Friday, April 24, 2009

I'm Boring. But you knew that...

This week has been an interesting one for me. I've learned a lot about myself. Mainly, I have learned that I am the most boring person ever.

You should probably quit reading right now. Save yourselves; avert your attention; surf away from this blog!

Anyways, I just love how there are those certain moments when things seem so clear, when you realize that there is something that defines you. I am defined by how boring I am. I can accept that.

This realization came courtesy of one of my students. I'm having them do a research/position/proposal paper wherein they find a problem or issue, research it, present an argument about it, and then propose something that they could actually do to solve it. I'm totally excited about this project. We watched the movie Invisible Children, which if you haven't seen you must. Like right now. It is amazing. And perhaps even life changing.

So, I was talking to my students about their topics, and one student (who is very bright and quite a competent writer) asked, "Can we write about something less serious?" She said that the topics we'd discussed had been really serious, and she just wondered if it would be possible to do something a little less intense. Of course I said that wouldn't be a problem. I'm flexible.

But, as I stood there waiting for them to finish a freewrite, I was totally perplexed. it seriously never occurred to me that someone would even want to write about something less serious. I mean, I seriously could not wrap my mind around that concept. I mean, I will be the first (or maybe more like third or fourth) to tell you that there is a lot of beauty in this world, that people are so much better than you will ever anticipate, that there is a lot of good. I really do see the bright side. I promise! :) But I also know that there are so many problems that need intervention, that there are so many people who could accomplish so much in their lives and in their communities, if only they had the resources to do so. I mean, to me, I see or know of the poverty and sadness and all the ugliness that is in the world, and it makes me sad. I wish these things weren't there, but I am amazed at the awesome responsibility to help at those times when we have the opportunity to.

I guess I just can't imagine not wanting to tackle these sorts of problems because that's why we're here. Isn't it? It's those serious issues that need our attention, and sometimes we have the means to actually do something.

So, I'm boring. I guess I'll have to learn to live with that. It's really just interesting to think of how differently we view things. And, it reminds me that (even though I can be very stubborn) we really do need each other. We need to see how other people view the world. Maybe I could learn to look for the lighter or happier aspects of life if I could see it through her eyes for a while. Or maybe I would see things I would never expect. I'm guessing I would. Maybe borrowing a new set of eyes is a good idea for every once in a while! ;)

Oh, and I also learned that I'm boring today while at an appointment. I've had a headache for about 2 weeks now, and the headachiness started spreading down my back. So, I made my very first appointment with a chiropractor. Let me tell you. It was fantastic. Who knew a spine could pop that loudly? Amazing! And the chiropractor was really nice. But, anyways, after the adjustment (snap crackle pop), they hooked me up to these electrical thingies. This is when I realized that I'm boring. I was there, getting help because I'm in pain, and all I thought about was all the things I need to do. Papers to grade, fundraising for the orphanage, newsletter for the non-profit, supplies for El Salvador, the kids, physical therapy methods for our kids with MD. And did I mention that I work two jobs? Why oh why was I not just relaxing and enjoying the attention to my poor, achy muscles? Because I'm a boring almost-grownup. Seriously, Boring. When did this happen to me?

Oh, well. Turns out that I like working constantly. Weird. Turns out that I may become a type-A personality. Turns out that I might end up becoming assertive? Oh, yes, friends. These things are happening. Someone even called me "intense" the other day. Really? Me? Intense? Oh, say it ain't so!

Loves! Loves! Loves!

Sara

PS: Please forgive me for this self-indulgent post. I love you, people! God bless!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Reading the Gospels. See, I really do read the Bible! ;)

The other day, I decided to start reading the Gospels. For some reason, I almost never read them. I usually find myself reading from the Old Testament, especially Psalms, or from Paul's epistles. I go to a Baptist church, so I suppose I need to keep up with Paul. And, though I'm not sure why, I just really love the Old Testament.

But, personal preferences aside and all, I thought I should really study the Gospels, get to know them better. Perhaps I decided that studying the Gospels would be good because I'm, well, Christian, and as such, it would probably be good for me to know more about, well, Christ. You see, I haven't spent years in school for absolutely nothing. I'm smart enough to eventually understand that Christians should know about Christ and that in order to do so they should probably read the Gospels. And did you know that the Gospels are the Good News? I'm just full of all sorts of information that any five year old in a decent Sunday School class should be able to tell you!

Well, anyways, as soon as I had this epiphany, I decided to get right to reading the Gospels. I'm starting with Matthew because it comes first. Usually I scorn convention, but I'm going to bring a little order to this endeavor. So, as I was reading, I got to the part about the baptism of Jesus. That's my favorite part. (Truth be told, I might have read this before.)

So, I was in my favorite part, and, just to be fair, I'll add the verses here:

13 Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He wanted to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to stop him. He told Jesus, "I need to be baptized by you. So why do you come to me?"
15 Jesus replied, "Let it be this way for now. It is right for us to do this. It carries out God's holy plan." Then John agreed.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened. Jesus saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove.

17 A voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him."

I'm not sure why, but I find those verses one of the most amazing parts of the Bible. I say that about every part, but this time it's true. :)

Usually, when I've read these verses before, I've focused on the Spirit, on the dove. But, for some reason, as I read these verses the other night, I was thinking about John the Baptist. And I kept thinking about verses 14 and 15. I kept thinking of how unworthy John must have felt. But that he had to baptize Jesus, as that was part of "God's holy plan."

And I guess I couldn't help but think of how unable or unworthy we all feel at times, especially in doing those things we feel called to do. And, perhaps it's not just a feeling of unworthiness but a knowing that we are so far from righteous, a not understanding how someone like you or me could be a part of a holy plan. But I think we are.

Love,

Sara

Also, if you think about it, pray for my kids in El Salvador for our fundraising efforts. I'll be going there twice this summer, so I could use some prayers too. :)

Friday, April 17, 2009

I need to sleep!

Oh, Heavens!

It's nearly 1:30 in the morning, and I'm about to get to sleep. Now, it's not like this is exactly late. I have to say that because otherwise I feel like an old person. Though, truth be told, I am becoming an old person. :)

Anyways, 1:30 is late when the reason you are awake isn't because you were out having a fun time. It's late when the reason you are up is work. And, if you enjoyed the work you were doing, you are officially an old person. Because old people like to work. They're industrious, even.

But, me? I am not so industrious. I am the opposite of industrious. I am a person who wants to hide under my comfy, warm covers for just five more minutes, which will surely turn into two more hours. However...

I'm really liking my work lately. In fact, I might even be loving it. I want to research for it, make handouts for it, create interesting lesson plans for it. People, I made a PowerPoint. A PowerPoint. That is what I am doing up so late. I made a beautiful PowerPoint for my class tomorrow, and I'm so excited to show it to them. It's beautiful. It has pictures and inspiring quotes. I mean, inspiring quotes, people. I hate inspiring quotes. I mean, I super duper can't stand them. They just always seem so, I don't know, annoying and trite? But, I found some inspiring quotes, and I loved them. So I put them on my PowerPoint. I even thought about incorporating music, but I couldn't figure out what to play. Besides, that might be kind of, I don't know, stupid?

Anyways, my class is gearing up for their final essay of the semester, so I decided to make some adjustments to it. And that's what has me so excited about it. I've even started thinking of ways to create a class that's similar to what I'm doing with this final essay. It's kind of a Composition meets Service Learning kind of thing, and I'm just really excited to see what the students do with it.

Okay, now I'll really get to sleep.

Love you!

Sara

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Rebirth

Today is Easter, and I have to be honest. I don't mean that I have to be honest because it's Easter, though it does seem especially difficult to be dishonest on a day like Easter, a day when we are all so focused on that which is honest, on that which is Truth.

But, that's just it, really. I haven't been too focused. Specifically, I haven't been too focused on prayer, on reading my Bible, on much of anything that I feel like I should be focused on. As the days and weeks led up to Easter, I wasn't really looking forward to it. I wasn't really anxious with anticipation. I wasn't really much of anything.

Except that I was a bit of everything. I was sick. I was busy. I was working my two jobs. I was grading a giant stack of papers. I was battling a mountain of laundry. And if I'm going to be very, very honest, I was losing the battle with the laundry. In fact, I died on that mountain. I'll be wearing a cocktail dress to teach in tomorrow, because that's all that's clean.

And in all that busyness, I wasn't thinking too much about anything, well, spiritual.

But, Easter is a time of rebirth. Or, more specifically, it is a time of coming back from the dead. It is a time of remembering that Jesus, my God and my friend, overcame death.

And then He returned to us.

This year, for some reason, it occurred to me that the Easter story is truly strange. It's that last part that's strange. He returned to us. It's always seemed so normal before. Of course He returned. That's the way the story goes, every time, every year. Jesus returns.

But, as I was fighting the battle on laundry mountain, I started wondering why. It makes absolutely no sense that He would return. I mean, I'm sure that theologically it makes sense, fulfillment of prophecy and all of that, but it doesn't make rational sense that He would return to a world that killed Him. However, that He did return, despite the cruelty with which we treated Him and the callousness and hardness of heart which caused us to doubt Him, just speaks so clearly of the Truth that is the unchanging love of God. That "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." And, not only died for us, but returned to us. Returned to us because, despite the ugliness of our sin, He loves us. Because, in all times and all places--even now--God calls us to Himself.

So, I was thinking about Easter this evening, and I decided to read my Bible. It seemed like a good enough start. I turned to Philippians, which I so often do. Each time it's like meeting an old friend. Each time I read Philippians, I feel how much I've missed the encouragement that reading it brings. I've marked it up so much, but each time I read it, I find something that didn't stand out to me before, something that maybe I was meant to appreciate at a later time. Tonight was like that as well.

As Easter is a time of rebirth, I felt like it might also be a time that needs a prayer all its own. So, here is my prayer for this next year:

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Much love to each of you on this Blessed Easter,

Sara

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Ugh-ness and Baseball Updates!

Today I spent all day in bed. Now, before you start thinking that I had some sort of wonderful, lazy Wednesday or that I lounged around while people brought me food or that all I did was watch movies...

Well, there was laziness, but it was mainly the kind of laziness that accompanies being sick and feeling ugh. And I have been feeling ugh. So ugh, in fact, that I didn't go to job number two today. I figured my co-workers and the sweet students I tutor would appreciate not getting whatever I have. Because whatever I have is not fun.

On a somewhat related note, for whatever reason, my students have been getting the most bizarre illnesses. Like, things that I didn't even know you could get. One had Scarlet Fever, and another just emailed to say he has Shingles. I mean, seriously? Where have they been that they've gotten these illnesses? And, more importantly, why do my students come to class when they're sick?

On a happier note, I went to the Cubs game on Tuesday, and it was wonderful. Cubs win. Fantastic. I wore my lucky hat and confirmed that the hat is lucky. Last night they won; tonight they didn't win. Last night I wore the hat; tonight I did not wear the hat. You may say, "Coincidence," but I know better than that. :)

Okay, I'm about to go to bed because I am sick and ugh. In fact, I am in bed as I type. So, perhaps I should say, I'm going to sleep now because I am sick and ugh. But, I've never been one to stress the details...

Loves!

Sara

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Some New Loves and a Plan

The Loves

As of late I have some new Internet loves. I'm not talking people, here. I'm talking Internet sites. Recently, I found a couple of sites that I think are pretty dadgum fantastic, so I thought I'd share them with my readers. Um, so I thought I'd share them with Greta, my reader. :)

So, here we go!

Okay, first of all, I love a good piece of introspective writing. I love it even more if the writer is contemplating life and death and all of those sorts of mysteries. I guess I just like to see how people confront those things that we all must, how they wrap their minds around all that is so difficult to understand. The other day I found Cases. It's a section of the New York TImes online, and it is absolutely amazing. I guess I should say that not all of the articles deal with life and death, but they are all related to the goings-on in the medical profession, and, as such, they all revolve around the more major decisions that people are faced with. Some of those are, in fact, issues of life and death. In any case, I could get sucked into reading quite a few of these at one sitting, and I just might have. :)

Second up. This one's a little weird. But, that's part of it's charm. Also part of it's charm? The fact that it's a blog. About food. A blog about food. What could be better? So what Am I talking about? Eat Like Me. It's a blog written by a dietician, and she talks about what she eats throughout the day. She also takes pictures of her meals. Weird, right? Perhaps I should have prefaced this by saying that I'm on a bit of a health food kick lately. But, I really like this blog because it shows what eating healthy can look like for a real live person who lives a busy life. It's doable and even yummy looking. Trust me, the blog is pretty fun, and it can give you all sorts of good ideas for satisfying snacks and energy-upping meals.

Okay, not all of my new loves are confined to this here series of tubes. Some are in real life. Not too long ago, a new store opened up in town, and it is definitely one of my new loves. Village Foods is just about my favorite thing to come along in quite some time. It's kind of like a Whole Foods, but it's just a new local store. Small and friendly, Village Foods makes me want to shop for groceries and is quickly becoming the only store I'll go to. The benefit of this is that I'm eating healthier than I probably ever have, and I am truly loving it. Have I given up diet sodas? Not a chance, but I am making an effort to go organic and to support a local business. Oh, and Katy's little guy absolutely loves Village Foods!

The Plan

My plan for tomorrow? Baseball! Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Houston for the season opener at Minute Maid Park. I am really excited about it, though today I started to get a little cold which threatened to derail my excitement. Never fear, people. My excitement lives, and tomorrow I plan to be at Minute Maid, watching the Cubs beat the Astros!

Okay, that's a look at what's going on right now!

I love you all!

Sara