I ate my lunch outside today. In the courtyard. It was soooo very nice. The sun was shining and it was warm when I first went out there. And that was exactly what I needed because I was chilly. Then, as I warmed up, the sun went under some clouds, and the breeze picked up. Ahhh … But then my lunch bag blew away. And when I stood up to retrieve it, I walked right through a spider’s web.
ttfn,
Julie
Last call! CAMP 08 begins Friday. Registration starts at 9 a.m. Buses leave at 10 a.m. We’ll be back around 5 p.m. Monday.
In case you haven’t heard, CAMP is gonna rock. We are staying at Hannibal-LaGrange College, where we’ll have good Bible studies, eat college food and participate in wonders a-plenty. Cost is $169 (scholarships are available). And our parents meeting is Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Call Julie at 885.5232 with questions.
“Entertainment Tonight” broke the news the other night: Angelina Jolie had given birth in France to twin girls. One was named after her mom; the other was named after Brad Pitt’s mom. Having watched “Entertainment Tonight” before, I’m quite certain the host called Angelina “Ange” or “Angie.” Afterall, ET and Ms. Jolie are tight like that.
A day or two later, I caught a glimpse of a news headline regarding the birth. I clicked on it because something caught my eye. Apparently, there was some uncertainty regarding the facts. Another piece of media said the twins had NOT been born and that ET had bought into a woman who was pretending to be affiliated with Jolie (a faux personal assistant, I believe). The said piece of media also made the statement based on what could be referred to by some as good, common sense: The grandparents hadn’t flown into town. And flowers hadn’t been delivered. Later, I saw another headline claiming ET knew exactly what it was doing when it relied on the would-be assistant. Oh, the drama!
I was thinking about this while I prepared myself to come to work this morning. I don’t know why.
But instead of spending time wondering who’s right/who’s wrong and how the story will unfold, I thought about my own life. And my relationship with God. Pitt and Jolie have money. And they have enough money to fly the grandparents, the aunts and uncles, the cousins, the neighbors, the water meter reader, etc. to France to see the new babies. Or so I assume. And A + B = C, right? Babies are born + Money is available = Grandparents will fly in. Period. Babies are born + Flowers are what people do = Flowers will be delivered. Period. And, yes, it does make sense. And, yes, others would draw similar conclusions. But no.
I don’t know when Jolie or Pitt will announce the birth of their twins. The babies might be 16 before we hear anything. And for fans of the actress and actor, patience might wear really very thin. But A + B does not always = C. And God isn’t always about signs.
So this is what I thought about while I readied myself for work this morning. How often do I look for God to build the equation A + B = C? How many times have I pouted or thrown a fit because A + B so did not equal C but, instead, it equalled W? And how many times, because I’ve thrown a fit and threw in the towel, have I not been able to see that God really intended the W to be a C to the power of 100? Or to a M, which would have been oogles better than what I could dream.
Flowers and grandparents are pretty good indicators that something amazing happened. But maybe Jolie wanted flower money to be given to orphans in Ethiopia so they’d have food for a month. And maybe the grandparents are waiting for a time to come when it’s better for Jolie and Pitt. And, maybe, had the media waited for word from the parents, we’d have pictures rather than rumors. And, perhaps, if we’d wait more often on God, we’d have our hearts’ deepest desires rather than something else.
That’s what it says on page 020 of “SEX GOD.” It does something to a person’s soul.
A friend of mine and I were talking the other day. She said, “And that’s why I think I’m so skinny. It’s because of how my dad treated my mom.” My friend is 32 years old. She’s beautiful. Yet, she’s afraid to gain a pound or two because she doesn’t want to disappoint her dad. Or any other guy.
Did you know there are websites that encourage people to rate the hotness level of others? Of girls. Hot or Not. Facebook advertises applications that do the same thing. Friends rating friends. Then there’s Maxim. And its 50 Most Beautiful Women. Or something like that. Last night, I watched about five minutes of the countdown on cable. Somewhere between Ashanti and Molly Sims, I found myself thinking, “I’ll never look like that.” And, really, that comment came at a great time. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about someone I used to know. In the church we attended, there was a painted Scripture above the stage. I believe it was “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Yet, at the time, I couldn’t quite shake the understanding that I didn’t look like the girls he could have had. I don’t know if he agreed. And the story is much more than that. But I allowed that statement to be an issue.
On page 020, Rob Bell writes:
“And it’s everywhere. The problem is that ‘that’ is actually a ’she.’ A person. A woman. With a name, a history, with feelings. It seems harmless until you’re that girl — and then it hurts. It’s degrading. It’s violating. It does something to a person’s soul.” He continues, “Jesus had much to say about what happens when a woman, an image-bearer, a carrier of the divine spark, becomes a ‘that.’ … Jesus teaches that ‘anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’ He connects our eyes and our intentions and our thoughts with the state of our hearts.”
Unless things change drastically, I’ll never be on Maxim’s Top 50. Or 1,000. I’m not Ashanti or Molly Sims or Cameron Diaz or Halle Berry or America’s Next Top Model. But I do believe God created me.
Sugar & Spice — it’s what girls are made of, eh? So we’re celebrating it. Monday begins our second season of Girls Bible Study. We’re meeting in the Fellowship Center at 7 p.m. The evening will be over at 8:30 p.m.
On June 2, we’re having finger foods.
What’s more, our 7th & 8th grade girls are reading “Do You Think I’m Beautiful?” by Angela Thomas. And our 9th-12th grade girls are reading “SEX GOD: Exploring the endless connections between sexuality and spirituality” by Rob Bell. I’m planning on giving you little updates about what I read in each book. Just so you know.
Julie
It’s raining again. And I have a poem I’d like to dedicate to our JH & SH | MIX Friday night.
(clears throat)
Volleyball, oh volleyball.
How round you are.
You are so rhythmic,
as you volley both near and far.
Bop. Bop. Bop.
Bop, you say on my side.
Bop, you say on their side.
Bop, you say as you fly high over the net.
But, then, oh volleyball, your being in tune turns out.
And you fall to the floor for your final bout.
Yet I smile, oh volleyball.
For my side was not the side of the fall.
And my team, yes my team, won it all.
JH & SH | MIX: Volleyball Tournament. Friday, April 11. 6-9 p.m. FREE!!! Be there or be square.
I’m watching a special “Primetime” on ABC. Tonight, it’s about “what would you do?” The producers of the show have set up scenarios to see, well, what people would do. For example, the portion that just ended had to do with wedding dresses. If the dress the bride picked was hideous, would people be honest or would they say, “Oh, it’s beautiful!”?The segment that aired earlier had an overweight woman sitting on a bench at the beach. Two groups of people approached her: a group of girls and a group of boys. Both groups made comments such as, “You’re so fat. Look at her thighs!” and “Were you born that fat?” All were actors, including the woman on the bench. The camera showed the scenario. The comments. The woman’s reaction. The groups’ laughter. And it showed all the people who heard what was going on and who just walked on by. More than 60 people ignored the scene. Finally, a woman with a little boy stopped. They were visiting from England. When someone from “Primetime” interviewed the English woman, she was crying. It was a very emotional incident for her. Later, a mother and a daughter stopped, as well as a psychology student, another woman and a man. The man stopped when the group was boys.
I hope I would have been one to stop. I know sticks and stones are more physically harmful than words. But words cause wounds that aren’t so easy to heal with a band-aid and antibiotic cream. I have a friend who thinks she’s ugly. She’s not. Not at all. Another friend thinks he’ll never be good enough. Another thinks she has to be married and a mother in order to have approval. Each of these people are struggling not from a bruise on the knee but from words spoken by “friends” and family and people we love. Then there’s Cinderella. How did she become “beautiful”? Someone took notice of her. Someone paid her positive attention. Someone spoke softly to her. What about Penelope (have you seen the movie???)? I won’t spoil the ending, but trust me when I say her nose isn’t what hinders her.
I guess what I’m saying is this: Be careful out there. “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.”
the end
p.s. what would you do?
What a weekend! First, of course, it’s DNOW 2008. I met a few of the leaders this evening, and I think our students are going to have an amazing time.
Then, guess who’s preaching Sunday morning. Nate!!! The other day, my mom said, “I’d like to hear Nate preach.” WELL, there you go. He’ll preach at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and at Jubilee. I recommend bringing friends, family and those you meet at the grocery store or the hardware store. The park. The dentist’s office. You get the picture.
AND some of our friends from church have been rehearsing a skit choreographed to Lifehouse’s “Everything.” They are performing it during worship Sunday.
I hope to see you there!
Julie
Yoda once said, “There is no try, only do.” Good, solid advice, eh? Especially when DNOW is FRIDAY. We are down to crunch time, people! And I know you know that not everyone has signed up because I’ve received several phone calls this morning. We’ll have registration cards available all week, including at our DNOW Parent Meeting Wednesday.
Speaking of our DNOW Parent Meeting. We are meeting in the Fellowship Center after iLife on Wednesday. 8 p.m. Be there or be square. And without proper information.
I think Nate and Jon Holmes are listening to opera. Or something.
to recap: DNOW 2008 Friday through Sunday. BRING FRIENDS!
Julie
I really like to watch “Ace of Cakes.” I’m not sure what channel it comes on. Or when it comes on. Or where, exactly, it takes place other than a cake shop. But I really like it.
See, I love to cook. And to watch artists make amazing art out of cake and icing and fondant (sp?) is fascinating. Me? I make messes. I have a pasta press. When I made my first batch of spaghetti several years ago, I was told it had to dry. For hours. You think trying to wrap a little string of spaghetti around your spoon is tough — you should try finding a place to dry loooooooooooon strands of the stuff. I had them hanging off chairs, tables — anything and everything. It was a mess. And, really, it wasn’t all that good once I boiled it. Things are much better now. a fun fact: It doesn’t have to dry. If you’re not going to cook it right away, freeze it.
Ahhhh … the power of experience, eh?
Julie