Unexpected Revelations

Do you ever find God where you least expect Him to be?  It's often humorous to discover the many places He chooses to reveal Himself to us.  For me, it was in my Communication Theory textbook last night.  Odd?  Absolutely.  Refreshing?  Beyond belief.  It's called unconditional positive regard.  I had heard of it before, but pretty much cast it aside as one of the million theories that simply was unimportant in my personal life, prior to last night.  Em Griffin writes, "Unconditional positive regard is the attitude of acceptance that isn't contingent on performance."  He relates this concept to a better communication environment.  If individuals feel safe and accepted by the other person, they are more likely to communicate in an authentic and transparent manner.  The only thing I could think of when I kept reading about this theory was God's love and communication with us.  How amazing is His love that no matter what we do, no matter how we "perform," He has an unconditional positive regard towards us.  Then I thought about my Granny, who was known for her love- for finding something good in every person she met, even if that person wasn't easy to get along with or generally well-accepted.  I've longed to be that type of person for years...to look beyond the attitudes, the expectations, the performance of a person- into their heart, into their being.  I want so bad to lavish God's love on others, but often find that my human nature gets in the way.  By relying on Christ though, I believe it's possible.

Who would have thought that little "revelation" would come from a school-based textbook?  So, today- expect the unexpected.  God will show up just when you need Him the most...whether it's reading for a theory-based class, or catching up on laundry or logging in hours at your job.  That's what's so good about Him- He will do whatever it takes to allow us to see Him.

It's Scary

I bought this magnet at Barnes and Noble yesterday (got a little sidetracked when I was shopping for some school supplies).  It's a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, a well-respected and admired lady.  I did a speech on her last year and found her life to be so inspiring and amazing.  It's just insane how many things she did to help others, even when it was inconvenient or difficult for her.  Anyway, I'm going to try her "theory" out- the whole do one thing everyday that scares you.  I guess if you never try anything outside your comfort zone, you won't really grow to your full potential.  Plus, if you push yourself, who knows what new talents, opportunities, adventures, or predicaments you might find yourself in...all of which only cause you to become a stronger person.  Today, in my Intro to Drawing class, which I was terrified to even walk into- lol, we had to do "blind" drawing.  The rules:  Only look at the object you are drawing, not your paper.  And, never pick up your pencil from the paper- make continuous lines.  We had to sketch pieces of coral and mini clothespins.  Needless to say, there were definitely some laughs when everyone discovered what they had drawn.  Professor Ryan said it's about disconnecting what you think you see and what you really see.  I have to admit, in a way, they were kind of beautiful.  It was like we were seeing for the first time-unreserved, unrestrained by the expectations we had of ourselves and our abilities.  So, my "scary thing"- first drawing class, with "blind" drawing nonetheless- turned out to be quite freeing, and who knows...like Picasso, it might become my new favorite pastime : ).  Your turn.

Mission Impossible Made Possible

Move-in is complete! You heard me right- everything is moved in. As for organized….well, I'll be working on that one today and tomorrow. The first week of school not only brings new beginnings but also minor chaos as I navigate around my room filled with school supplies and re-accustom (that's probably not a word, but I so just made it one : ) myself to this small space! These past few weeks have been one emotional rollercoaster for me, and I am ready to get off the ride, if you know what I mean. When I finally got readjusted to life back in Lake Placid, it was time to make the move back here to Fort Lauderdale. Change is always hard for me, especially if it involves leaving behind the people I love, knowing I won't see them nearly as much as I wish. But, I will press on, remembering that God has awesome plans in store for me here, though I don't think the bruised finger and busted up heel were part of those plans moving in- lol. From my last statement, I'm sure you can tell just how grand it was to move my whole life down here and up three stories, once again. Mom and I should be earning Badges of Courage or something, well, she should anyway. I seriously couldn't have done it without her! We had some "interesting" experiences (refrigerator problems), to say the least, but shared many enjoyable moments together. I wish there was some way to pay her back for all she's done, but it's just impossible. When I was nodding off to sleep the other night, I just couldn't think of a way to say thank you that would really capture the meaning. Well, I do have to get this place straightened up, so I suppose I am done blogging for now. Enjoy your day- there's beauty in each one : ). Oh, and remind me of that when I'm having a bad one. Haha.