James 2:14-17

]]> http://randomramblyns.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/graduation-day/feed/ 0 randomramblyns grad to nowb Slide1 Slide1 http://randomramblyns.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/the-olympic-games/ http://randomramblyns.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/the-olympic-games/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:12:25 +0000 randomramblyns http://randomramblyns.wordpress.com/?p=113 ]]>

The Winter Olympic Games 2010 has captured my attention. I find myself making a sincere effort to be apart of it by racing across town to see the torch fly by, buying the official red mittens, and making the time to watch the various competitions. I’m actually quite intrigued by my interest and patriotism because in the past summer and winter Games  I wouldn’t even so much as turn on the t.v. to catch the recaps of spectacular Canadian moments. Maybe my interests simply comes from the fact that it’s in Canada making it feel that much more touchable, relative, and emotional…. who knows. All I know is that I’m into it and it’s a good thing.

The other thing about the Olympic Games is that it reminds me of who I was and who I could have been. I used to be athletic when I was young but because of back injuries I had to pull out. Unfortunately, I was never able to get back into it. I never appreciated it back then but I really miss the competitions, the team spirit, and the adrenaline rush. I miss pushing myself (both physically and mentally) harder and further to reach a goal and then achieving it. I miss that satisfaction of all the hard work and at times hardship paying off. I miss it. Watching the Olympic Games brings me to a place of what if. What if I had pushed myself through those injuries and overcame the mental and physical blocks? What would my life look like if I actually followed through to a real end? I would love to say that I’ve put that part of my life to rest and am at peace with where I am today. But I’m not and I’m still working through it. It’s hard to put a part of you that makes you to rest and I don’t think I want to. What I want to do is to be at peace with it. The journey for me is finding out how to get there.

LOOKING AT MY GLASS…

DISPLAY CHANGE

Half Empty

Trying to hang this heavy blue curtain on the wall all by myself for my winter scene at church. There’s no loop on the curtain and no hooks on the wall. I should just give up before wasting my energy trying for nothing.

Half Full

Opportunity to get creative, problem solve, and work through a challenge. 4 skipping ropes, a few pipe cleaners, many pins, duck tape and packaging tape (nothing was taped to the actual wall ) the curtain was up and looking great. I gave myself a good pat on the back and treated myself to a happy dance!

KNITTING

Half Empty

This scarf/blanket/purse/whatever doesn’t look good! It’s all bunchy and full of holes This is taking FOREVER!!! I just want it done and over with so I can show it off!

Half Full

The journey is just as important, if not even more, than the end result. Each hole in my scarf/blanket/purse/whatever reminds me of the wonderful imperfections that add beauty to our everyday lives. It’s my first attempt at knitting, it won’t be perfect but I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.

MY CRYING NEPHEW

Half Empty

He won’t stop crying! Every time I put him down, or sit down, or not sway him the right way he cries. I’m ready to pull my hair out!

Half Full

He cries when he wants to sleep and feel near to you. Even though it is hard work it is my opportunity to embrace, love, and cherish this wonderfully adorable little person. Gotta say, I have so much more respect and appreciation for mothers. Thanks mom! 6 kids!.. you’re my hero no doubt!

CREDENTIAL APPLICATIONS

Half Empty

I HATE applications! I don’t like bubbling in multiple choice answers, I don’t like writing paragraphs about myself, I don’t like answering short answer theological questions. It stresses me out and I can’t get it done fast enough

Half Full

Each question reminds me of my journey as a Christian I have taken so far and the journey ahead of me as a licensed minister. The theological questions are actually fun cause it reminds me of  papers and assignments I enjoyed doing in the past. The more questions I answer the more I learn about myself and the greater confidence I gain in my abilities.

….

It is may not be our doing in what life dishes out at us, but it is our choice in the way we see it.  I choose to see my glass as being half full and not half empty.

Take it as you will…these are just some of my random ramblyns

Carolyn

when words disappear and feelings consume.

When your world stops but the entire world keeps going.

When each breath is easy but the art of breathing is lost.

When responsibilities demand your attention but the lump in your heart begs for it.

This is a season.

There is a season of “it”

When the sun, stars, and moon makes sense

When the world dances to its beat and yours to its own

When love fills the heart that joy overflows.

When colours sparkle and water glistens

And all is at it should be.

This is a season.

There is a season of sight

When the future feels distant but is experienced in the now

When laughter feels fake but smiles ripple graciously

When suffering is despised but pain is strengthening.

When dawn simultaneously says hello to tomorrow but goodbye to yesterday.

This is a season.

These are my seasons.

To “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalms 46:10

“The Tyra Show” is going back to high school, this time changing things up a bit.

On today’s episode of the Tyra Show, Tyra talked with the popular and unpopular groups of students attending a high school in New York. She had hoped to achieve some level of reconciliation between the two groups at the end of the show, which she disheartedly failed to do. During the heated conversations, Tyra asserted that the power to break the wall between the popular and unpopular students laid only in the hands of popular.

Do you think this is a true assessment of our reality? If so, where is the empowerment of the unpopular, the weak, the minorities (not necessarily cultural)??

How can you tell when someone values your opinions? Is through affirmation?…Defyance?…Debates? Should it be based on a feeling or simply a knowing? What about that feeling you get in your stomach that naws at you…should you ignore it because  it’s one bad feeling out of many good ones? But how do you really know you are respected? Especially during those times of conflict with another, when it’s one person’s ways against another’s? Does respect vary from situation to situation or is it simply constant? Or…in all of this is it really a question of one’s own insecurities?

http://www.theview.tv/videos?page=1

It’s an interesting topic. Do you think such testing should be done for students especially minors without parental consent? Should parents be given a copy of the results regardless if consent was given?