If you would like to read the commentary that I wrote about the Presidential Debates, click here. Thanks to Todd for asking me to write the commentary, and for getting me back into the political groove.

I am awaiting tonight with great anticipation…for it will be yet another step in the direction of becoming a whole person. Paige and I are going to spend the evening on the beach, with a picnic dinner, a thermos of hot cocoa or cider, and a bonfire. It is going to be an incredible time of fellowship and healing, and I can’t wait!

My commentary on the debate will be posted soon. It is written from a unique perspective, I think, because prior to last night I had not heard John Kerry speak at length, just sound bytes here and there. It is, therefore, my first impressions, my critical analysis of his POLICIES, not his party. My commentary is based on facts and factual errors, not partisanship.

Our hot water was restored this afternoon–finally!! It felt SOOO good to take a nice, hot shower. Praise the Lord for the little things in life!

Also, note the new links on the sidebar to blogs of my friends. More and more people are expressing themselves through blogs, and it is exciting!

*May this weekend be filled with productivity and rest, and may the Lord bless those who seek Him.*

Short post–because I’m tired.

I will be posting a commentary on the debates on my friend Todd’s blog sometime this weekend (whenever he posts it), so be sure to check that out. This is my first commentary, but it was so easy to write after watching the debate–can anyone say “Flip-flop?”

Also, I was invited by the chair of the Political Science department to be one of two Republicans on a panel later this month…wow…kinda shocked by that, but I am intrigued. So I might participate. After all, I should use my major and my knowledge for something!

One more thing–never take for granted hot or warm showers…NEVER. We have had cold water for 3 days…no wait, not even cold, ICE water. Every once in a while the hot water will decide to come back on…anyway, yeah.

I want a hot shower…:)

Our discussion on Plato continued today in my Classical Political Thought class…

And one thing stood out to me in particular as being applicable to the Christian walk.

In Book III, the men are discussing censorship, and what should be allowed in education. They point out that the things you teach your children will indicate what kind of adults they will be. The tales you tell them will stick with them always. And concerning heroes, they note that people should try to imitate the right heroes.

My professor stated that: “It’s hard to return to who you once were after you have been filled with imitations of others…”

Shouldn’t we, then, as Christians, strive to imitate Christ so much that we forget who we once were? And, shouldn’t we teach our children–not only in word, but by example as well–the ways of Christ, so that these things are deeply implanted within them?

Hmmm….

Paige and I had coffee today, for our weekly meeting. As we conversed, our conversation turned towards politics…and the man sitting at the next table began talking with us.

From what I picked up throughout the hour that he talked to us, he was a 27-year old millionaire, who owns several thousand acres of property.

He kept talking to us about success, and about obtaining more money and how to do it…and the more he spoke about his life (and how he’ll be able to retire by the time he’s 30), the more I realized that I was saddened for him…not envious at all (which SHOCKED me, honestly!)…

This man’s goal in life is to have more money…more things…

And as he spoke, the Holy Spirit gently brought to mind the message from chapel this morning, which was about what it means to deny self. I had heard countless messages on this topic before–but this was a fresh perspective.

The speaker had many “quotables”:

“Only one thing is keeping you from an abundant life–and that’s your abundant self.”

“Only those who throw away their lives for Jesus’ sake will know what it means to really live.”

“Sin will keep you longer than you wanted to stay, cost you more than you wanted to pay, and will take you farther than you intended to go.”

“My life is His BECAUSE He is my life.”

THIS one was my favorite:

“Surrendering is like taking up your cross–not a lounge chair.”

WOW! That one went right to my heart…

But as this guy was speaking, I was quiet and just reflected on the message this morning, as well as the passage in I Timothy 6 that I quoted the other day:

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith

and pierced themselves with many griefs.”



–I Timothy 6:6-10

The Lord has been slowly preparing me for a life with few luxuries…and each day, something happens that makes me realize that I will be content wherever He leads me. Granted, there are definitely times when I realize that there are many things that I want–mainly pertaining to traveling–but I know that He will provide for all my needs.

It’s time to get out of my “lounge chair” and pick up my cross…

Last night I had an amazing dream, but I only remember one scene clearly…

My great-grandfather, Irvin, and I were somewhere, and he reached out and grabbed my hand and said with a smile “Let’s go for a walk in the garden.” Things just kinda froze from that moment on–the gleam in his eyes, the touch of his hand…That moment is etched in my memory so vividly–even though it was just a dream.

My great-grandfather grew everything in his garden, and that’s where he was found the day he passed away–he had laid down under a tree, with a tuft of grass as a pillow, folded his hands across his chest, and went to sleep. So this moment, about walking in the garden, means so much to me…it nearly made me cry then, and it is bringing tears to my eyes now.

He was an amazing man–and he passed away when I was 10…and what I remember most was his garden and his musical ability–which thankfully I have inherited, at least to a small extent…how I miss my great-grandparents…I praise the Lord that they were both such strong believers–so I’ll see them some day…

“Let’s go for a walk in the garden…”

I just wanted to post this passage of scripture because my post about Plato, that I removed, spurred some debate as to what the purpose was for my post. What I was trying to say is that Socrates observed that when people want more than what they NEED, that is when injustice occurs. And, oddly enough, that is what Paul wrote to Timothy! AMAZING.

I was not trying to analyze or to discuss Plato. To be honest, I just don’t care that much. All I was trying to say is that I AGREE that injustice and crime occur most often because of people wanting something they don’t have.

I will repost the Plato post–unedited, only to show that I am not advocating Communism or other outlandish things–as has been said. Whatever. I am one of the biggest capitalists around! I was NOT saying that we SHOULD have a land where people only have what they need–but rather, that because we constantly have and are getting more than we need, that we can never have a just society. People have a tendency to read into what I write–incorrectly, so I just wanted to post this for clarity.

“As much as Plato can be confusing

(because of the round-about nature of his

dialogues), he raises some incredible ideas

on justice and on how society should

operate. In my study of “The Republic”,

I have been amazed thus far at some of

the points he (well, actually, Socrates) raises.

I’m not going to write about this much now,

because I am still processing all that we have been

discussing in class.

But one thing that came up today,

in Book II of “The Republic” was the

idea that the only way that a society

ould ever be “just” is if the citizens

therein lived with necessities only…

and that it is when you add luxuries

(herein defined as things that you really

don’t need whatsoever) that crime and

injustices occur…

In pondering this more and more,

I have come to realize just

how true that is. If people only had the

amount of land or money they needed,

rather than land or money in abundance,

and if they were contented with their

lot, and didn’t feel the need to always

have more, then there would be no need

to take from someone else–for example,

taking some of your neighbor’s land.

This only leads to war or conflict,

and usually results in injustice.

Interesting…perhaps I’ll write more in

the days to come…Amazing how much a

book written over 2500 years ago

can influence our lives today… ”

I am definitely a “people-pleaser”…I love making people happy, whether it is by simply not making them mad, or by sending a note in the mail, or by cooking dinner for friends…I usually cannot handle it when people are upset with me, or mad at me for any reason…and I usually blame myself if anything goes wrong in friendships.

Lately, though, I’ve noticed that in the past I tended to change who I am in order to make certain people happy…I would hear one say something critical about something, and I would make every effort to not be that way, because I was afraid of losing their friendship. For instance, the “redneck” stuff I posted about the other day…I had a friend didn’t like anything of that nature, so I refrained from talking about my like of bluegrass, just because I was afraid of losing that friendship if that person saw who I really was (that’s not the only thing I changed). I tried to be someone I wasn’t–and succeeded for awhile. Though I wasn’t truly “happy” with the changes, I didn’t know why…

Why on earth did I ever feel the need to change?

One of the things that I am beginning to work through is gaining a healthy perspective of myself, and a new confidence to be who God has created me to be…no regrets, no holding back. I struggle with self-confidence issues, and have decided that now is the time to get rid of those, as well as some other issues. And since writing is therapeutic to me, I decided to write about them here. So there may be more posts of this nature in the future…and any advice on how to deal with these things is welcomed!

It’s going to be a long process, but it will be worth it all in the end…