It's Amazing To Me

It's brought to our attention on a daily basis at school that the quarter is almost over and that we really need to get serious about bringing together loose ends and so forth. I am fairly confident that all my ends are tied and flailing in the wind no longer.

I have determined that the majority of my co-learners have the same level of preparedness as that squirrel I ran over a few days ago. (By the way, it was my first!)

Most of the curriculum for my program of study is self-paced...which pretty much means that it is up to me, the student, to make sure that I get everything done. I, being the model student that I am, have been making the most of every minute at Central Georgia University of Higher Learning and Cosmetology. I have learned from my experiences that I can easily fall into a trap of not having everything done on time.

Again, I am basically alone in this determination. After sufficiently complaining about the lack of time we have left in the term to complete their work, most of my classmates left a good hour early tonight.

I hate this. My fellow students get ticked off because time is running out and they ain't gonna finish everything...and, yet, they leave early. Probably to go to the library to check e-mail or to the parking lot to buy/sell some fine pawn-shop quality items.

And please make no inference that this is in any way directed at a specific race, creed, or religion. Well, maybe creed. But, anyway, this is everybody and their mamas, literally. The general attitude is that "somebody else is paying for this (the state, the federal gov't, etc.) so I can screw around and not take this even as seriously as I take my job at Krystal, which, by the way, I show up for less than half the time."

(Parenthetically, I think I'm on to something. That sounds a lot like the attitude of those who abuse Welfare and Medicaid and every other form of handout that we, as a country, supply to those who don't have jobs because they've never looked for jobs. Ask me about the Medicaid Escalade. Coming down off soap box...)

So, in conclusion, I'm in one of my "The Whole World Is Stupid Except For Me And A Select Few...Forget It - Just Me" attitudes. The real conclusion is that unless you're doing everything in your power to make something happen, don't complain that it has not yet happened.

*Note to self: Read your own blog, Danny!

A Different Rabbi

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30
NKJV Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

**The following was assembled by yours truly with assistance from Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell.**

After learning a little bit more about the use of the term "yoke," this verse stood out to me even more. (Some of you probably know far more about this than I, but I'm just starting to learn, so be nice to me.)

At an elementary school age, a young Jewish boy of the time would begin learning the Hebrew scriptures. As he progressed in his learning, a rabbi would determine if the boy had would it took to continue studying and learning to become a rabbi himself.

If a rabbi saw that you had, er, "potential," he would call you to take his yoke and follow him and learn from him. In fact, having the dust from the rabbi's feet on you was a sign of how closely you followed him.

That is tremendously encouraging to me. Imagine how Simon Peter and Andrew, the fishermen, felt. They had probably grown up knowing they weren't "rabbinic material." They caught fish for living. Then comes Jesus, a rabbi, calling them out of their boats to follow him.

Imagine all your life wanting to be an...astronaut. You had the astronaut wallpaper and toy space shuttles and the whole nine yards, but when you came of age to become an astronaut, you were told to go follow the trade of your father and catch fish. But then, a real-live professional "I have an astronaut's license" astronaut came to you and asked you to come be an astronaut with him.

I imagine that's how Jesus' disciples felt. Jesus was asking them to follow Him. Follow a real-live rabbi.

Jesus wants to take your burden and make it his own. He is gentle - not sissy gentle - but concerned and compassionate and caring. He will give you rest. Just follow Him.

Visiting My Childhood (at least that's a good excuse)

I hope this doesn't discredit me too much...

Being a Weird Al fan for many years now, the video at the link below brings quite a smile to my face...




Music Video:WHITE & NERDY (by Weird Al Yankovic)

Demoralized

So many things are acceptable in our world today that should be looked upon as awful, horrible, disgusting things. I'll give you a fine example.

Last night at school, (where else?), I was talking about my job with one of my classmates. We'll call her "Lucy." I was sharing with Lucy how much I like my co-workers and that, overall, it's a good place to work. I mentioned that I have a pretty good relationship with my boss and that I've helped her with things outside of work (putting up Christmas lights, moving, etc.)

Our conversation was something like this:

LUCY: "You got a little secret something' goin' on?"

ME: "No, it's nothing like that. I could never do that anyway."

LUCY: "Whatchoo mean? Why not?"

ME: "I just couldn't. She's married, she's my boss. I don't do that kinda stuff. It wouldn't exactly work out."

LUCY: "That don't stop most people."

ME: "It stops me."

Lucy didn't understand. She told me I must be one of those good guys. I'll take that. Good guy. Different. Redeemed. Whatever.

Why am I in some almost-looked-down-upon group? Good Guys. The world is trying to get rid of us. Why didn't Lucy support me in my desire to do the right thing? Some where along the line, she's fallen into the idea that it's okay to be unfaithful to your spouse. Fornication is okay. Marriage means nothing.

This is what a world without Christ is bound to be. Unfaithful. He is the only hope I see. Sorry to be so downcast, but I'm just sad for Lucy and all the others who believe like her.

Irony?

There's a commercial I hear often on the radio for a lawyer who handles worker's comp, and bankruptcies and things of that nature.

I really listened to it for the first time tonight.

At the end, the serious sounding announcer woman offers these encouraging words:

"There's no money down in Chapter 13 cases."

I may be mistaken, but doesn't the fact that someone is filing bankruptcy mean that the money is gone? That's it? No more? I don't have no money to do nothin'? Anyway, I just thought it ironic.

So, that sucked...

I pulled up into the parking lot at school just a few moments ago. A white Dodge Caravan pulled up right beside me. Stereotypically, this would have been one of the many 40-something-year-old moms who attend this fine institution of higher education, so I didn't think much about it.

Until she got out. She was gorgeous. About 5'2" with brown hair a few inches below her shoulders. Stylishly dressed, she had a sweet look about her. She smiled as she exited her vehicle and I smiled back with an overly emphasized "Hi!" We began walking toward the same building and I thought I had a chance to talk it up a little.

Until...

I started noticing something strange. She smelled like fried chicken. No joke. She smelled like she had jumped in with the chicken as it was being fried. I'm surprised she didn't have batter on her.

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with fried chicken or those who cook it. However, this "Essence of Chicken" perfume turned my radar back to "standby."

Why did this beautiful young woman have to smell like fried chicken? I guess I'll never know.

Signs of the Times

Things That Make You Go...

Focused and direct this blog shall not be, but instead, full of anything that comes to mind....

First of all, do they have to do that? Do cute little dating couples really have to sit IN MY CLASSROOM and play footsie and kiss and blah, blah, blah? It got to the point where I could tell the guy was becoming so extremely annoying that the girl would let out a "Stop It!" every 5 seconds. Eventually, she got up and left and I thought their romance was over and I could live happily ever after.

I was wrong.

Is it appropriate for me to vent on this thing? I mean, as long as I don't use vulgarity or stir up dissension? I am frustrated tremendously by a guy in a pair of shoes costing no less than $100, some jeans probably around $60-70, and a shirt...oh, maybe about another $60, who struggles to find change to purchase some imitation Little Debbie out of a snack machine at Central Georgia Technical College and turns to me and poses the question, "I can hol' 50 cent?" I wanted to say something witty like, "I don't know how '50' would feel about that. He's a big, tough rapper with 87 bullet wounds..." But instead, I politely offer him 50 cents and turn to leave with my $1.00 bottle of Dasani (or was it Aquafina?) water to walk back to my lab.

He probably went to the library later to check his e-mail.

In case you can't tell, there are certain people on this earth for whom I have very little understanding or patience. Fortunately for me (and for you) my God offers grace and mercy to us when we frustrate Him. It is a daily struggle to stay within His desires, but I'm trying. Some of my writing may not seem to parallel my faith. I don't see it that way so much as I am just trying to offer a little laughter to the world at the expense of those who shall remain nameless.

I'll leave you with this little piece of musical genious:

when the fantasy has ended
and all the children are gone
something good inside me
helps me to carry on
I ate some bugs
I ate some grass
I used my hand
to wipe my tears
to kiss your mouth
I break my vow
no no no no way jose
unless you want to
then we break our vows together
encarnaciohooooooooooooon
encarnaciohohohohohoooooooon
encarnaciooooooooooooon
dododittleditttledeeee
encarnaciohohohayhohooooon

New

God is calling me into a new level of faithfulness. I feel so inadequate. So extremely inadequate. It's almost as though I were a 5-year-old kid who has never played tee-ball who is scheduled to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Yes, inadequate.

I have so much trouble with the "small stuff." And now the big stuff is coming? Well, at least, bigGER. I'm in for a test.

It's a good thing the Almighty is the coach of this team.

Tie-Dye Sky

It's typical of me to make fun of those who carry their digital cameras everywhere with them and take approximately 4,286 pictures everyday. The endless parade of shots so close to noses and faces in general is enough to make me puke.

This evening, I was faced with an extreme desire to use a camera. I was on the way down Perry Parkway to my northbound entrance onto I-75 when the sky caught my eye. It looked like God was holding up a tie-dyed shirt in front of the sun. It was GORGEOUS. I longed for a photograph of it.

To those who are camera addicts, I offer my sincere apologies for any ridicule I may have offered you. Tonight, the sight of your cameras would've excited me.

God painted a beautiful picture for me tonight, and I am so thankful.