something I wrote (and a couple more paragraphs because I'm avoiding my homework)

I wrote this about kids and the plan of salvation. It was internet-published today. Which, kind of, a little, makes up for the lack of posting on here, right?

Also, I have mid-terms this week, not procrastinating on such matters is a struggle for me. I mean, why stop something that I'm so great at doing? Therefore, I have been doing very little other than watching lectures and reading--oh, so much reading!

I must say, though, I am kind of proud of myself that this is my first blog post all week. Oftentimes, when I am faced with much to do, I somehow feel the need to be creative and write.

Okay, back to the books.

Things I Like Tuesday: Fall, but not yet

I had planned to write about how much I like fall today, because sometime this week is the first day of fall (I'm not clear on which day, since a friend told me it was today, someone I follow on twitter said it's tomorrow, and my calendar says Thursday). But, it's been around 90 degrees in Nashville this week. Not very fall-like.

So, I decided to try to think of some things I like about hot weather.

I like swimming and that is best done in hot weather. I only went swimming once this summer, though, and that was just between a boat and a tube, so not really. (sorry, that's still kind of negative)

Positive thoughts...

It's nice to be able to wear shorts and skirts without my legs getting cold.

High temps are perfect for ice cream and, as you may know, I am especially fond of ice cream.

I'm generally less pale in the warmer months.

That's all I got. I like the summer, but for mostly for reasons not involving high temperatures. I am looking forward to the weather catching up with the time of year.

a few small things

--I have to write a paper for one of my classes--the first real paper of my master's degree--and I still have a lot to read before I can begin. Then three things:

1. I cancelled going to dinner with some lovely friends to a fantastic restaurant.
2. My co-worker came in with a free ticket to Carrie Underwood's concert tonight. I mean, seriously? And I had to say no.
3. I was invited to Bible study with some other good friends.

Sometimes, I hate being responsible.

--Today, I saw a short video of a CD "listening party." While I admit I would feel pretty cool to be invited to attend such an event, I hope I never am. Everyone was just sitting there, on some couches, staring at each other (well, the ground, mostly), listening to a guy's CD. Awkward. I assume said guy was there as well, making it doubly awkward for him--listening to himself sing with all his friends. I guess it's a music thing I wouldn't understand.

--A lady that called today told me I needed to change my title (Administrative Assistant) since we don't have an Administrator. I told her no.

--I definitely laid my heart out twice in the last two days to a friend living 2,016 miles away via email. She's probably questioning the possibility of continuing our friendship.

--I am in current need of a travel. I haven't been anywhere in forever. (Blytheville, AR does not count.)

Things I Like Tuesday: Ice Cream

photo by flickr user tamdotcom

Ice Cream. Ice Dream. Frozen Custard. Frozen Yogurt. Gelato.

I like it all.

My love of all frozen treats is due to my grandfather, DaddyJim, I am sure. DaddyJim always has ice cream on hand. Many times, his freezer is loaded with at least three flavors. After every family meal, ice cream is served--generously. In our family, we have regular portions and "DaddyJim portions" of ice cream. "DaddyJim scoops" are about twice as packed as a regular scoop and there are at least three scoops per bowl. Whenever we go out with him anywhere, we usually make a stop to get some ice cream. Once, as I was leaving a family get-together to go to the movies, DaddyJim gave me twenty dollars "in case you need to get a popsicle or something."

So, maybe I inherited this thing I like.

mourning a squirrel

Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! --Luke 12:24

Today, on the way to church, I ran over a squirrel. It is the first time in my life that I have been directly responsible for the death of a living creature (houseplants excluded). I felt horrible. The little guy was just trying to cross the interstate with something he had found and he stopped in my lane. I tried to avoid him without swerving too sharply (did that once. lesson learned.), but he stepped right into the line of my tire, stood up, and I hit him. I couldn't believe it.
For the next ten minutes of my drive, I mourned the death of that little squirrel. I thought about where he could have been going, what he could have been doing, who he might have left behind. Silly, I know, but my imagination took over. Now, his little life was over. And I'm the one that ended it. I was practically in tears.
Then, I realized, while I'm sure God cares about squirrels, I know he loves his children more. He made us in his own image. And there are bearers of his image dying all over the world--the speaker for my high school graduation said someone in the world dies every seven seconds. They aren't necessarily getting hit by cars; they're dying of AIDS, lack of food and water, disease, and disaster. And many of them are dying without the hope of Jesus.
In light of that, mourning a squirrel seemed foolish and insignificant. If I want to be more like Jesus, and I do, maybe I should devote a little more care to the people of this world, not just the squirrels.


Show me how to love like You loved me. Break my heart for what breaks Yours.

Queue

I was thinking on my drive home last night about the word queue. I honestly don't know how I got to thinking of that word, but I did. I decided that I really like the word queue. I mean, is there another word in the English language that uses five letters, four of which are vowels, in order to express one letter (Q)? Maybe, but I can't think of one. Why make it so completely complicated? I have to be honest, I wasn't even 100% sure of the pronunciation of the word queue until I went to England.
(and here's where I become one of those annoying people who's travelled to a country and is now an expert [but I did actually live there for 3 months]. I'm not expert, but I do know this:)
The British queue up for everything. They don't say line. It was never, "Are you in line?" No, it was "Is this the queue?" They queue up, they are queueing up, they are in queue, they queued up. Lovely people.
Lovely word. [It's also kind of fun to type. queue queue queue. Okay, I'm done.]

shepherds and sheep songs

A Couple of Things I Thought I Learned in Sunday School

My first Bible, well the first one I ever really read, was a pink Precious Moments version. I liked the pictures--those tear-drop eyed, big-headed kids that always seemed a little sad. Mine was the King James Version (because that is the easiest version for a girl of 6 to understand?). I remember this because of one "precious moment" in particular, when I was called upon to read some verses out loud in 2nd grade Sunday School. I stopped short when I saw a certain word. I knew it meant donkey, but it didn't say donkey, if you catch my drift. I began to turn red and shift uncomfortably in my child-sized chair. Was I allowed to cuss if it was written in the Bible? I knew the rules on Hell/hell (the place--okay; any other context--not okay; replace with heck if unsure) but this had not come up before. Could I lie about what the Bible said? After about a 20 second pause, I read it as it was written, amid snickers from the boys.

Anyway, also in 2nd grade, I was required to memorize the 23rd Psalm for school. I memorized my pink, Precious Moments, KJV version. The first verse (in the KJV, and several other versions) reads: "The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want." Since this was before I completely understood the semicolon, this verse always confused me. Why would we not want the Lord, our Shepherd? Furthermore, why were we always quoting this verse about not wanting God? It wasn't until much later in life that I put two and two together and realized that it meant "Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I will never be in want." (my paraphrase).

On a somewhat related note, I always thought that "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus," the invitation hymn of choice (on alternate Sundays: "Just As I Am"), was about sheep. I guess I only paid attention to the part about "No turning ba-a-a-ack." See: ba-a-a-ack? Kind of like "ba-a-a," like the noise a sheep makes? I suppose I was daydreaming during the other portions of the song? Probably thinking about sheep.