THIRTEEN THINGS I'VE DONE SINCE I LAST POSTED A THURSDAY 13
Okay, I know it has been a while since I last posted one of these, but October was crazy busy. I know, it is no excuse to shun blogging, but, well, it was on my to-do list, if that counts for anything! So, without further ado (and in no particular chronological order)...
1. I voted
2. I took the national written exam (and passed)
3. I took the national machine exam (and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be)
4. I passed the state exam. Yeah, you remember the one I whined heartily about... the trip to Austin... That one. Well, 43 people took the exam and 12 passed. See, I still stand by my opinion that it was a bad test. But, I passed it. Yippy!!!!
5. I have been to Houston.
6. My sister came to town
7. I've gotten over a nasty cold/allergies
8. I have scooped the litter box 1,340,234 times (it seems)
9. I have gone back to work at the Photo Job so I get to play with babies of complete strangers and coo at them and talk to them and all without mothers yanking the baby away from me and walking quickly in the other direction from the crazy redheaded woman.
10. I have planted flowers (mums) in my planters for fall
11. Most of those flowers have now died because we had a 14 hour cold snap and it got below freezing and the planters are up in the air unprotected and I didn't think to bring them to a warmer spot.
12. I have agreed to walk a 5K on Thanksgiving day in Ft. Worth (The Turkey Trot)
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I feel like I need to say something about the election.
Those who know me, know my Christian beliefs. Those who don't, well, I hope they know I'm a Christian by my words and actions. I try not to get "preachy" in my blog. I don't feel, in general, that it is the place to be preachy.
Still I feel like I need to say something.
Over the past few days I've gotten several e-mails concerning the elections and the fact that we need to pray that God will turn the election around and that the "right" guy would win -- if we prayed. One last night especially disturbed me because it was specifically asking for a miracle in the election and that the election would turn in the "right" way.
I did pray. I prayed that God's will would be done. I still pray that God's will be done.
I am so worried that there are now those who will feel that God got it wrong. That God has somehow foresaken our prayers. That is not true at all.
I so want people to step back and realize, now espcially, that God is in control. God will use this for his glory. Nothing has happened that isn't God's will.
As Christians and Americans we need to continue to pray for our country. We need to continue to pray for the political leaders here in the U.S. and around the world. We need to remember that everything is God's. He has a plan and even if we may not understand it, we need to remember that it is there.
Edited to add: Not only do we need to pray, we need to take action. Write letters to your Congress. Speak out against what you don't agree with. Prayer is great. Prayer is powerful. But I also believe that prayer without action on Christian's parts is not as great and powerful as it could be.
This is Stephen Curtis Chapman's song Yours. Listen to the chorus.
I walk the streets of London And notice in the faces passing by Somthing that makes me stop and listen My heart grows heavy with the cry
Where is the hope for London? You whisper and my heart begins to soar As I'm reminded That every street in London in Yours Oh, yes it is
I walk the dirt roads of Uganda I see the scars that war has left behind Hope like the sun is fading They're waiting for a cure no one can find
And I hear children's voices singing Of a God who heals and rescues and restores And I'm reminded That every child in Africa is Yours
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God Everything is Yours From the stars in the sky To the depths of the ocean floor And its all Yours, God, Yours, God Everything is Yours You're the Maker and Keeper, Father and Ruler of everything It's all Yours
And I walk the sidewalks of Nashville Like Singapore, Manila and Shanghai I rush by the beggar's hand and the wealthy man And everywhere I look I realize
That just like the streets of London For every man and woman, boy and girl All of creation This is our Father's world
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God Everything is Yours From the stars in the sky To the depths of the ocean floor And its all Yours, God, Yours, God Everything is Yours You're the Maker and Keeper, Father and Ruler of everything
Here is the new verse Steven wrote following the death of his daughter, Maria I've walked the valley of death's shadow So deep and dark that I could barely breathe I've had to let go of more than I could bear And I've questioned everything that I believe But still even here in this great darkness A comfort and hope come breaking through As I can say in life or death God we belong to you.
And we are Yours, God, Yours, God Everything is Yours From the stars in the sky To the depths of the ocean floor And its all Yours, God, Yours, God Everything is Yours All the greatness and power, the glory and splendor and majesty Everything is Yours Yeah, it's all Yours We are Yours The glory and honor is Yours, everything is Yours
Tomorrow is election day. If you want the right to complain about the government if "your" candidate isn't elected (or even if he is), you have to vote. If you do't vote, you don't get so-called "bitchin' rights."
No, I'm not going to tell you *who* to vote for. I'm not even going to tell you who I voted for, although those who know me know who I likely voted for. (I early voted last Wednesday to avoid the lines on election day.) This post is a guide to how to decide who to vote for.
You see, I have noticed an alarming trend in recent years, and in this upcoming Presidential election especially. That trend is a movement toward moving away from voting actual issues and instead voting on pure emotion. In other words, people are voting for charisma or gender or simply against someone they don't like. Personally, I think this is a lot of what's wrong with politics today.
Anyway, this is simply my take on how voting should be done.
First, don't look at the candidate as a person. What!? you ask. No, seriously. If you look at the person, emotion gets involved. You might vote because he's "old and wise" or "young and charismatic."
Second, write out a list of your "hot button" issues. Yes, with a pen and paper (or a computer and keyboard if you're more inclined) sit down and think about what is important to you. Are you pro-choice, pro-family, want lower taxes, think strong borders are important? Well, write those down, then rank them in order of importance. I recommend at least 10 "hot button" issues, but you can have more.
Third, with list in hand research where the candidates stand on these issues. Don't just rely on sound-bytes from network media. Don't rely on what you hear on the news. Go to unbiased websites (or even somewhat biased ones) that have answers to questions from the candidates that are on you "hot button" list. Read what the candidates acually believe on certain issues, look at their voting records in the Senate, think about what they really stand for and not just what the media makes them out to be.
Finally, go to the polls tomorrow and cast your ballot based on your own study and opinions and thoughts. Don't rely on friends, family or (*shudder*) the main stream media for your information. Read and think for yourself. Please?
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My Weekly Winners for October 25 - November 1
In honor of Halloween, this week is photos of my black cat, Buddy -- or as he's known on his birthday, October 31, Count Bud-ula. (insert evil laugh here) I can't believe my furry little guy is 12!
I wanted to get a portrait of him for his 12th birthday with the pumpkins I had on my porch. Here is the series I got.
Hey, what are these things?
Oh, too slow...
Way too slow...
I'll lay here, but I won't be happy about it.
Please, please, just let me go back in...
If I sit pretty can I go in?
This one will have to do.
Cropped and edited a bit it isn't so bad, I guess.
So, I'm catching up with blogging. Let's see, since my last post, I took the RPR written exam. I passed it. It wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. I think the bad state exam had me scared that the RPR exam was going to be just as bad.
I've been to Houston. The Women of Faith conference was amazing. As always, it was good to see Moma and Daddy. But, at the conference I got to see Sandi Patty. I love listening to her sing. Daddy took care of the cats... and he didn't even turn them lose.
This morning I took the machine portion of the RPR exam. I kind of just looked at it as the "dress rehearsal" for the machine part of the state exam in January. The lit and jury charge parts were good. The Q&A portion blew me away, but that was honestly expected. I typed up the tests and felt really good about the lit, okay about the jury charge, and not hopeful about the Q&A. So, if the theatre addage of a bad dress rehearsal leading to a great performance, I'm set.
I think tomorrow I go back to work at the photo place for the Christmas season. I think that will be fun again. I've had a break and I miss it. I'll be done with it by the time the end of December, though. I have to qualify for the state machine exam by November 26. Oh, yikes, that is two weeks earlier than I thought. Okay. I guess I have to buckle down even harder.
