pressed outfits hang in my closet. Say what you must, but efficiency is key.

Then there are those moments in life; moments that don't fit with any schedule, jive with any plan, or are otherwise totally unexpected. Today, for example, I didn't plan to oversleep, I didn't plan on spilling my soda on my pants fifteen minutes prior to class, nor did I plan on my professor rescheduling that exam I've been studying for (though, I must say, I was thankful for that change!), but all of the above occurred, with or without my blessing.

When I delved deeper into the grand scheme of things, I realized most major events in my life have been...wait for it...unplanned. Sure, I was an unexpected baby with unforseen birth defects that would later cause a multitude of problems, but the surprises didn't stop there. I didn't plan on going to college, I didn't plan on buying a home before I could have a glass of wine with dinner, and I certainly didn't plan on falling in love, living happy, or becoming an associate youth pastor, but clearly the joke's on me.

Three years ago, I cringed at the very thought of my well-devised life agenda going awry, and deviation was not a word in my vocabulary. Sure, it was a predictable way of life, but it never allowed me the opportunity to live. I never ventured outside my box.

I'm glad things are different now. Granted, post-it notes and a color-coded receipt system will continue to be a part of my everyday life, and I'll always have goals to work towards, but I rest in the fact that I can be content. Content with today, content with the unknowns of tomorrow, and content with where my future is headed. I know who is really in charge, and I'm confident in what He has planned :-)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11