The Phone Call

I don't like answering the phone at places I work.  I'm going to have to get over it eventually I guess, but I have said some stupid stuff on the phone.


At the bookstore one time I answered the phone, it went something like this.


Ring ring.
Me: Hello. *stupid stuff coming out of my mouth, embarrassing because everyone is watching me, babble babble babble, more stupid stuff*
Hang up.
Female-coworker-who's-name-I-can't-remember speaking to me: I have too much pride to say stuff like that.
Me: Well, you can't go to Heaven with pride.
FCWNICR: I don't believe in heaven, I'm agnostic.
Me: You're definitely not going to Heaven then.


"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8


And I thought agnostic meant that you didn't know if there was a heaven or not, as opposed to thinking there there was not a heaven?  Yes.  I think that is what it means.

Going Hog Wild

There was this one time, I was in the library at University, and I was printing off Power Points and Syllabi and Outlines for class.


I wanted to use the 3-hole-punch.  I went to the front desk and asked if I could use it at the computer where I was sitting near the printer.

The lady at the desk said:  Oh, sure.  No problem.
Me: Thank you.


I walk back to the computer and punch holes in my stuff, and print more stuff.  And punch holes.  Print.  You know how it is.  5 classes means 5 syllabi, 5 outlines, and at least 5 Power Points.


Then this other librarian lady starts walking around in a panic.


Librarian Lady: *shouting* Where's the 3-hole-punch!?  Where's the 3-hole-punch!?!  Where's the 3-hole-punch?1?
Me: Uhh, here.
LL: *shouting*  You can't hog the 3-hole-punch!
Me: *blank stare*


"Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." Matthew 5:42

Chocolate Or Vanilla?

Have you ever gotten what you wanted then found out that you weren't sure that was what you wanted?


Confused?  Me too.


It's kind of like really really really wanting a Chipotle burrito, but they were being skimpy on the salsa, and it just didn't hit the spot, and you spent $8 for nothing.


Or like the time I was in Switzerland, and my new cousins took me to a gelato stand, and made me pick what kind I wanted first.  I picked chocolate - because I almost always pick chocolate, and everyone else picked vanilla.  Why did they all pick vanilla?  Why did they make me go first?  (I think they were being nice.)  If I had seen everyone else pick vanilla, I certainly would have too.  I want to know what the vanilla was like.  Was it better than the chocolate?  Or were they just vanilla people?  I would have asked, but I don't speak French.


Or it's like how I chose this path in life, and I got exactly what I wanted.  I even praise God for giving it to me, because it is so amazing.  I am in awe sometimes about how much He has blessed me.  But then I think, what am I doing here?  How did I get to this place?  Did I make the right choice?  Or did God just bless my choices?  Then I have to get rid of the Deist thinking of God winding the clock and letting me go.  Because I know that He has a plan and a purpose for my life.  Not just a generic - oh, bless anything that Katie does today, blessing.  But a - Here is the path, walk therein.  I guess I just get worried when I see others with lives that are 2 steps ahead of mine, and I can't wait to be there (Whether those people be in romantic comedies or real life.  And what does it matter what other people are doing?).  But at the same time, I really don't have a vision past next May/June 2012.    


And now I'm thinking that it is a good time to start praying about the vision coming 2012.  Because without a vision, people don't do so well.


I'm not sure if it's PMS or too many movies or too much time to think, but welcome to the thoughts of me.  And that's probably enough crazy for one night.


"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11


"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16a


"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." Exodus 20:17


"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Proverbs 29:18

Busy Bumble Bee

I am tired.


I don't think I've been this tired in awhile.  At least since classes ended in May (and school stress feels different somehow).


I got up early (like 0730ish, that's early to me for the summertime) to drive Mother to her work thingee, then waited until she was done, then drove her to her office.


Then off to Taco Bell to feed my addiction.


Then Father had two appointments I drove him to.


Next we drove all the way down the wrong road looking for the Ford dealer, when it was on the other side of town.  Father and I both figured it was by all the other car dealers.  Nope.


Then no one wanted to make dinner so we went to Subway.


Then we needed to return at shirt at Kohl's.


After all that, I was thinking about my feelings.  Awww, yes, feelings.


Actually the stress feelings.


I'd like to blame the stress on the traffic or the atmosphere of where I'm at right now (as opposed to where I go to university).  But I don't know if that is fair.


Can I blame the air for the stress that I feel in my body?  I guess.  But that makes my feelings everyone else's or the world's fault.


What if, just once, instead of blaming traffic on my being stressed, I decided to trust God with my time?


What if I didn't let the temperature outside decide if I was going to have a good day or not?


How about if I let God worry about the little things of everyday life instead of getting upset at the kid in Subway with his Walkman loud enough for all of Subway to enjoy? (Walkman? Ipod?  I tried not to turn around to look at him.)


What if, what if I cast all my cares of God?


Then I think, how the heck do you do that?  I'm not sure, obviously.  But I think it starts with knowing what God says:


"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7


"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:22

Plane Pangs

I went to Peru in 2008 for a missions trip.  We started in the capital of Peru, Lima.  We stayed there for about a week, then flew to Cusco, Peru for the second week.


If I remember correctly, the flight from Lima to Cusco was lacking in excitement, except for the fact that I had diarrhea.


As you learn quickly on a oversees missions trip, or any trip where digestive health is very important, everyone's bowel movements are up for discussion, whether that be the Big C or the Big D.  One girl was slightly embarrassed because she fessed up that she hadn't gone poo in a couple of days and we all laid hands on her and prayed for the Spirit to move - her bowels.


Anyway, in the airport going to Cusco, I had diarrhea.  I made to through security without too much trouble, PTL.  Now, waiting at the gate for the airplane to show up was a different story.  I think I went back and forth from my seat to the bathroom running like 6 times in an hour.


Finally, they started to board the airplane, and I had to run to the bathroom again, leaving all my stuff with the team (read, my tall guy friend).  I figured I had time to get this last bout of diarrhea out before the plane took off.  But no.


The entire plane must have boarded in less than 5 minutes, and was about to take off.  This is no American airline where you sit on the tarmac for at least 30 minutes before even taxiing out.  Unbeknownst to me the plane was about to close its door to passengers while I was in the bathroom.  And my guy friend has my purse in which my passport is enclosed.


Guy Friend to the Flight Attendant: She's in the bathroom, she will be right here!!!
Flight Attendant: She will just have to catch the next fight.
Guy Friend: She has diarrhea!


Insert British lady here.  She over hears this whole situation and runs too the bathroom to get me.


British lady: Katie!!
Me: *why does everyone have to be named Katie? Can't I just poo in peace?*
British lady: Katie, Katie!!
Me: *I don't know any British people*
British lady: Katie!
Me: Yes?
British lady: Your plane is all boarded, and your boyfriend or your husband is freaking out!
Me: OMG!!! *Wipe, sort of*


I didn't wash my hands.  They let me on the plane, thank God.  Off to Cusco.  I didn't have diarrhea on the plane for some reason, probably terror of being left sans passport and any command of the Spanish language in a Peruvian airport.


A shout out to the British lady who saved the day.  If you ever read this and recognize the story, email me.  And I apologize if you are Australian or South African, I haven't yet perfect my knowledge of accents.


You know what the team said when I sat down on the plane?  Glad you made it.


"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." Philippians 3:8 

A Sad Case

Today the jury found Casey Anthony NOT GUILTY of murdering her daughter Caylee Anthony.

Wow, what a dramatic case.

Lies and deceit seem to be the corner stone of the whole thing.

I'm not an expert on the case, obviously, but here are my thoughts.

• Lord have mercy.
• What kind of mom doesn't report her child missing for a month?
• What kind of grandparent participates in a cover-up of their granddaughter's death?
• Does she have some wicked postpartum depression or some other mental disorder?
• What is with the attorneys fighting/mocking each other in the court room?
• Why are random people crying in the streets for a baby who died 3 years ago?
• This is not the end of America people, our justice system did it's job.  There apparently wasn't enough evidence to convict her.
• As heartless as it might sound, people die everyday.
• And if she had killed her baby like 3 years ago, when Caylee was a 10 week old fetus, we wouldn't be trying her for murder, but applauding her right to choose.

Jesus said:

"And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:5-6

I'm Glad I Don't Have A Beard

My Brother has an awesome beard.  Sometimes.


Last week I told him he looked like Zach Galifianakis.


He shaves whenever he feels like it, as any person should.


The reason I'm glad I don't have a beard is not because I don't think it wouldn't look good on me, but because EVERYONE (especially at church) comments on my Bro's beard or lack thereof.


He takes it in stride though.


If they ask him if he is growing out his beard, he says, "Nope, it does it by itself."


If someone says, "You shaved your beard."  He looks at them and smiles gently; I think he is laughing on the inside.


Obviously they are either jealous of his awesomeness or they are intimidated by his coolness, and they say silly things.  If I were them, I would be jealous of his beard.


"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore." Psalm 133