information and ideas

sometimes i am overwhelmed with the thought of how many people there are living on this planet. how many problems there are, people trying to help these problems, religious issues, political issues, opinions, facts, ways to get your information; media, the news, books, blogs, opinions galore. it's just a bit exhausting thinking about how small i am and how much there is for me to learn and contribute to as i grace this planet. how much potential i have, how far i have to go, when it comes to living with purpose, on purpose, and using my time and my life wisely and not selfishly.

i was reading my new issue of relevant magazine this morning (which sometimes reminds me how small i am, and how much there is to be done) and, though i've not finished it, wanted to mention two great articles i already read:

"the untold story"- p. 6- cameron strang
"the problem of pride in the age of twitter" p. 24- brett mccracken

"the untold story" applauds George W. Bush for his huge contribution to global health via the PEPFAR intitiation in Africa in 2003. cameron strang gives amazing and appropriate recognition to our soon former president for doing the right thing- not for political benefit, but because it was the right thing.

"i believe to whom much is given, much is required," -President Bush
"i believe in the universality of freedom, and i believe freedom is universal because of an almighty God." -President Bush

"the problem of pride in the age of twitter" is piercingly true and convicting to me, someone who finds herself communicating and profiling on the internet way too often. it is scary how accurate brett mccracken's analysis is on how the internet has affected our generation- making us people who want to provide information and ideas rather than absorb ones that already exist, and are worth absorbing. it's way scary.

i can't even find just one or two quotes from this article to post. i just recommend that you read the entire article. if you are not a relevant subscriber, you'll be able to read it on their site soon.

i am humbled this morning by the fact that life is precious.
people are real.
profiles are not.
problems are real.
talking about them doesn't solve them.

i am going to go clean my room now. put up my christmas gifts. pray for a balanced life. of conviction followed by action. of awareness followed by education.

i want my life to count.
but not in a way that makes ME interesting to talk to, to read about.
not in a way that makes ME glamorous.

in a way that shows i am denying myself, and humbly following Christ.
the task is big, but God is the one who is required to be big, not me.

merry christmas

For a bit, I've wanted to somehow, in a witty way, refer to some of my blog visitors by their location. I was thinking tonight that telling them Merry Christmas would be an appropriate acknowledgment. Some of the locations lead me to think of an obvious person or group of people who may be reading, but some of them leave me wondering. And I know some visits are hits from links on other pages, but I know some of the hits (ehum....some of YOU...) are not just random hits. You have visited several times. I know because SITE METER tells me so. :)Please, feel free to identify yourself whenever you see fit. At least tell me Merry Christmas back or something. :)

Soo....MERRY CHRISTMAS to:

Missouri City, TX
North Augusta, SC
Oklahoma City, OK
Knoxville, TN
Fort Worth, TX
Raleigh, NC (Jenni and Paul!)
Winter Park, FL
Kennesaw, GA (Tara and Andrew! AJ!?)
Snellville, GA (Erin? Rachel?)
Statesboro, GA
Jacksonville, FL
Athens, GA
Griffin, GA
Alpharetta, GA
Daytona Beach, FL
Macon, GA (Lauren?)
Hattiesburg, MI
Evans, GA (my house?)

christmas time is here

well.
we are no longer teetering on the fence, waiting to land on the side of Christmas season in full force. it is now HERE. WHEEEE.

it's weird how i anticipate this season every year, how quickly it comes, and how abruptly it always ends. there's always a battle within, reminding me not to anticipate it for reasons like good feelings. but for reasons like, Emmanuel, God with us, came to US. a beautiful proving of His love. i get emotional as i sit here and think how precious it is to have a Savior whose blood covers all sin. past, present, future. He was, is, and is to come. how glorious a hope i have in my Father. His mercy has made me free. my soul is secure and hidden in Him alone. He is the only certain thing.

as i finished my last online purchase today, and i've been crossing off my gift list, i feel Jesus saying, "slow down, yet again. i am the author and perfecter of your faith. the one who creates seasons, feelings, delightful things, joyous moments. i am the most sensational of all things you could ever know or have. enjoy me. i never end. i never end. i never leave."

during this next week, may you delight in the ONE who created you, created this earth, its joys, its sorrows, and its hopes. all for His sake. for His glory.

photo fun!

so i'm no joanna, eliza, or stephen (edit master) when it comes to photography.
but i definitely stole eliza's camera for the day to take some snaps of some of my favorite people. :) here are some of my faves.

One good thing

One good thing about moving (I've done it too much over the past few years) is that it forces you to uproot, to go through things, to clean up life, and to read old notes and journals. :) I found myself doing this tonight. Laughing, thinking, being reminded of my heart, prayers, and the things that overwhelmed me at times.

I found an attempt at a poem. Thought I would share. (It's one that doesn't follow the rules. Naturally. :))

Blank pages are my current state
And what feel like my eternal one
In days gone by my pages were full
Colorful, sporatic, used, revisited, shared
Sometimes I feel my pen's ink has dried
And it's for some reason my fault
I am tempted to believe that I must quickly splash something onto them
But just something?
No.
I want to carefully fill each page with beautiful colors and stories.