Poor Wayfaring Stranger - Peter Hollens - Feat. Swingle Singers - A cappella cover - Beatbox
This song is amazing. I'm always in awe of what the human voice can do and the sounds we can make. The harmonies in this song give me chills, and the range that the female singer has is so beautiful. I think one of her highest notes in actually mixed into the harmony towards the end.
My favorite lyrics of this song:
I want to wear a crown of Glory
When I get home to that good land.
I want to shout Salvation's story
In concert with the Blood-Washed Band.
I'm going there to meet my Saviour,
To sing his praise forever more.
I'm just a going over Jordan.
I'm just a going over home.
Enjoy! :)
Monday, December 5, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Book Review: On Folly Beach by Karen White
"Folly Beach, South Carolina, has survived despite hurricanes and war. But it's the personal battles of Folly Beach's residents that have left the most scars, and why a young widow has been beckoned there to heal her own...." (via Barnes&Noble)
On Folly Beach by Karen White follows the story of two women: Emmy - a modern day woman who has just lost her husband in Iraq, and Maggie - a woman who survived WWII and the heartache that came with it. Their lives intersect when Emmy buys Maggie's bookstore, Folly's Finds at Folly Beach, SC, and moves from the midwest down to the Coastal South. She is haunted by her own memories and ghosts even as she discovers Maggie's ghosts as well. Emmy reveals Maggie's past through unsigned notes written in old books. Love, war, passion, heartbreak, betrayal, espionage, deception, and grief filter throughout the entire stories of both Maggie and Emmy.
History buffs will enjoy the story since it talks about German U-boat activity in the Atlantic during WWII and also about the Duquesne Spy Ring. The writer takes some liberty with history to make it more real for the story, but the basic facts stay the same.
This book touches on some of the hardest human emotions, and ultimately, it is about learning to let go, grieve, and then move on with your life. It is tragic at times and heartwarming at others. But overall, you leave the story feeling like you have glimpsed into the heart of human existence - love and loyalty between two human beings.
On Folly Beach is potentially the best novel I have read in a very long time. I would highly recommend it to any reader. It was incredibly well written and poignant.
I doubt that I will ever forget this story.
On Folly Beach by Karen White follows the story of two women: Emmy - a modern day woman who has just lost her husband in Iraq, and Maggie - a woman who survived WWII and the heartache that came with it. Their lives intersect when Emmy buys Maggie's bookstore, Folly's Finds at Folly Beach, SC, and moves from the midwest down to the Coastal South. She is haunted by her own memories and ghosts even as she discovers Maggie's ghosts as well. Emmy reveals Maggie's past through unsigned notes written in old books. Love, war, passion, heartbreak, betrayal, espionage, deception, and grief filter throughout the entire stories of both Maggie and Emmy.
History buffs will enjoy the story since it talks about German U-boat activity in the Atlantic during WWII and also about the Duquesne Spy Ring. The writer takes some liberty with history to make it more real for the story, but the basic facts stay the same.
This book touches on some of the hardest human emotions, and ultimately, it is about learning to let go, grieve, and then move on with your life. It is tragic at times and heartwarming at others. But overall, you leave the story feeling like you have glimpsed into the heart of human existence - love and loyalty between two human beings.
On Folly Beach is potentially the best novel I have read in a very long time. I would highly recommend it to any reader. It was incredibly well written and poignant.
I doubt that I will ever forget this story.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Things I Want to Do This Autumn
- have a bonfire
- go to a cornmaze
- hike to a waterfall
- visit the mountains
- watch Hocus Pocus, The Village, Sleepy Hollow, and other not-so-scary scary movies
- make pumpkin muffins
- press colorful leaves
- make a quilt
- buy a pair of heeled oxfords
- go to a fair
- and other seasonally appropriate things. <3
Saturday, September 24, 2011
It’s like a 5-yr-old girl’s birthday party exploded and reformed as a cake.
We had a fall festival at my church tonight and had a cake auction. I signed up to make a cake, thinking I would create some sophisticated and decadent glory of a cake.
Instead, I ended up making a strawberry boxed cake with canned frosting. Oh well. It’s the thought that counts, right?
Anyway, this is the finished product. It’s so magically beautiful.
I’ve heard that it looks like unicorn poop, confetti, an exploded birthday party, and “junk” (according to my sister Julie). But I love it. And if I had given myself more time to work on it, I would have even covered the sides with multi-colored sprinkles.
This is my cake. I regret nothing.
Instead, I ended up making a strawberry boxed cake with canned frosting. Oh well. It’s the thought that counts, right?
Anyway, this is the finished product. It’s so magically beautiful.
I’ve heard that it looks like unicorn poop, confetti, an exploded birthday party, and “junk” (according to my sister Julie). But I love it. And if I had given myself more time to work on it, I would have even covered the sides with multi-colored sprinkles.
This is my cake. I regret nothing.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Florence and the Machine - Cosmic Love (Live on KEXP)
Florence and the Machine - Cosmic Love (Live on KEXP)
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Lend Me Your Hand and We'll Conquer Them All
Living back at home and in Georgia is harder than I was expecting it to be. I don't have any friends here anymore. They've either moved away or we've grown so different that we aren't friends anymore. I've never been one to make friends easily, especially when not given many opportunities to do so.
I see groups of people all out together at restaurants just talking and eating and having fun. And I'm jealous. I wish I knew what it is that makes me so different from them - why I can't be in a group like that. Anytime that I have had a group of friends to hang out with like that, I've had to force it to happen, it seems. I'm not naturally a social person, but I love being social. What I mean by that is that I'm not comfortable making the first move and being the one to start talking first. But I love being around people and watching them and listening to them. I feel like I have to make a tremendous effort to step out on my own and make new friends.
When I was at my first Law School, my now friend Mike made the first move. He started talking non-stop the first day of orientation. And because of him, our group was made. And it was a great group. I miss the friendship there. At my second Law School, I already had a friend there and sort of hung out with him and his friends first. Then I hung out with my roommates' friends. But there are very few people that I know that are "my" friends - "my" friends because I made the effort to keep the relationship going.
I don't know why it's so hard for me.
I remember that, in college, I was very introverted and quiet my first two years. And I got like I am now - depressed about the lack of friends and lack of social life. So my New Year's Resolution in my sophomore year was to "be outgoing." And I forced myself into that happy, social butterfly mold. I made many, many friends - a handful of which are still my friends today. Apparently I did such a great job playing the role of social butterfly that some people started to believe that I actually WAS a social butterfly. An acquaintance of mine saw me at some point during my first year of law school (when I had reverted back to introverted Anna) and was so confused and thought something was wrong with me because I was basically being myself. He had never seen me be myself.
So this is the problem. When I am myself - quiet and introverted - I have no social life and very few friends. When I am not myself - social butterfly, cheery, etc. - I have many friends but few who actually know me.
I really need to do some heavy thinking to decide what to do at this point.
I see groups of people all out together at restaurants just talking and eating and having fun. And I'm jealous. I wish I knew what it is that makes me so different from them - why I can't be in a group like that. Anytime that I have had a group of friends to hang out with like that, I've had to force it to happen, it seems. I'm not naturally a social person, but I love being social. What I mean by that is that I'm not comfortable making the first move and being the one to start talking first. But I love being around people and watching them and listening to them. I feel like I have to make a tremendous effort to step out on my own and make new friends.
When I was at my first Law School, my now friend Mike made the first move. He started talking non-stop the first day of orientation. And because of him, our group was made. And it was a great group. I miss the friendship there. At my second Law School, I already had a friend there and sort of hung out with him and his friends first. Then I hung out with my roommates' friends. But there are very few people that I know that are "my" friends - "my" friends because I made the effort to keep the relationship going.
I don't know why it's so hard for me.
I remember that, in college, I was very introverted and quiet my first two years. And I got like I am now - depressed about the lack of friends and lack of social life. So my New Year's Resolution in my sophomore year was to "be outgoing." And I forced myself into that happy, social butterfly mold. I made many, many friends - a handful of which are still my friends today. Apparently I did such a great job playing the role of social butterfly that some people started to believe that I actually WAS a social butterfly. An acquaintance of mine saw me at some point during my first year of law school (when I had reverted back to introverted Anna) and was so confused and thought something was wrong with me because I was basically being myself. He had never seen me be myself.
So this is the problem. When I am myself - quiet and introverted - I have no social life and very few friends. When I am not myself - social butterfly, cheery, etc. - I have many friends but few who actually know me.
I really need to do some heavy thinking to decide what to do at this point.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Out and About!
Visited a shop today on Saint Simon’s Island, GA, called Tonya’s. It’s a Southern girl’s dream!
Everything from monogrammed canvas tote bags, to Lilly Pulitzer koozies, to preppy luggage, to brightly colored Initial cocktail napkins, beach towels, and insulated beverage tumblers. I got a bright blue insulated tumbler with white roses on it and a scrolled A for my first name. It’s adorable. Once I get a good picture of it, I’ll post it.
Everything from monogrammed canvas tote bags, to Lilly Pulitzer koozies, to preppy luggage, to brightly colored Initial cocktail napkins, beach towels, and insulated beverage tumblers. I got a bright blue insulated tumbler with white roses on it and a scrolled A for my first name. It’s adorable. Once I get a good picture of it, I’ll post it.
Visit the shop if you’re ever on Saint Simon’s Island. It’s on Mallory Street in the Pier Village.
Or you can just look online here.
Or you can just look online here.
Friday, July 29, 2011
And we've only just begun to live...
Well, I finished the bar exam Wednesday evening. I'll have to wait until the end of October to find out if I pass or not. So I'm just going to put it aside and try not to think about it.
I'm going to Jekyll Island, GA, for vacation tomorrow. Staying for a week. I've been looking forward to this all summer. I plan on doing little more than soaking up sun by the pool and listening to my favorite music. I'll be sure to blog the highlight with some pictures when we get back.
I've had a huge list of things to do and make that I've been adding to all summer. I finally get to start that list. I'll probably blog about some of those things, too. ;)
I'm ready for life! I'm staring it in the face, and it's a little scary but also very exhilarating at the same time. I can't wait to see what adventures I have and where my journeys take me!
I'm going to Jekyll Island, GA, for vacation tomorrow. Staying for a week. I've been looking forward to this all summer. I plan on doing little more than soaking up sun by the pool and listening to my favorite music. I'll be sure to blog the highlight with some pictures when we get back.
I've had a huge list of things to do and make that I've been adding to all summer. I finally get to start that list. I'll probably blog about some of those things, too. ;)
I'm ready for life! I'm staring it in the face, and it's a little scary but also very exhilarating at the same time. I can't wait to see what adventures I have and where my journeys take me!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Skyscraper - Demi Lovato
Heard this for the first time today. Such a powerful song. And the video is amazing as well.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Top 20 Reasons You Know You're Studying for the Bar
(via LegallyNoted) (*edited for language*)
1.You’re aging in dog years
2.You look at everything as a potential lawsuit: (1) The bums that repeatedly beg you for money on the corner are potential trespassers; (2) your friend’s drunk dialing to tell you “what a fun night you’re missing” is negligent infliction of emotional distress; (3) your neighbor’s loud music is an action for nuisance
3.You openly fantasize about blacking out the night of the bar exam
4.You have legal Turettes. If someone looks at you the wrong way, you automatically banter back with unintelligble legalease: Hearsay! Rule in Dumper’s Case.
5.You wonder if Miranda or Shelly would be hot if they were girls and not rules of law.
6.The most action you’ve gotten was doing problems on fertile octogenarian and loss of consortium
7.You’re cut off from the outside world. There’s an oil spill? Mel Gibson is crazy? Carrie Underwood is married?
8.Can’t wait to burn your barbri or kaplan books
9.You passed out at the library and woke up with highlighter on your face and a puddle of drool smearing the print of your MBE book.
10. You’ve contemplated writing letters to the national bar examiner’s citing this test as cruel and unusual punishment, detrimental to your well-being and personal life.
11. You spent Fourth of July Weekend going over contracts. Using your study break to accomplish some anti-social urge (e.g. plucking out grey hairs, squeezing zits, or creeping on ex’s Facebooks). Happy %&^$ Fourth of July!
12. You’ve had dreams about legal concepts including personal jurisdiction
13. People at Starbucks know your order by heart–and despite the $5 investment–it’s still not making a dent in your extreme exhaustion.
14. Everyone at the library smells like a combo of B.O., nicotine, and coffee.
15. You just wanted to take a quick nap, woke up 4 hours later not knowing *WTH* was going on, what day it was, what month it was, or even if you had slept right through the bar.
16. You resent your friends who were smart enough to get their MBA.
17. None of your family and friends understand how important the bar is. It is NOT “just a test”.
18. You wonder how someone as warped as Blagojevich could ever have passed the bar or wonder who he paid?
19. Your dog decides to dig your dark chocolate covered espresso beans from the bottom of your 100 lb book bag–causing you to spend the night in the emergency vet clinic while he gets his stomach pumped. You leave with a whopping $500 bill.*
20. Your significant other decides to have an overactive social life under the guise of “leaving you alone to study”. Yes, dancing on platforms while I keep getting 30%’s on MBE Set 5’s in the library on a Saturday night sounds like a fair trade-off.
1.You’re aging in dog years
2.You look at everything as a potential lawsuit: (1) The bums that repeatedly beg you for money on the corner are potential trespassers; (2) your friend’s drunk dialing to tell you “what a fun night you’re missing” is negligent infliction of emotional distress; (3) your neighbor’s loud music is an action for nuisance
3.You openly fantasize about blacking out the night of the bar exam
4.You have legal Turettes. If someone looks at you the wrong way, you automatically banter back with unintelligble legalease: Hearsay! Rule in Dumper’s Case.
5.You wonder if Miranda or Shelly would be hot if they were girls and not rules of law.
6.The most action you’ve gotten was doing problems on fertile octogenarian and loss of consortium
7.You’re cut off from the outside world. There’s an oil spill? Mel Gibson is crazy? Carrie Underwood is married?
8.Can’t wait to burn your barbri or kaplan books
9.You passed out at the library and woke up with highlighter on your face and a puddle of drool smearing the print of your MBE book.
10. You’ve contemplated writing letters to the national bar examiner’s citing this test as cruel and unusual punishment, detrimental to your well-being and personal life.
11. You spent Fourth of July Weekend going over contracts. Using your study break to accomplish some anti-social urge (e.g. plucking out grey hairs, squeezing zits, or creeping on ex’s Facebooks). Happy %&^$ Fourth of July!
12. You’ve had dreams about legal concepts including personal jurisdiction
13. People at Starbucks know your order by heart–and despite the $5 investment–it’s still not making a dent in your extreme exhaustion.
14. Everyone at the library smells like a combo of B.O., nicotine, and coffee.
15. You just wanted to take a quick nap, woke up 4 hours later not knowing *WTH* was going on, what day it was, what month it was, or even if you had slept right through the bar.
16. You resent your friends who were smart enough to get their MBA.
17. None of your family and friends understand how important the bar is. It is NOT “just a test”.
18. You wonder how someone as warped as Blagojevich could ever have passed the bar or wonder who he paid?
19. Your dog decides to dig your dark chocolate covered espresso beans from the bottom of your 100 lb book bag–causing you to spend the night in the emergency vet clinic while he gets his stomach pumped. You leave with a whopping $500 bill.*
20. Your significant other decides to have an overactive social life under the guise of “leaving you alone to study”. Yes, dancing on platforms while I keep getting 30%’s on MBE Set 5’s in the library on a Saturday night sounds like a fair trade-off.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
21 more days
Until the Bar exam. SOOOO ready for this to be over. Mostly because my "Creative To-Do List" is about a mile long right now. haha!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Window Shopping
I very much want this Damselfly Dress from Anthropologie. In fact, I want almost EVERYTHING from Anthropologie. One day, I am going to go in an Anthropologie store and do some serious damage to some clearance racks.
 |
| Source |
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Frustration
I'm getting to the point where I'm getting frustrated with studying for the bar, and I'm not even half-way through the study program. It's going to be a long summer.
But I am doing my best and getting in as many hours of studying a day that I can. But I still feel like I'm not doing enough. I'm averaging about 6 or 7 hours a day of studying, but I really need to be doing more like 8 to 10 hours to be able to learn everything that I need to learn. But the more I try to study, the more I get distracted. And the more I get distracted, the more I daydream about August when I don't have to study anymore.
On top of that, I've already had two anxiety attacks. I've never had an anxiety attack before now, which is strange to me since I went through three years of lawschool which is a rather stressful and anxious experience. So I don't know what is causing the attacks. All I know is that the first one was so terrifying, and since I didn't know what was going on, I honestly thought that I was going to die. haha! But the second attack, I knew what was happening and did my best to keep myself calm and ward it off. I succeeded for the most part, but I struggled for the next 4 hours to keep my breathing in check and keep my panic reflex down.
So please pray for me. Pray:
1. That I can get into a steady study schedule and study enough hours in the day to learn all the material.
2. That I actually learn the material and continue to improve throughout the summer.
3. That these anxiety attacks STOP. I don't have time or patience for all that crap.
4. That I continuously give this exam and all my worries to God every day.
Thank you for reading my blog. I don't know if I have told y'all that or not. I love all of you.
*Anna
But I am doing my best and getting in as many hours of studying a day that I can. But I still feel like I'm not doing enough. I'm averaging about 6 or 7 hours a day of studying, but I really need to be doing more like 8 to 10 hours to be able to learn everything that I need to learn. But the more I try to study, the more I get distracted. And the more I get distracted, the more I daydream about August when I don't have to study anymore.
On top of that, I've already had two anxiety attacks. I've never had an anxiety attack before now, which is strange to me since I went through three years of lawschool which is a rather stressful and anxious experience. So I don't know what is causing the attacks. All I know is that the first one was so terrifying, and since I didn't know what was going on, I honestly thought that I was going to die. haha! But the second attack, I knew what was happening and did my best to keep myself calm and ward it off. I succeeded for the most part, but I struggled for the next 4 hours to keep my breathing in check and keep my panic reflex down.
So please pray for me. Pray:
1. That I can get into a steady study schedule and study enough hours in the day to learn all the material.
2. That I actually learn the material and continue to improve throughout the summer.
3. That these anxiety attacks STOP. I don't have time or patience for all that crap.
4. That I continuously give this exam and all my worries to God every day.
Thank you for reading my blog. I don't know if I have told y'all that or not. I love all of you.
*Anna
Friday, May 20, 2011
I'm ready for life
I graduated law school on May 14th. I was somewhere in the middle of the class with my GPA, but I really didn't care! I was so happy just to have made it! I felt like I was going to explode with happiness that day.
I'm currently in the middle of a week off before I have to start studying for the bar exam. I'm taking a bar prep course that starts May 26 (Thursday). I'll have to drive 40 minutes one way to get to the class every week day. It'll finish up the first week in July, and then I'm on my own with studying for the final few weeks for the exam. The exam dates are July 26 and 27. I'm trying my best to not get worried about it, and I tell myself that many people have taken the exam and passed it before me so I can, too.
I'm so ready to be finished with the exam, though. I'm ready for life to start! I'm ready for hobbies and projects and happy times! My own money again, time to travel and site-see some, and just time to BE. I know that the reality of life is that people always get "too busy" to enjoy the little things, but I am bound and determined to make time to enjoy every little, enjoyable experience that I can!
My presence on the Internet is going to be a little scarce for the next few months since I'll be studying 8-10 hrs a day, every day, for the exam. But I will try my best to make a little relaxation time to get online some and see all the pretty, beautiful things that I find all over.
I hope all of you are well and happy. I love you! :)
I'm currently in the middle of a week off before I have to start studying for the bar exam. I'm taking a bar prep course that starts May 26 (Thursday). I'll have to drive 40 minutes one way to get to the class every week day. It'll finish up the first week in July, and then I'm on my own with studying for the final few weeks for the exam. The exam dates are July 26 and 27. I'm trying my best to not get worried about it, and I tell myself that many people have taken the exam and passed it before me so I can, too.
I'm so ready to be finished with the exam, though. I'm ready for life to start! I'm ready for hobbies and projects and happy times! My own money again, time to travel and site-see some, and just time to BE. I know that the reality of life is that people always get "too busy" to enjoy the little things, but I am bound and determined to make time to enjoy every little, enjoyable experience that I can!
My presence on the Internet is going to be a little scarce for the next few months since I'll be studying 8-10 hrs a day, every day, for the exam. But I will try my best to make a little relaxation time to get online some and see all the pretty, beautiful things that I find all over.
I hope all of you are well and happy. I love you! :)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
All you need is love?
This post is springboarded off of my friend Jonathan's post about love. Here's what he writes....
I believe that love is a choice. I think you know that you love someone when you are willing to give up what you want or at least compromise on what you want in order for the other person to be happy as well. And sure, anyone can make a choice to be self-sacrificing. But I think that love makes the self-sacrifice okay. You recognize that you are giving up something you want, but instead of doing it grudgingly, you do it with contentment, because you are happy because the other person is happy.
Also, I think love of friends and "love" are so similar that they are almost indistinguishable sometimes. Especially if you are "in love" with a very good friend.
You can love more than one person at one time, but again, it comes down to the choice. I still love Chris, but I have chosen to not be with him anymore. It isn't healthy, and it isn't my future. And my heart is most definitely open to loving someone else and is well on its way. So I am loving two people at the same time. And I will always love Chris. But that love is a steadfast, permanent love - not a passionate "let's get married" love. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but that's the only way I know how to describe it without going into more detail.
Attraction can be instant. And lust can most definitely be instant. But I think true love takes longer than that. The butterflies and obsession are not permanent.
Love can most definitely be harmful. I mean, look at history and look at all the stupid decisions that were made because of love. Romeo and Juliet, Helen of Troy, Henry VIII and his obsessive search for something to complete him, and the millions of others that haven't made the history books. Love clouds logic. And when you aren't thinking logically, you screw up.
Our culture doesn't help that at all. We have songs like "All you need is love" and "in the name of love" and "I believe in a thing called love." All based on the emotional high that you get when you are attracted to someone. That type of love will destroy you.
I try my hardest to base my love off of what is time tested and true. I Corinthians 13 is a good start. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not hold offense. It is not envious. It is not selfish. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
I do have a great example of love in my parents. They made the choice before they even got married to never consider divorce. (However my mom always puts in an addendum that says even though divorce is not an option, murder is. haha!). I've seen them fight, scream, slam doors, not talk to each other for hours. But they always make the conscious choice to attempt to calm down, talk things out, and come to some sort of compromise that they can both work with. And my sisters and I can visibly see the love they have for each other through their choices to make things work no matter how hard it is.
The bottom line is that people are selfish. We want what WE want. And our basest nature demands that we ALWAYS get what we want and SCREW the world! But that is not love. Love is purposefully choosing to put someone else above you (or at the very minimum equal to you).
"What is it about love? What is it about being in love that make people so crazy and just borderline irrational? I feel like even as old as I am (26) I don’t have a healthy handle on what it is to actually love someone. Isn’t this something that you learn with time or something? You see so many people posting about “loving this” or “loving that” and you just sit and wonder sometimes about what it is exactly that they are feeling.
There are so many questions that I have about the subject such as:
1. How do you KNOW when you are in love with something?
2. How is the love different for people that you are just friends with?
3. Can you love more than one person at the same time?
4. Can love be instant? Or does it take a great deal of time?
5. Can it be harmful?"
I believe that love is a choice. I think you know that you love someone when you are willing to give up what you want or at least compromise on what you want in order for the other person to be happy as well. And sure, anyone can make a choice to be self-sacrificing. But I think that love makes the self-sacrifice okay. You recognize that you are giving up something you want, but instead of doing it grudgingly, you do it with contentment, because you are happy because the other person is happy.
Also, I think love of friends and "love" are so similar that they are almost indistinguishable sometimes. Especially if you are "in love" with a very good friend.
You can love more than one person at one time, but again, it comes down to the choice. I still love Chris, but I have chosen to not be with him anymore. It isn't healthy, and it isn't my future. And my heart is most definitely open to loving someone else and is well on its way. So I am loving two people at the same time. And I will always love Chris. But that love is a steadfast, permanent love - not a passionate "let's get married" love. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but that's the only way I know how to describe it without going into more detail.
Attraction can be instant. And lust can most definitely be instant. But I think true love takes longer than that. The butterflies and obsession are not permanent.
Love can most definitely be harmful. I mean, look at history and look at all the stupid decisions that were made because of love. Romeo and Juliet, Helen of Troy, Henry VIII and his obsessive search for something to complete him, and the millions of others that haven't made the history books. Love clouds logic. And when you aren't thinking logically, you screw up.
Our culture doesn't help that at all. We have songs like "All you need is love" and "in the name of love" and "I believe in a thing called love." All based on the emotional high that you get when you are attracted to someone. That type of love will destroy you.
I try my hardest to base my love off of what is time tested and true. I Corinthians 13 is a good start. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not hold offense. It is not envious. It is not selfish. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
I do have a great example of love in my parents. They made the choice before they even got married to never consider divorce. (However my mom always puts in an addendum that says even though divorce is not an option, murder is. haha!). I've seen them fight, scream, slam doors, not talk to each other for hours. But they always make the conscious choice to attempt to calm down, talk things out, and come to some sort of compromise that they can both work with. And my sisters and I can visibly see the love they have for each other through their choices to make things work no matter how hard it is.
The bottom line is that people are selfish. We want what WE want. And our basest nature demands that we ALWAYS get what we want and SCREW the world! But that is not love. Love is purposefully choosing to put someone else above you (or at the very minimum equal to you).
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire
"This remarkably beautiful video, uploaded to YouTube one day before the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, turns out to be an ad for Sharp’s SH-08C handset. It is, nonetheless, something you shouldn’t miss: in a tranquil forest, a single wooden ball rolls down a stepped wooden ramp, continuously, for two minutes. At each step, it falls and strikes a wooden bar tuned to play a single note of the 10th movement of Bach’s Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147, commonly known by its English title, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. Wait ’till you see how they handle the sustained notes." (quoting MAKE blog.)
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Barristers' Banquet 2011
Last night was the Barristers' Banquet at my law school. (Think formal dinner with a speaker and doorprizes!) I had a great night with my lovely friends! I'm really going to miss all of them after graduation. We had a wonderful time last night, though. The food was amazing - hors d'oeuvres, green salad, Chicken Oscar, and apple caramel cake and coffee. Everyone looked beautiful, and the location was stunning.
All in all, it was an ALMOST perfect night. :)
The first picture is of me (on the left) and my roommate Amy (on the right). The bottom picture is (l-r) my roommate Meredith, my friend Anna, me, my roommate Amy, and my friend Stephanie.
All in all, it was an ALMOST perfect night. :)
The first picture is of me (on the left) and my roommate Amy (on the right). The bottom picture is (l-r) my roommate Meredith, my friend Anna, me, my roommate Amy, and my friend Stephanie.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Emotional v. Analytical
This post is spurred off a friend's post entitled "unemotional." His point is that he guards his emotions and keeps them close so that he can have more personal peace and tranquility in his life and keep drama out. He posits that if you keep emotions out of the picture and use logic and reason to approach problems, the problems will be solved much faster and with less pain than if you had allowed your emotions to dictate your response.
I understand completely your need to guard your emotions. I try to do this, too, and I always feel a little stronger when I do. However, I struggle with control and how controlled I should be and when the need to control becomes a problem.
Here's some of my thoughts on the subject, and I warn you, they're all over the place since I've been sporadically thinking these things out over the past couple weeks:
1. Being less emotional makes me feel in control of the sitation.
2. However, being in control of the situation is not a good thing if I become "controlling."
3. I have a control problem. I want to be in control of all situations at all times.
4. That's not reality.
5. And that's not what God wants from me.
6. So, I have to learn to temper my need to control and analyze every situation with a healthy dose of acceptance and intentional peace. In other words, "I have to let go and let God." Cliched, yes. But true in MANY situations.
7. Now, being in control of your emotions and being able to clearly look at a situation unclouded by irrational feelings and fears is a fantastic skill to have.
8. But where is the line drawn between being logical and analytical in a situation v. feeling more and letting your "heart" decide things?
9. I don't have the answer to this question.
10. In fact, I don't have the answers to any of these questions.
11. But, I will probably decide the answers based on analysis and logic. That's just what I do.
12. Which brings me to the statement that my friend made in his blog, when he said "I've decided what to lend emotions to and what not to lend emotions to and I lend my emotions to those things I deem worthy."
13. What is the standard for worthiness?
14. How does one deem a situation, a person, worthy of your emotions?
15. I'm curious.
16. Because there needs to be a standard since living by randomness and picking and choosing how to react as the situation presents itself is an emotional decision.
17. So what are your thoughts on that? How would you approach that?
Do you have any answers for me? Any comments?
I understand completely your need to guard your emotions. I try to do this, too, and I always feel a little stronger when I do. However, I struggle with control and how controlled I should be and when the need to control becomes a problem.
Here's some of my thoughts on the subject, and I warn you, they're all over the place since I've been sporadically thinking these things out over the past couple weeks:
1. Being less emotional makes me feel in control of the sitation.
2. However, being in control of the situation is not a good thing if I become "controlling."
3. I have a control problem. I want to be in control of all situations at all times.
4. That's not reality.
5. And that's not what God wants from me.
6. So, I have to learn to temper my need to control and analyze every situation with a healthy dose of acceptance and intentional peace. In other words, "I have to let go and let God." Cliched, yes. But true in MANY situations.
7. Now, being in control of your emotions and being able to clearly look at a situation unclouded by irrational feelings and fears is a fantastic skill to have.
8. But where is the line drawn between being logical and analytical in a situation v. feeling more and letting your "heart" decide things?
9. I don't have the answer to this question.
10. In fact, I don't have the answers to any of these questions.
11. But, I will probably decide the answers based on analysis and logic. That's just what I do.
12. Which brings me to the statement that my friend made in his blog, when he said "I've decided what to lend emotions to and what not to lend emotions to and I lend my emotions to those things I deem worthy."
13. What is the standard for worthiness?
14. How does one deem a situation, a person, worthy of your emotions?
15. I'm curious.
16. Because there needs to be a standard since living by randomness and picking and choosing how to react as the situation presents itself is an emotional decision.
17. So what are your thoughts on that? How would you approach that?
Do you have any answers for me? Any comments?
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
I've been on spring break at home this week. Whenever I come home, I don't want to leave. Well, let me rephrase. I don't want to leave Georgia. I really do love this state. It's my home. No where else that I've lived so far has felt like home to me. It's just a temporary place to live. I really hope that I get to stay in this state.
This week has been FULL of interesting things and life-altering changes.
Thursday, Chris and I went to Athens, GA for the day. We started out at the Memorial Park and Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail off of Gran Ellen Drive off Milledge Avenue. The park is basically a little zoo with indigenous animals like bears, owls, wild turkey, eagles, white-tailed deer, and many others. I've been to the zoo many times, but this visit let me see two new wildlife exhibits - baby bear cubs and alligators. I love baby bears, or as I like to say, "baby bawars." Say just like I spelled it. ;) And I've always thought alligators were fasinating, so we watched them for a while. There was also a great horned owl exhibit. One owl looked like he was trying his best to sleep but couldn't because of all the people staring at him, but the other owl was WIDE awake. I'd never realized before how much great horned owls look like they have people eyes. I felt like that owl could have spoken to me if he really wanted to. :) After that was Gus the Groundhog who looked like he was completely bored being in his little habitat. I don't blame him. Then the wild turkeys. Two males in the cage were continuously fluffing up and fanning out their feathers trying to impress the females. I guess it's that's time of year. We didn't get to see the eagles (both bald eagles and golden eagles) since they were nesting/mating, but maybe next time I'll get to see their babies.
After the zoo, we went to the Georgia Museum of Art located on Carlton Street off of S. Lumpkin. I had seen the building before but had never gotten to go inside. I was surprised to see that it was a legitimate, large art museum. The museum featured everyone from Southern artists to Andy Warhol to Marie Cassatt and some Renaissance painters. I had seen a few of the paintings in the Jacksonville Art Museum when I went last year, but many of the paintings were new to me. Chris and I looked at every single painting and tried to notice the details of all of them. I got yelled at by a museum docent who thought I was about to touch one of the Cassatt paintings because I was pointing to a small detail. I was a little offended that he would yell at me since I was being so careful that I was even holding my breath when I leaned near a painting. But he didn't know that, so I eventually got over it and continued to enjoy myself.
After the museum, we tried a new restaurant on S. Lumpkin. It's called Cali n Tito's. It a Latin restaurant that feels like it should be on some beach in Mexico or South America. Spanish music, Hispanic/ Spanish speaking cooks and servers, and authentic Latin food. Chris got a Peruvian dish called Lomo Saltado which was chicken, onions, rice, french fries, and spices, and I got one chicken taco, one steak taco, and a side of platanos (fried plantains). My tacos had more fresh cilantro than I like (I really don't like fresh cilantro), but they were fresh and delicious. We both had mango nectar as our drink. It was a very warm day, so we sat outside surrounded by palm trees and colorful decorations. I really felt like I was in a Latin American country instead of in Athens, GA.
The rest of the day consisted in a little shopping in Downtown Athens, two movies (Tangled and Red Riding Hood), and Chick-Fil-A. All in all, it was a good day.
I was happy to have such a great day, because Chris and I have decided to take a break in our relationship. We both need to work on too many things and find out what God's calling and direction is for our lives. We both have some growing to do. Ultimately, only one of us made the decision after months of prayerful and tearful consideration, but we both agreed that it's the best decision right now. I'm heartbroken, but I'm re-learning to rely on God every day to keep me strong. So please pray for both of us individually to continue to do what God wants us to do no matter how hard it is.
I'm going to try to blog more about every day stuff. I've always wanted to have an active blog, but I've always put pressure on myself to have something deep and insightful to say. I've learned that being like that isn't always necessary, that short and entertaining posts about every day things are just as fun to read as longer posts like this. So I hope that my readers check back soon to see what new directions this blog will take.
This week has been FULL of interesting things and life-altering changes.
Thursday, Chris and I went to Athens, GA for the day. We started out at the Memorial Park and Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail off of Gran Ellen Drive off Milledge Avenue. The park is basically a little zoo with indigenous animals like bears, owls, wild turkey, eagles, white-tailed deer, and many others. I've been to the zoo many times, but this visit let me see two new wildlife exhibits - baby bear cubs and alligators. I love baby bears, or as I like to say, "baby bawars." Say just like I spelled it. ;) And I've always thought alligators were fasinating, so we watched them for a while. There was also a great horned owl exhibit. One owl looked like he was trying his best to sleep but couldn't because of all the people staring at him, but the other owl was WIDE awake. I'd never realized before how much great horned owls look like they have people eyes. I felt like that owl could have spoken to me if he really wanted to. :) After that was Gus the Groundhog who looked like he was completely bored being in his little habitat. I don't blame him. Then the wild turkeys. Two males in the cage were continuously fluffing up and fanning out their feathers trying to impress the females. I guess it's that's time of year. We didn't get to see the eagles (both bald eagles and golden eagles) since they were nesting/mating, but maybe next time I'll get to see their babies.
After the zoo, we went to the Georgia Museum of Art located on Carlton Street off of S. Lumpkin. I had seen the building before but had never gotten to go inside. I was surprised to see that it was a legitimate, large art museum. The museum featured everyone from Southern artists to Andy Warhol to Marie Cassatt and some Renaissance painters. I had seen a few of the paintings in the Jacksonville Art Museum when I went last year, but many of the paintings were new to me. Chris and I looked at every single painting and tried to notice the details of all of them. I got yelled at by a museum docent who thought I was about to touch one of the Cassatt paintings because I was pointing to a small detail. I was a little offended that he would yell at me since I was being so careful that I was even holding my breath when I leaned near a painting. But he didn't know that, so I eventually got over it and continued to enjoy myself.
After the museum, we tried a new restaurant on S. Lumpkin. It's called Cali n Tito's. It a Latin restaurant that feels like it should be on some beach in Mexico or South America. Spanish music, Hispanic/ Spanish speaking cooks and servers, and authentic Latin food. Chris got a Peruvian dish called Lomo Saltado which was chicken, onions, rice, french fries, and spices, and I got one chicken taco, one steak taco, and a side of platanos (fried plantains). My tacos had more fresh cilantro than I like (I really don't like fresh cilantro), but they were fresh and delicious. We both had mango nectar as our drink. It was a very warm day, so we sat outside surrounded by palm trees and colorful decorations. I really felt like I was in a Latin American country instead of in Athens, GA.
The rest of the day consisted in a little shopping in Downtown Athens, two movies (Tangled and Red Riding Hood), and Chick-Fil-A. All in all, it was a good day.
I was happy to have such a great day, because Chris and I have decided to take a break in our relationship. We both need to work on too many things and find out what God's calling and direction is for our lives. We both have some growing to do. Ultimately, only one of us made the decision after months of prayerful and tearful consideration, but we both agreed that it's the best decision right now. I'm heartbroken, but I'm re-learning to rely on God every day to keep me strong. So please pray for both of us individually to continue to do what God wants us to do no matter how hard it is.
I'm going to try to blog more about every day stuff. I've always wanted to have an active blog, but I've always put pressure on myself to have something deep and insightful to say. I've learned that being like that isn't always necessary, that short and entertaining posts about every day things are just as fun to read as longer posts like this. So I hope that my readers check back soon to see what new directions this blog will take.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Facts About Me
1. My name is Anna. I am 25, turning 26 in May. I am a third year law student graduating in May and taking the Bar Exam in July.
2. I am an extremely complex person, but I have learned to temper my complexities down so that I can relate to more people and be more friendly. haha!
3. Oh, I better tell you now. I like lists. That's why I'm doing this in a list format.
4. I generally say that my favorite color is green, but that's more a default favorite since my true favorites change by the moment. ;)
5. I'm a Southern woman through and through. I'm in Virginia now for law school but it's not Southern enough for me. ;) I was born and raised in Georgia and plan on going back there after law school and probably never living anywhere else for the rest of my life (unless God specifically tells me to go somewhere else).
6. I am not married, nor do I have children, but I have been dating a man named Chris for over 3.5 years now. No wedding in the works yet, but all in the proper time.
7. I have two younger sisters. Being the oldest sister has really influenced how I look at life. I'm more responsible and have a stronger since of familial duty than either of my sisters do, I think.
8. I love music, even "strange" music. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I am in the indie scene, but I have a very wide range of tastes from folk to country to metal to pop to classical to instrumental to rock to hip hop. I have so many "favorite" artists that it really does no good to list them all out.
9. I love food. My love of food is so strong that I am surprised that I don't weigh 300 lbs. I like Southern home cooking just as much as Thai or Indian. I'll try almost anything once, and I like to experiment with spices when I cook. So far, all but one thing has turned out tasty. ;)
10. I love the internet. I'm not addicted to it since I can go for weeks without checking anything when i want to, but I just really like the internet. There are so many interesting things to read and see and so many beautiful photos and other art that people have created. Also, basically unlimited music! :)
11. I currently maintain 4 blogs, 3 of which are mostly photographs I find here and there that I really like. The 4th is more of a traditional blog. I don't post there as often as I'd like, but sometimes I feel like I don't have anything interesting to say, so I don't bother.
12. (I'm almost finished! I promise!) I've always been a voracious reader. I remember being so excited when the summer book club would start at the local library. I would go with my little canvas tote bag and fill it up with picture books, novels, fairy tales, educational books... anything I could get my hands on. I wish that I had kept a list of everything that I read up until this point in my life. I'm sure the list would be intimidating! haha! I hope my future children love reading and knowledge as much as I do.
Ok. That's enough for now. I could go on for a while, but I'll stop. ;)
2. I am an extremely complex person, but I have learned to temper my complexities down so that I can relate to more people and be more friendly. haha!
3. Oh, I better tell you now. I like lists. That's why I'm doing this in a list format.
4. I generally say that my favorite color is green, but that's more a default favorite since my true favorites change by the moment. ;)
5. I'm a Southern woman through and through. I'm in Virginia now for law school but it's not Southern enough for me. ;) I was born and raised in Georgia and plan on going back there after law school and probably never living anywhere else for the rest of my life (unless God specifically tells me to go somewhere else).
6. I am not married, nor do I have children, but I have been dating a man named Chris for over 3.5 years now. No wedding in the works yet, but all in the proper time.
7. I have two younger sisters. Being the oldest sister has really influenced how I look at life. I'm more responsible and have a stronger since of familial duty than either of my sisters do, I think.
8. I love music, even "strange" music. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I am in the indie scene, but I have a very wide range of tastes from folk to country to metal to pop to classical to instrumental to rock to hip hop. I have so many "favorite" artists that it really does no good to list them all out.
9. I love food. My love of food is so strong that I am surprised that I don't weigh 300 lbs. I like Southern home cooking just as much as Thai or Indian. I'll try almost anything once, and I like to experiment with spices when I cook. So far, all but one thing has turned out tasty. ;)
10. I love the internet. I'm not addicted to it since I can go for weeks without checking anything when i want to, but I just really like the internet. There are so many interesting things to read and see and so many beautiful photos and other art that people have created. Also, basically unlimited music! :)
11. I currently maintain 4 blogs, 3 of which are mostly photographs I find here and there that I really like. The 4th is more of a traditional blog. I don't post there as often as I'd like, but sometimes I feel like I don't have anything interesting to say, so I don't bother.
12. (I'm almost finished! I promise!) I've always been a voracious reader. I remember being so excited when the summer book club would start at the local library. I would go with my little canvas tote bag and fill it up with picture books, novels, fairy tales, educational books... anything I could get my hands on. I wish that I had kept a list of everything that I read up until this point in my life. I'm sure the list would be intimidating! haha! I hope my future children love reading and knowledge as much as I do.
Ok. That's enough for now. I could go on for a while, but I'll stop. ;)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
I have something very important to say
So I very humbly ask that you read this and read it carefully.
I’ve been very burdened lately about all of the hatred that I see every single day. Hatred against a certain political group or a certain religious group or a certain ethnic group. Hatred that causes people to do and say things that are inhuman and immoral.
Anyone can see these things just as easily as I can.
My main concern is how we approach it.
I attended a symposium on genocide these last two days and heard accounts of what happens when hatred is acted upon in the extreme.
I heard a man speak who is a survivor of the Holocaust. He told us his story of how the elimination of the Jews in Nazi Germany began. The Nazis didn’t begin to immediately kill every Jew they saw. Oh, no! It was much more subtle than that. Jews were incrimentally treated as second class citizens by slowly taking away their entertainment privileges, their shopping privileges, and their education privileges. Gradually, the people around them who weren’t Jews began to see them as lower class citizens - cockroaches even. And cockroaches needed to be exterminated. He told us about the day that they took him and his grandparents and brother to Auschwitz and how he was separated from his family. Through months of horrors that he experienced, only he walked out of that camp alive in the end. He later was able to reconnect with his parents who had been protected and hidden by a Russian Christian.
I also heard about the much more recent Rwandan civil war and genocide in the 1990s. The same thing happened there in that the Tutsi and Hutu tribes were slowly pitted against each other through the government, the education system, and even through corrupt church leaders. When asked why even the church leaders participated in this, the panelists stated that in Rwanda at this time, you were a Tutsi or Hutu FIRST and a Christian second. Through a serious of political events and assassinations, Hutu neighbors of the Tutsi violently attacked them and killed many of them. Many Hutus also died during this time, but my point is that hatred is what drove neighbors and friends to these acts of violence.
Why am I telling you all of this?
These are examples of what extreme forms of hatred can do. We’ve seen it in America time and again. The colonists and pioneers’ treatment of Native Americans; Native American’s treatment of colonists and pioneers. The treatment of Africans during slavery; the treatment of African Americans during the civil rights movement. The treatment of the Irish as they immigrated to America during the Potato Famine. The treatment of Hispanics as they even today flee from totalitarian regimes in Latin America.
Hatred against people of a different political party than us, against people who speak a different language than us, against people who are a different color, religion, dialect, income level, weight, intelligence level, lifestyle, whatever.
THE HATRED STOPS WITH YOU.
It’s that simple. Each person must make the decision in their own heart to stop hating people who are different from them. You know from experience just as much as I do that yelling at people or threatening them or even punishing them in some way won’t change the way they think.
Thoughts are the only thing that another person cannot control. Only the individual can control their own thoughts.
So when you learn to control yourself and your own thoughts and learn to not HATE, then you have made a difference. If each and every person learned to see the “other side” as a human and an individual who has just as much value as they do, hatred would stop. Violence would stop. Prejudice would stop.
I heard a quote this week. It says “Bitterness and hatred is like drinking a vial of poison and expecting someone else to die.” Being bitter and hateful destroys you from the inside. You may not realize it, but it does. It only leads to self-destruction.
I am a Christian, so I approach everything in life from that background. If you aren’t a Christian, I am not taking this time to try to “convert” you. That’s not my point here. My point is that this issue spans across religious and political boundaries. However, I do want to finish this post with a few things I have learned from God through the things I have read in the Bible.
“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” (Proverbs 10:12)
“The Lord detests the ways of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue righteousness.” (Proverbs 15:9)
“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)
(meaning that if you spew hatred from your mouth, you will reap the consequences of it)
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:34)
“…Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35)
“Love does no harm to a neighbor….” (Romans 13:10)
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” (1 Corinthians 13:4)
We can stop hatred in its tracks if we make it stop with us. Choose to love instead of hate others. Consider your motives behind what you say to others. Why are you saying something? Consider the language you are using. Choose not to use offensive, foul language when talking about someone. Choose not to perpetrate hateful stereotypes of others. Make friends of people who are different than you. It is ok to disagree with someone and even think they are outright wrong! But respect and love for others requires us to not react in hatred to someone who is different from us.
Only then can hatred - and even hatred at it’s most extreme from through genocide - be stopped.
I’ve been very burdened lately about all of the hatred that I see every single day. Hatred against a certain political group or a certain religious group or a certain ethnic group. Hatred that causes people to do and say things that are inhuman and immoral.
Anyone can see these things just as easily as I can.
My main concern is how we approach it.
I attended a symposium on genocide these last two days and heard accounts of what happens when hatred is acted upon in the extreme.
I heard a man speak who is a survivor of the Holocaust. He told us his story of how the elimination of the Jews in Nazi Germany began. The Nazis didn’t begin to immediately kill every Jew they saw. Oh, no! It was much more subtle than that. Jews were incrimentally treated as second class citizens by slowly taking away their entertainment privileges, their shopping privileges, and their education privileges. Gradually, the people around them who weren’t Jews began to see them as lower class citizens - cockroaches even. And cockroaches needed to be exterminated. He told us about the day that they took him and his grandparents and brother to Auschwitz and how he was separated from his family. Through months of horrors that he experienced, only he walked out of that camp alive in the end. He later was able to reconnect with his parents who had been protected and hidden by a Russian Christian.
I also heard about the much more recent Rwandan civil war and genocide in the 1990s. The same thing happened there in that the Tutsi and Hutu tribes were slowly pitted against each other through the government, the education system, and even through corrupt church leaders. When asked why even the church leaders participated in this, the panelists stated that in Rwanda at this time, you were a Tutsi or Hutu FIRST and a Christian second. Through a serious of political events and assassinations, Hutu neighbors of the Tutsi violently attacked them and killed many of them. Many Hutus also died during this time, but my point is that hatred is what drove neighbors and friends to these acts of violence.
Why am I telling you all of this?
These are examples of what extreme forms of hatred can do. We’ve seen it in America time and again. The colonists and pioneers’ treatment of Native Americans; Native American’s treatment of colonists and pioneers. The treatment of Africans during slavery; the treatment of African Americans during the civil rights movement. The treatment of the Irish as they immigrated to America during the Potato Famine. The treatment of Hispanics as they even today flee from totalitarian regimes in Latin America.
Hatred against people of a different political party than us, against people who speak a different language than us, against people who are a different color, religion, dialect, income level, weight, intelligence level, lifestyle, whatever.
THE HATRED STOPS WITH YOU.
It’s that simple. Each person must make the decision in their own heart to stop hating people who are different from them. You know from experience just as much as I do that yelling at people or threatening them or even punishing them in some way won’t change the way they think.
Thoughts are the only thing that another person cannot control. Only the individual can control their own thoughts.
So when you learn to control yourself and your own thoughts and learn to not HATE, then you have made a difference. If each and every person learned to see the “other side” as a human and an individual who has just as much value as they do, hatred would stop. Violence would stop. Prejudice would stop.
I heard a quote this week. It says “Bitterness and hatred is like drinking a vial of poison and expecting someone else to die.” Being bitter and hateful destroys you from the inside. You may not realize it, but it does. It only leads to self-destruction.
I am a Christian, so I approach everything in life from that background. If you aren’t a Christian, I am not taking this time to try to “convert” you. That’s not my point here. My point is that this issue spans across religious and political boundaries. However, I do want to finish this post with a few things I have learned from God through the things I have read in the Bible.
“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” (Proverbs 10:12)
“The Lord detests the ways of the wicked, but He loves those who pursue righteousness.” (Proverbs 15:9)
“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)
(meaning that if you spew hatred from your mouth, you will reap the consequences of it)
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:34)
“…Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35)
“Love does no harm to a neighbor….” (Romans 13:10)
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” (1 Corinthians 13:4)
We can stop hatred in its tracks if we make it stop with us. Choose to love instead of hate others. Consider your motives behind what you say to others. Why are you saying something? Consider the language you are using. Choose not to use offensive, foul language when talking about someone. Choose not to perpetrate hateful stereotypes of others. Make friends of people who are different than you. It is ok to disagree with someone and even think they are outright wrong! But respect and love for others requires us to not react in hatred to someone who is different from us.
Only then can hatred - and even hatred at it’s most extreme from through genocide - be stopped.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Anthropologie Launches a Wedding Line
I have loved Anthropologie clothing and accessories for a while now, so I was very excited to see this post from 100 Layer Cake this morning saying that Anthro is launching a wedding line called BHLDN.
It definitely keeps Anthro's feminine, shabby chic touches. I'm excited for it. Check out the 100 Layer Cake post linked above to see more photos from the reveal, and sign up for BHLDN emails to be the first to know when the line officially launches. :)
It definitely keeps Anthro's feminine, shabby chic touches. I'm excited for it. Check out the 100 Layer Cake post linked above to see more photos from the reveal, and sign up for BHLDN emails to be the first to know when the line officially launches. :)
Photo Source: 100 Layer Cake
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Disappointment. Dreams crushed. Etc. Etc.
I told my roommates not a week ago that if Adele (the singer from the UK) ever did a US tour, I would be sure to be at the nearest concert. Well, she's doing a tour. And she's going to be in Atlanta in June. But guess what I'll be doing in June? Studying 10 hours a day for the bar exam and working 2 hours a day. No time to go to a concert 2 hours away. :( Sadness. Despair. Hopelessness.
Ok. Dramatic sequence has ended. Back to my normal blog posts.
Photo source.
Ok. Dramatic sequence has ended. Back to my normal blog posts.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Even Our Clothing Companies are Stupid
You know, I understand some undereducated middleschooler locked in the public education arena making this mistake. I even understand a fresh-off-the-plane-i-don't-speak-english traveler making this mistake.
BUT AN AMERICAN CLOTHING COMPANY??
BUT AN AMERICAN CLOTHING COMPANY??
Good work, there, butchering the English language, Wet Seal.
My head hurts from all this ignorance. I need to lie down.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Afternoon Tea
Yesterday, I experienced a full “Afternoon Tea” for the first time. A British tea house recently opened in my University’s town, and 4 of my girlfriends and I went.
The ladies that own and run the house are just lovely! Both are from England. The owner, Pat, was born in Dover but then lived in Cambridge. The other lady that served us is from Cambridge. They didn’t meet each other until they both happened to move to our town, though, and Pat opened the tea house. They are such wonderful ladies! And both still have a good bit of their British accents. I loved it!
Every tea cup in the place is different, so each of us had beautiful, colorful china cups and saucers to drink our tea from and a tiny silver tea spoon as well.
I drank over 3 cups of tea and lost count of how many different things I tried, so I was definitely caffinated and sugared up for class last night. haha!
Overall, it was one of the most lovely experiences I’ve had in a while.
Oh! And on April 29, they will be broadcasting Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding on loop ALL day. Guess who’s going to be at the tea house THAT day??? ;)
Here's the link to the Tea Room if you'd ever like to visit.
(Photo source)
The ladies that own and run the house are just lovely! Both are from England. The owner, Pat, was born in Dover but then lived in Cambridge. The other lady that served us is from Cambridge. They didn’t meet each other until they both happened to move to our town, though, and Pat opened the tea house. They are such wonderful ladies! And both still have a good bit of their British accents. I loved it!
Every tea cup in the place is different, so each of us had beautiful, colorful china cups and saucers to drink our tea from and a tiny silver tea spoon as well.We were served delicious scones, jam, Devon cream; watercress, salmon, roast beef and horseradish, and cucumber tea sandwiches. Also, there were probably 15 different cakes and pastries including eclairs, lavender jam rolls, orange marmalade jelly rolls, coffee cake, raisin puffs, and cream tarts.
I drank over 3 cups of tea and lost count of how many different things I tried, so I was definitely caffinated and sugared up for class last night. haha!
Overall, it was one of the most lovely experiences I’ve had in a while.
Oh! And on April 29, they will be broadcasting Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding on loop ALL day. Guess who’s going to be at the tea house THAT day??? ;)
Here's the link to the Tea Room if you'd ever like to visit.
(Photo source)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Year
I'm not making resolutions this year. I'm sure I'll make plenty of changes, though, as the year goes on, but I never keep any resolutions that I make. So to keep myself from failing, I'm not even going to set myself up. Ha!
So instead of resolutions, I'm going to list things I'm excited about that are happening or will be happening soon.
1. I will take (hopefully) amazing classes this semester. I've signed up for "International Human Rights" and "Child Abuse and the Law." I'm pretty excited about both of them and especially for the International Human Rights course, because the professor is a lovely lady who grew up in an African village, traveled to the US to graduate from Harvard, work for the United Nations, and then become a Fulbright Scholar. She has a beautiful soul, and I can't wait to get to know her better through her class.
2. Spring is only a few months away. That's something to be ridiculously happy about. I've realized, however, that it's not so much winter that I hate - it's COLD winter. I've been home for Christmas, and it's been pretty mild this week. We did have record snow last week, but this week has been in the upper 40s, and I'm ok with that. I just don't like frozen tundra temperatures like Virginia has, so hopefully I won't hate winter so much once I graduate and move back to Georgia.
3. I don't have the death flu anymore. I'm very, very happy about that.
4. I GRADUATE in May! May 14th. I started the countdown today.
5. I'm excited about starting work for the Judge after graduation. He wants me to work a couple hours a day while I'm studying for the bar (May through July), and I'm ok with that. I'll be getting a bit of a paycheck while I'm killing myself cramming in three years of learning into 6 weeks and then regurgitating it all back in a two day exam. Whew! (I'm NOT excited about the exam, but I have to push through it.)
6. I'm excited about moving back to Georgia after graduation. I've missed it so.
7. I'm excited to make a paycheck again.
8. I'm excited to make my first student loan payment. No, I'm not crazy. I really am excited. The sooner I start paying on it, the sooner it goes away, and the sooner I'll be DEBT FREE!! I can't wait to see that day!
9. I'm excited to have a normal, non-law-student schedule. I will never do a degree-program like law school EVER again. The worst three years of my life. Anyone that says they "enjoyed" their work-load and schedule during law school is a crazy person.
10. Since 10 is a nice number to end on, I'm excited about being near my family again after graduation. I feel like I miss SO much when I am away. I can't wait to be able to see them and do things with them and not have to work around my break schedule.
11. Ok. 11 for good measure. I'm excited for summer and sunshine and heat and tans. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)