Inspiration of the Day

After much persuasion, I took my own advice and visited the links in my sidebar. I must say Strange Signs is absolutely hilarious! I know why I added it. There is a new one on the main page there exposing the true face of feminism. Having done a shallow study of feminism I immediately saw the humor. :) Maybe you will too. I may be inspired to give a short discourse on feminism one day (Thank you…thank you for the applause…no really…sit down…please).

We can always use inspiration of our Faith as the road is very long and dusty sometimes. One of the ways I inspire myself is to read stories of other Christians serving God. I own a book called Jesus Freaks co-written by DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs. Richard Wurmbrand started this ministry after spending 14 years in a Communist prison camp for this faith we have claimed. In Jesus Freaks, he shares this story:

Jubilant Dance for Jesus

“Christianity has become dramatic with us,” wrote Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, a leader of the underground church to Communist Romania. “When Christians in free countries win a soul for Christ, the new believer may become a member of a quietly living church. But when those in captive nations win someone, we know that he may have to go to prison and that his children may become orphans. The joy of having brought someone to Christ is always mixed with this feeling that there is a price that must be paid.

“When I was still living behind the Iron Curtain, I had met a Russian Captain. He loved God, he longed after God, but he had never seen a Bible. He had never attended religious services. He had no religious education, but he loved God without the slightest knowledge of Him.

“I read to him the Sermon on the Mount and the parables of Jesus. After hearing them, he danced around the room in rapturous joy, proclaiming, ‘What a wonderful beauty! How could I live without knowing this Christ?’ It was the first time I saw someone jubilating in Christ.

“Then I made a mistake. I read to him the passion and crucifixion of Christ, without having prepared him for this. He had not expected it. When he heard how Christ was beaten, how He was crucified, and that in the end He died, he fell in an armchair and began to weep bitterly. He had believed in a Savior and now his Savior was dead!

“I looked at him and was ashamed that I had called myself a Christian and a pastor, a teacher of others. I had never shared the sufferings of Christ as this Russian officer now shared them. Looking at him was, for me, like seeing Mary Magdalene weeping at the foot of the cross or at the empty tomb.

“Then I read to him the story of the resurrection. When he heard this wonderful news, that the Savior arose from the tomb, he slapped is knees, and shouted for joy: ‘He is alive! He is alive!’ Again he danced around the room, overwhelmed with happiness!

“I said to him, ‘Let us pray!’

“He fell on his knees together with me. He did not know our holy phrases. His words of prayer were, ‘O God, what a fine chap You are! If I were You and You were me, I would never have forgiven You Your sins. But You are really a very nice chap! I love You with all my heart.’

“I think that all the angels in heaven stopped what they were doing to listen to this sublime prayer from this Russian officer. When this man received Christ, he knew he would immediately lose his position as an officer, that prison and perhaps death in jail would almost surely follow. He gladly paid the price. He was ready to lose everything.

*Jesus Freaks, DC Talk and Voice of the Martyrs. Jubilant Dance for Jesus. Albury Publishing. Tulsa, Oklahoma. 1999. p 202

Cyber Life

We all enjoy our little cyber circle. It enhances our lives and friendships. It keeps us connected when life busyness or distance keeps us apart. I sometimes joke that I have a better cyber life than I do a real life! Some people take their cyber lives very seriously.

These are people who have given up on pursuing much of a real life all together. Maybe they have discovered that they can be an entirely new and better person (or perceived as such) in cyber space. Maybe they have discovered that communication is so much easier and less of a personal risk online. Whatever the reason, almost 200,000 people world-wide have gotten a second life: A cyber life. You too can create a new (cyber) life for yourself by going to Secondlife.com. There you can create a digital image of yourself and meet the digital representations of other users for free. If you like it you can, for a small fee, buy property and build a house, start a business, go to clubs, restaurants, and other recreational places. Second Life has its own economy in place using the Linden dollar. Whatever you create there you retain IP rights to and can sell for real US dollars. Yes, you read that right. Lindex is the official currency exchange from Linden $ to US$. There are also in-world ATM machines to make transactions easier.

There is now a cyber life for children at Millsberry.com. It is a much tamer version of Second Life, but just as enticing. Children can create their digital selves and interact in-world all for free. They earn millsbucks by playing games at the arcade. I can see how they can learn about economy and saving “money” in such a world, but if they don’t get on every day to collect their interest bonus points from the bank, they lose that interest. Do I hear the word addiction?

This is Sim City gone insane. With a cyber life like that, why bother with real life stuff anymore? It is a society within a society, turned in on itself. We don’t need to interact with real people anymore. It’s much more fun to create and live in our very own cyber world.

Mulder and Scully

A happy event has occurred in my little world. I discovered seasons 4-9 of the x-files for sale at a store near me. I, of course, bought all six seasons available. While the local Hollywood video rental has so graciously rented seasons 1 & 2 twice to me (humoring me with a sad half smile upon each of my frequent visits), I have yet to see season 3 in its entirety. I shall continue my search and so complete my collection.

Last year I began a ritual that became a great comfort to me. I had discovered for the first time that Hollywood rented seasons 1 & 2 of the x-files (which I had grown to love as a young girl). I was off – semester for the spring and I looked forward each week to indulging in the world of Mulder and Scully. I had also discovered the pleasure of Dove chocolates and logically combined the two delicacies to create several hours of bliss.

Mulder and Scully became like dear friends to me in those hours. I lived vicariously through them. They brought me joy and happiness, and satisfied my craving for the twisted and unexplained mystery with a (sort-of) solution. Again this spring I savored my way through the first and second season only to once again find myself at the end (cliff-hung in fact). I was strangely depressed and restless at the void this left. Imagine my excitement then when I discovered that I could enjoy 129 NEW episodes, and OWN them!

You cannot blame me, or judge me. It is my escape.

I’m willing to bet you have an escape of your own.

A Three Pipe Problem

Mysteries of life are not easily explained. One day, at the end of time, I hope that they will unravel themselves. I love mysteries, but only ones that can be solved. I like to know the ending of a good mystery. I’m not a big fan of Unsolved Mysteries. I shall pose a problem, which I am sure many of you have experienced and wondered at the mysteriousness of the phenomenon.

Have you ever shopped endlessly for clothing or gifts to no avail, but one unexpected day, favor shines down upon you, and you find the perfect things for incredible deals?

Have you ever lived weeks in boring nothingness, when suddenly four events converge on the same weekend forcing you to choose one or maybe two of the events only?

Why do things always happen this way: Feast or Famine?

When it rains, it pours!

It feels as if this is beyond one’s control. The Bible says that there are seasons and times for everything. Would that word refer to this phenomenon? We can exhaust ourselves trying to make things happen out of season. There is also something to be said about being perseverant.

I’m not much of a shopper, but I can compare this phenomenon to shopping. There are days when I go out looking for something, I go to several places, I find nothing, my feet hurt, my back hurts, I’m frustrated, and I feel like I have just completely wasted my time. It’s as if some unseen force has been against me. Other times I go out and every place I go I find exactly what I want, quickly, and in my price range.

I also have experienced the loss of realizing if I just would have looked a little longer and harder I would have found something really cool. I have experienced this while shopping with friends and they find something incredible in a place I gave up looking.

It’s like luck, or favor just builds up and builds up before/until it bubbles over. Maybe that is what pressed down, shaken together, running over means. We just don’t notice the blessing until it runs over. Maybe it’s because room must be made for the blessing before it comes: The ache of boredom and loneliness before the blessing of friends and fun, the frustration of searching to embrace the finding.

Elementary, my dear?

One Word

I stroll down the wide dock at the WL Yacht Club with one small, sticky hand in mine, the result of an ice cream cone gone out of control, and ponder the question Katie just introduced: Explain Mary in one word. I don't hesitate: Strong will. We move on to Katie and she beams: Dreamer. Now what about Miss Stephenie? A moment of thoughfullness, then Mary bursts: Giving! Katie's eyes light up in agreement. I'm stunned. That wouldn't have been the word I would use to describe myself, but to them it fits me perfectly. I would have expected the word caring, or something like it. I guess I do give my time, my advice, my love, my help, my patience. I give of mysef and they know it.

The little things that we do really don't go unnoticed. Our everday lives and presence create a solid (yet invisible) essence of who we are. It remains apart from outward appearance, it is the inner person. It's the person others grow close to, fall in love with, learn to respect, miss when we're away. It is the person that will remain long after our physical body has expired from this world.

Relationships are like mirrors: They allow you to see yourself more clearly.

Exhale News Update!

A long overdue update is about to be made...please stand by.




Former "buddies" Reinstated as Official Exhale Members
It has been noted that bloggers who held the rank of "buddy" have received a much more prestigious title due to the exclusive nature of their presence on the Exhale blog, and are now considered official members of said blog. These individuals are not just members, but also valuable contributers to the prestigiousness and exclusiveness of Exhale. Exhale is also proud to acknowledge it's newest members: Mike, Kelsey, and Angela who no doubt will prove to contribute witty shouts and thoughtful comments for the enjoyment of all members!

Annual Camping Adventure an Anticipated Success
The dates have finally been released for the fifth annual camping excursion of the "Smoking Fire" camping club at a most secretive spot. At the risk of exposure to the fragile privacy of it's high profile guests, security will be stepped up on the camp grounds in anticipation of their arrival. Please make note of these dates as they will not be repeated due to their highly classified nature: July 24-28, 2006.

Sanity of Author Validated
While there was some concern for the sanity of the author of this blog, it has come to the attention of those closest to the author that her faculties are indeed intact. She is neither insane, nor retarded. The fault lies with the fact that she is indeed a woman and subject to unannounced mood swings! There is no cause for alarm as this is all normal. The author does, however, wish to convey her sympathy to any one (or more) person (s) to whom she may have caused pain due to the violent swinging (particularly this weekend in a certain social setting).

Shoutbox Grand Opening
It was brought to the attention of User Control that the smilies in the shoutbox were popping up of their own accord and tormenting users in their various mannerisms and idiosyncrasies. The shoutbox was promptly re-installed so as to correct this problem. All smilies are now subject to behave. Any smilie who defies this order will be promptly shot by the smilie with the gun!

Sidebar Entertainment A Big Hit
New sidebar additions continue to increase the entertainment and intellect of the Exhale website. While more is planned for the future, the author would like to encourage the reader to "...take advantage of what is there." The author was also quoted to say, "When in doubt of what to shout [in the shoutbox] the reader can draw from the sidebar quotes, questions, and links to spark new, wild, and random shouting."

The gate is down, The lights are flashing, The train IS coming!

Every once in awhile I shock myself with some profound thinking. Yesterday was one of those days. I was thinking upon the mystery of the free will. Why is it that we are not free to do the things we really want to do at times? If we want the rooms in our houses to be nicer, the quality of our life to be better socially, physically, mentally, spiritually then why is it that we seem bound or hindered from being successful or accomplishing these dreams? Is it really because we don't have the time, money, guts etc. to do those things? We complain about our lack, but rarely own responsibility for it's presence in our lives. It's always someone or something else's fault. Even when we own up to it at times we sometimes just can't seem to make it happen.

Then I thought about the effort that it would take to keep our houses clean, and beautiful, and organized, the inspiration needed to be constantly bettering one's self through enrichment classes and the like, the time required to devote to those things that make our lives better, more enjoyable, more valuable. I thought, "My word! It would take a tremendous amount of ENERGY to do all that!" Then it occured to me that is why it is so important to take care of our bodies and be healthy. So, we can have the energy to devote to living the best life possible.

It follows also that our choices must be disciplined in order to accomplish the things we truly want. We must look ahead to the future as well as keep our attention on the present. We live in a society diseased with instant gratification and because of that we are destroying the quality of our lives piece by piece. It is important then to distinguish between what we want and what we really want! There are days when I don't want to go to class, but I want to get a teaching degree. Therefore, my real desire is to go to school even though I don't want to attend class all the time. Why complain then?

I think that Paul had it right when he said, "Godliness with contentment is great gain."

I think it is also right to keep balance in this by not being "content" with things that we have been given the power and grace to to make better. We must take responsibility for the change needed in our lives, be content in spite those things that can't be changed (grace), and have discernment to know the difference between the two.

Farewell Cousin Becky

My memories of my cousin Becky are ones of adventure and spontaneity, hysterical pants-peeing laughter, and raw honesty. We are opposites. Rebekah is unorthodox, bends the rules, tries weird things. I follow the rules and put a limit on weirdness. She is more open-minded to things, while I often struggle to get over my thoughts and prejudices about things. I am careful and methodical, while she closes her eyes and leaps. We balance each other out.

As she moves to Chicago today, I remember: Walks through grandma’s back property, fireworks on the lakeshore on the 4th, jokes about her left-handed handicap, sleepovers, ALL her boyfriends, sticking together during family get-togethers, watching “Babies Day Out” at the movies (which she had seen three times previously), catching her room on fire (not my fault), the photoshoot we did together, practicing new massage techniques on each other, her neon color phase, making sushi, horseback riding, surfing, snowboarding, lunch at the Red Wok, the times I thought she was crazy.

All of that can never be bought back. I am so thankful we made the best of it while we had the chance. I don’t know what the future holds for each of us. I’m sure there will be heartbreak and triumph through circumstances and sometimes by our own choices. No matter what, we are always a phone call (or click of the mouse) away from each other.

I love you Rebekah, and I pray the best for you always.