I noticed it a couple years ago when a series of e-mails from co-workers ended with statements similar to the one below:
If you’re a true believer in Christ, you’ll forward this e-mail.
And now it’s back in an even more annoying form, the Facebook Like Button:
I Live for Christ. He is my way, my light, my strength, my savior. Who is with me?
Or
JESUS IS LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if you know this is true press like.
Or
Our GOD is an AWESOME God! LIKE if you agree!
I look at these statements (and may others like them) and as a believer in Christ, I find them troubling. The language in these statements make it seem that if you don’t forward the e-mail or if you don’t press the like button, you are ashamed of being a Christian and a believer in God; or that you are somehow against Christianity if you don’t respond. I am neither.
Having a loving relationship with the Lord isn’t about clicking a button to see how many Likes God can get. Having faith in God isn’t taking part in a popularity contest. And it’s not about sending an e-mail to someone’s that shames them into forwarding it someone else as a profession of faith. It’s about worshipping Him.
It’s talking with Him when I’m praying. It’s being still enough to hear God when He’s answering me and yet actively listening for what He’s saying throughout my day. It’s obeying him even though at times I struggle with that obedience. It’s being kind to strangers when they need it the most. It’s building relationships with others, so that when they ask me about my faith, they understand it’s a fundamental part of the woman I am.
I won’t forward the e-mails and I won’t press the “Like” button. I believe these actions lessen the impact of my personal testimony when I talk with people how accepting Christ changed me and changed my life. I am not ashamed of these changes.
I went out to check my mail this morning before going to work and discovered my waiting was over. There was a white envelope from the Chicago Historical Society in my box. While I sat in line waiting to get a bagel and some iced coffee for breakfast, I looked at the letters in wonder.
Here, in my hands, were copies of letters that my great-great grandfather wrote to his sister during the Civil War. In addition to Shiloh, I now know he was in Jackson, TN; Vicksburg, MS and a small town just south of Oxford called Springdale.
I’m looking forward to reading all these letters. But it’s going to take some time to get through all of them. In some cases, the original didn’t photocopy well. In other cases, I have to decipher his handwriting. And finally, I have to find the time. I have lots of deadlines at work and those come before everything else.
The next two weeks are going to be busy, but good.
Thursday I am getting started with a personal trainer. I need the personal accountability right now that face-to-face training brings. I also need to start getting my strength back. I’ve discovered how much strength I’ve lost over the past two years. Plus strength training just really helps me focus and get rid of stress.
Thursday evening I have a photo shoot in Houston in the Heights. I can’t wait for that. I love experimenting with my camera and trying new things.
A week from today, I give a presentation about SharePoint Planning. I’m looking forward to it. The following Friday I am hooking up with a friend of mine and finally get to meet her granddaughter. Its been forever since I’ve seen this friend and I’m looking forward to spending some time with her and taking pictures of her grandbaby. And that Saturday, I’m leading a photowalk at the 1940 Air Terminal Museum.
Tuesday and Thursday of the following week, I’ll be giving training for the application I support. On the wednesday between the training, I’m travelling to Nashville to give a presentation about the same application. The weekend after I get back, I’m going to Austin to visit some friends and have a girlfriends weekend. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a roadtrip and it’ll be a blast to spend time with all my girlfriends.
Trying my hand at creating a zentangle. It’s kind of fun and kind of addicting at the same time. And I like it because it’s no fail art. There is no right or wrong with the design. You create what you feel as you go. How cool is that!
I’ve been very frustrated the past few days due to feeling like poo and the deluge of rain over Houston. I didn’t feel like working on the redecoration of the living room. And I was feeling more than a bit housebound after all the rain over the past week and a half. But when it got down to it, part of the problem was a decided lack of creativity.
I haven’t been shooting pictures. And while redecorating the house is productive, it’s a bit of a drag as well since I’m actually doing a sort and pitch as I go – if I don’t love it or use it, it’s outta the house. So tonight I helped a friend and saved my sanity in the process – I played in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.
I bought Lightroom 3 and Adobe Photoshop CS5 last month after taking a photography class at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. I feel like I’ve played around with Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 enough
that it was time to make the leap and really learn the software – especially since one of my personal goals is to start telling people’s stories through words and pictures.
I had a blast just playing with the different effects the software produces. I can see why people sometimes want to overprocess using these two pieces of software – it was FUN!
I wish I could post the results of playing with my friend’s picture in Lightroom. However, while she gave me permission to play with the picture she took of her son, she didn’t give me permission to post the end results. So I’ll end this post with a few pictures of a little blue pig who likes to drink vodka, watch movies, and occassionally takes naps on my co-worker’s desk.
I’m a day off because I was wicked sick yesterday and pretty much came home and went horizontal for the afternoon and evening. But I am feeling better this evening.
Two weeks ago I participated in a media fast. For five days, I didn’t read, listen to music, get on the computer (except for work) or watch TV. As I walked around in my self-imposed fast, I realized how much the media bombards us. There’s music where ever we go. TVs are becoming more and more prevalent in restuarants so that you can mindless eat while you watch the TV. And never mind the fact that people are so glued to their cell phones, they can’t stop texting long enough to pay attention to the people they are with. It made me aware of how much we need to disconnect once in a while so that we can reconnect with our friends and family, as well as ourselves.
I spent the 5 days becoming more in tune and more aware of my body. I went to bed earlier because without the noise and the distraction of the electronics, I realized I was tired. I focused on getting the things that I ignored taking care of. I started rearranging my living room and sorting through stuff. I took things to Goodwill.
It was supposed to be a seven day fast, but I caved on Friday afternoon and needed to listen to music. I had to laugh though, I was watching TV the weekend after, and I saw an ad for an Amazon Kindle on a beach. Me, I think I’ll stick with the waves, the sun, and sand and skip the Kindle.
I’m all for saving. Really I am, but I’ve been thinking lately about things that shouldn’t be saved and what do you do with them.
I’ve been writing since junior high and while I don’t have journals that go back quite that far, I do have some that go back to my college days and I’ve been wondering what to do with them. The person in thes journals is someone I was a long time ago and definitely is not the person I am now. Those experiences are part of who I am and have made me into the woman I am today. However, the reality is, I don’t want to revisit my past. All it does is open up old wounds and make me incredibly sad for the most part. There are a lot of shattered dreams in those journals.
Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillar eating dill in my garden.
I brought up the idea of getting rid of the journals a few weeks ago on Facebook a few weeks ago. Some people told me I should shred them. Others told me I should burn them. One friend, who know’s I’m working my way through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, asked me what I thought Julia would approve about me getting rid of my journals. I said “If I’ve gotten anything out of Artist’s Way, it’s that there’s no reason to keep the things that no longer serve who you are or are becoming hanging around just because.”
So after I finish redecorating the living room, I’m going to take the journals and bless them. Then I’m going to ask for God’s Wisdom and Blessing as I read them one more time so that I can find the good bits I should keep. I’ll mourn and cry when I need to. And I’ll shred the pages as I read. And when I am done, I’ll take the remains and put them in my garden, under a flower bed for butterflies.
R. sent me this video this evening from Youtube. It features the Swedish Chef making Popcorn. And it brought back memories. Memories of gathering around the TV and watching The Muppet Show. Memories of laughing with my family. Memories of big pans of popcorn laced with butter and salt (and if we were lucky, may be some spice drops or candy corn were hidden in our bowls). So I made some popcorn tonight – the old fashioned way without a microwave.
What you need to make old fashioned popcorn
3 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup of loose popcorn (you can find this in the snack section of the grocery store it usually comes in a bag or a jar)
1/2 tsp of fine salt
1/2 stick of butter
Deep pan with lid.
smaller pan to melt the butter with.
More salt (to taste)
Place pan on medium high heat and add oil. When the oil shimmers in the bottom of the pan, add the popcorn and sprinkle the half teaspoon of salt over it. Put lid on the pan and shake to mix the oil, the corn and the salt. Continue to shake the pan every thirty seconds or so. The corn will begin to pop as soon as it gets hot enough.
When the popcorn begins to pop, start melting the butter. Keep your eye on the butter so it doesn’t melt. I always give the pan a swirl or two.
Keep moving the popcorn pan until the intervals between pops reaches two to three seconds. The pan should be almost full when you are done.
Pour half the popcorn into a bowl or pan. Add half of the melted butter, a little more salt if you like and then stir the popcorn to distribute the butter. Add the rest of the popcorn to the bowl and repeat the butter and salt process.
.
last month after taking a photography class at 
enough
on a beach. Me, I think I’ll stick with the waves, the sun, and sand and skip the 
by Julia Cameron, asked me what I thought Julia would approve about me getting rid of my journals. I said “If I’ve gotten anything out of Artist’s Way, it’s that there’s no reason to keep the things that no longer serve who you are or are becoming hanging around just because.”
