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I've been keeping journals since I was about 8 years old and bought my first little blue diary with a tiny silver key at the local G.C. Murphy's. So, it felt pretty natural to start journaling about my journey once I became a Christian and once I got over my pre-Christian hangups about what prayer should and shouldn't be, I started writing a lot of my prayers down. As someone who struggles with ADD, writing my prayers down helped (and still helps) me keep my focus.
When Dawn first introduced her plan to form a little community of people all working through the same devotional book I was intrigued, but honestly thought "I do not need another thing to do." It kept coming back to me, though, and after praying about it I decided to join in. What I was already doing was very similar, so it wouldn't be too big of an adjustment. I thought it would be nice to have the directed prompts every day and the feedback from the other people who where doing it.
1. March 20th is the first day of spring...is she a lion or a lamb in your part of the world? ~ Okay, I admit I'm doing this on Tuesday evening, but it's cold, windy and every now and then there are some snow flurries out there, but from the sound of things....Wednesday will see Spring come roaring in like a lion. Wake up temperature in the 20's with a windchill in the teens and snow later in the day. (Somebody shoot the groundhog!)
2. What's the most dreaded task on your spring clean to-do list? Do you have a 'plan of attack'?
~ It's probably my bedroom. It's the one room in the house we've never done anything to in the 19 years we've lived here. Yes, you read that right....19 years! At this point it's looking every one of those years. I don't really have a plan other than I'd love to gut it and start over from scratch.
3. Peas...love 'em or hate 'em? What's a favorite dish you make using peas?
~ I don't hate them, but can't say I'm all that excited about them, either. I will eat them, but not enough to have an actual favorite pea recipe.
4. Do you feel under appreciated?
~ Big time, especially by my kids, but I'm learning that's my issue, not theirs. I can't do anything about their attitudes and behavior, but I can control my reaction.
5. Have you been using Google Reader? If so, what are you switching to now that GR has announced retirement? If not, how do you read your favorite blogs?
~ Is it terrible to admit as someone who has been blogging since 2001 that I really don't know if I use Google Reader or not because I don't really know what Google Reader does? I have blogs in my sidebar and I've bookmarked blogs. If I want to read a blog I actually go visit it. Switching? I don't know. Do I have to have a reader? I am hopeless at the technical stuff.
6. Anne Bradstreet is credited with the following quote~
"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."
Agree or Disagree? Why?
~ Agree! Just look at the kids (and adults) in the world who have had everything handed to them. They don't appreciate what they have and just sort of expect things. If we didn't get sick, we wouldn't know how great health is. We need both sides of the coin.
7. When did you last 'spring for something'? What was it?
~ Spring for?? When dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
8. Insert your own random thought here?
~ The boys in Ohio....the ones who raped a girl at a party, video taped it, and posted it to YouTube....how do you feel about their sentence? Do you think the penalty for what they did was severe enough? Do you think it was too severe? At 16 and 17 they were sentenced as juveniles. Do you agree with that? At those ages do you think they've reached the age of accountability? If they don't have compassion at that age, will they "grow into it"?
I admit I struggle with my feelings on this one. As a Christian I believe in forgiveness, but I also believe that doesn't mean we escape the consequences of our actions. And these boys....at 16 and 17....I feel they know right from wrong. I'm just not sure I agree with sentencing them as juveniles. I love football, but I have "issues" with the system that brings these boys up from a very young age (if they have talent and ability) to think they are "golden" and "untouchable" that someone will fix it, whatever it is. Disagree? Just look around the NFL at all the things players do and mostly get away with. It's only been recently that the league is beginning to crack down.
Anyway.....just curious how others are viewing it.
10 comments:
It's 44 degrees here this morning...and we're in the Deep South! Craziest weather I've seen in a long while...so ready for things to start warming up around here! No, I don't feel those boys received a harsh enough sentence for what they did to that poor girl. That being said, I do feel that she needs to take some responsibility, as far as getting so drunk that she passed out. It's just a sad situation all around. Like you, I've never used Google Reader and have no clue how it even works.
I think the judge followed he law in sentencing the "boys" as juveniles, right? I do think that alcohol played such a big part of what they did, that the binging issue should not be overlooked. It saddens me greatly that so many other youth witnessed the rape - and even took video - but didn't step in to stop it. How can SO many young people allow it? I was happy tho to hear the mother of the victim say it will not define her daughter!
I too have never used Google reader and I don't miss it although we have had our e-mail page changed and it is taking some getting used to.
whoah sister - first I am all in shock because I am thinking the Google rader thing does not effect me BUT then as I am reading your post today I am thinking- wait- is that the feed on e-blogger where all my blogs I follow are???????????? Say no, please. Because I might have a mini stroke...then I read about the rape incident which I have not heard of until now and I am sick with that news- videotaped the rape? Yeah, accountable, booze or not. They are. She will be impacted for the rest of her life. They need consequences first...second chances after they pay retribution on something that is impossible to retrieve anyway. I know I know nothing yet- but if they get off lightly that girl receives a slap in the face and the message to all girls is wrong...of course now I will have to go find the news clip.
Phew, your killing me with the hodge podge today , my friend.
Thanks so much for your portion- you still bless me. And we would have dangerously outrageous coffee talks!
Ugh - the whole trial thing is what makes me so glad we don't get any tv except for what we stream from the internet! It makes me absolutely sick - on all levels. Sigh.
In Scotland, you are sentenced the same as an adult once you are 16 - even though you can be a child victim until you are 18. I'm not sure if it would still be a different prsion (ie young offenders) you'd be sent to until you are 18 though.
I totally agree with what you say about any kind of 'untouchable' celebrity culture. It's not good or right or healthy.
You don't need a reader. You don't even need to know what one is : )
Regarding #8-so sad. For everyone. I do think the media took a bit of a slant in favor of the boys in that 'this is ruining their futures, poor them' kind of way. Unfortunately that is life. Sometimes we make awful decisions and have to live with the consequences.
People can also learn from horrible mistakes and go on to live productive lives. I feel like a lot goes on with this generation that numbs them...they don't think big things are big things. Raping a drunk girl is a big thing. Posting it online, the inappropriate texts and language, etc...one day they may have daughters and see their behavior differently.
I disagree with the girls mother when she said compassion is in us from birth. Maybe, but I think it must be fostered by parents...kids need to learn compassion, it doesn't neccessarily come naturally to everyone.
Girls need to be responsible for their role in these instances too. Drinking so much you pass out makes you a party to the crime.
One of the worst parts about the whole thing is kids observing something they know is wrong and not acting. Again...if we want moral kids we need to teach them to do the right thing even if its unpopular.
Sorry for all that...you got me thinking. The story makes me sad on many levels.
I don't hate peas either but I never buy them to eat unless they are the crunchy snap peas! I don't believe you will need a reader if that is how you currently read your blogs. I follow too many to have them in my sidebar and dashboard wouldn't let me add more a few years ago so I had to go to a reader. I'm sure you will be fine! I do not follow the news in any form so I don't know anything about those boys and the youtube video but at 16 and 17, in today's world, they should be treated like adults in my opinion.
That story about the girl and the two football players is just awful! I didn't watch much on it so don't feel I can comment fairly.
April...We had a snow squall hit this morning (Thursday) and drop about two inches in an hour! I agree, the girl needs to take responsibility for putting herself in such a spot, too.
Marla...That's what gets to me, too. How could they all have just stood there and done nothing?
Retired...I'm glad you don't miss it. I hope I won't.
Dawn...The case is a mind blower all around. How do kids get so messed up? How could anyone have thought it was funny or okay? It just makes me sick. And yes, I think we'd have amazing coffee chats. :) Maybe one day we will. We are at least on the same side of the country.
The Henry Crew...It is so sickening and heartbreaking. I don't watch a lot of news, but this was all over the place and it seemed to really get to my husband so he kept me updated.
Laura Anne...I think your country has the right idea. By 16 I think kids definitely know right from wrong.
Teri...I agree! You can't unleash what isn't already in there.
Joyce...That is the most awesome-est bit of news about the reader. :) Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the case. I think everyone at that party should get some kind of counseling just because they went to such a party in the first place and from there...I could think of about a million reasons they need it.
Debby...I'm with you on 16 being old enough to be an adult. I kind of have the thinking "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time."
Theresa...It is awful. :( Thanks for visiting me, though, that's not awful. :)
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