Everyone who has driven in, through, out of, around, under?, or even beside the city of Atlanta knows how crazy the traffic can be. In fact, civil authorities have tried to theoretically make things easier by creating bypasses. I saw a cartoon one time making fun of this effort with a drawing of a car trying to get through it all. Above the car were signs marking the different bypasses and one that read, "285555 Bypass around all the bypasses." Below the cartoon, it said, "Soon, to get through Atlanta, you'll have to drive around the entire state of Georgia"!
Well, recently (just before Christmas), on a trip to my brother-in-law's family's house, north of Atlanta, we made the mistake of pulling off for a potty break, or gas, or something, at Jimmy Carter [Rd?] exit. There is nothing wrong with this neighborhood, except that at the actual exit, there is no potty, or gas, or anything . . . and the traffic (and the traffic lights) are worse than even normal in Atlanta. Therefore, Mr. President, your namesake's road's exit off 85 has earned the dubbing, "Black Hole of Atlanta" . . . by me anyway; and everyone I mentioned our experience to who has been there has agreed.
18 December 2009
30 November 2009
Curse of the Nondark
I actually got back out of bed to write all this (in fact it’s actually after midnight, the morning of the 27th, but anyway . . .). Kelly saw one of Benjamin’s glow-in-the-dark shirts tonight, and this of course bothered her. You see, Kelly inspires me to write of:
The “Warrior Woman (Kelly) and the Curse of the Nondark”—really . . . she’s cursed with getting annoyed at the slightest, infinitesimal speck of light in the room when she goes to bed. It’s a phenomenon that has fascinated me since we were married. What’s funny is that most people actually close their eyes when they go to bed, and so most never see anything once their eyes are shut; but apparently Kelly likes to keep her eyes open to be aware of any unknown object which might dare to bequeath a lapse of darkness onto the night.[1]
(Kelly means "Warrior Woman") -- I don't know if I could turn this into an entire book, but perhaps a chapter in my book The World Needs a Nap (see previous post). I really do like writing; but of course, it's difficult to find the downtime.
In all seriousness, Kelly really does have a difficult time sleeping in a room that has any light. She also has a history of migraines, and these are hard for her to get rid of if she can't take a nap in a very dark room; and sometimes they're in fact caused by her lack of sleep (often from being in a room with a bit of light). I pray we're able to get our bedroom in Asia dark enough for her, so that she can remain headache free.
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[1]First two paragraphs are excerpted my personal, non-online journal, entry dated 26 May 2009.
The “Warrior Woman (Kelly) and the Curse of the Nondark”—really . . . she’s cursed with getting annoyed at the slightest, infinitesimal speck of light in the room when she goes to bed. It’s a phenomenon that has fascinated me since we were married. What’s funny is that most people actually close their eyes when they go to bed, and so most never see anything once their eyes are shut; but apparently Kelly likes to keep her eyes open to be aware of any unknown object which might dare to bequeath a lapse of darkness onto the night.[1]
(Kelly means "Warrior Woman") -- I don't know if I could turn this into an entire book, but perhaps a chapter in my book The World Needs a Nap (see previous post). I really do like writing; but of course, it's difficult to find the downtime.
In all seriousness, Kelly really does have a difficult time sleeping in a room that has any light. She also has a history of migraines, and these are hard for her to get rid of if she can't take a nap in a very dark room; and sometimes they're in fact caused by her lack of sleep (often from being in a room with a bit of light). I pray we're able to get our bedroom in Asia dark enough for her, so that she can remain headache free.
____________________________________________
[1]First two paragraphs are excerpted my personal, non-online journal, entry dated 26 May 2009.
28 November 2009
The World Needs a Nap
Well, It's Thanksgiving weekend. After all that turkey indeed, the world (or at least all of us Americans) probably needed a nap Thursday afternoon, whether we got one or not.
The World Needs a Nap is actually another book title I'm tossing around (I actually need to start writing these books if I'm ever going to get anywhere with them). This weekend just gave me an interesting setting in which to play off the same words and creat a post.
Isn't it funny how we come together so often for the holidays and that ends up being the time we get into arguments with family or create rifts that last for years. It's unfortunate, but coming together to celebrate often brings people together who are dealing with a lot of stuff in their non-holiday lives. Being in a setting with people who aren't aware of the context of all our emotional situations creates a catalyst for emotional eruptions, or at least emotional disruption. Sometimes it would be better if we could all just take a nap!
Thankfully (no pun intended!), I've avoided such issues this year. We've been at my mother-in law Joy's home in South Carolina. She prepared a wonderful meal on Thursday, and I can smell another one in the works for this afternoon! Friday, we went to SC's aquarium in Charleston, then the Festival of Lights at James Island Park.
Thanksgiving weekend or just regular days at home, I often--perhaps too often--suggest a nap for my kids as a solution to a bad attitude. Perhaps more often than I care to realize, I need to check my own attitude. Even when my kids attitude needs a check, the way I model a reaction to their poor decisions creates more headaches than answers, more explosions than peace.
I need to memorize more Scripture, so that I can more readily pick out proper responses to the situations I face with my kids and others each day, so that I can react in a way that is consistent with the grace God has shown me.
Perhaps I can look up some verses and either edit this post in the future or continue this discourse in future posts. Until then, take a deep breath, enjoy the turkey, enjoy each other's company; and if necessary . . . take a nap!
The World Needs a Nap is actually another book title I'm tossing around (I actually need to start writing these books if I'm ever going to get anywhere with them). This weekend just gave me an interesting setting in which to play off the same words and creat a post.
Isn't it funny how we come together so often for the holidays and that ends up being the time we get into arguments with family or create rifts that last for years. It's unfortunate, but coming together to celebrate often brings people together who are dealing with a lot of stuff in their non-holiday lives. Being in a setting with people who aren't aware of the context of all our emotional situations creates a catalyst for emotional eruptions, or at least emotional disruption. Sometimes it would be better if we could all just take a nap!
Thankfully (no pun intended!), I've avoided such issues this year. We've been at my mother-in law Joy's home in South Carolina. She prepared a wonderful meal on Thursday, and I can smell another one in the works for this afternoon! Friday, we went to SC's aquarium in Charleston, then the Festival of Lights at James Island Park.
Thanksgiving weekend or just regular days at home, I often--perhaps too often--suggest a nap for my kids as a solution to a bad attitude. Perhaps more often than I care to realize, I need to check my own attitude. Even when my kids attitude needs a check, the way I model a reaction to their poor decisions creates more headaches than answers, more explosions than peace.
I need to memorize more Scripture, so that I can more readily pick out proper responses to the situations I face with my kids and others each day, so that I can react in a way that is consistent with the grace God has shown me.
Perhaps I can look up some verses and either edit this post in the future or continue this discourse in future posts. Until then, take a deep breath, enjoy the turkey, enjoy each other's company; and if necessary . . . take a nap!
28 October 2009
Listening
As a preacher’s child
in Sunday School
I knew just what to say,
I always followed the rules.
But for all these expectations,
I knew my prayers were empty inside.
I felt and I failed so many temptations,
And no help was in my sight.
But You drowned the silence.
You spoke into my ear.
And now I’m trying to be humble,
I know it’s You I want to hear.
Speak to me, my God.
Speak to me, my King.
Your servant is listening,
I want to hear everything.
[Well, now] Cell phones, emails,
And TV screens,
All these distractions,
They’re endless it seems.
As I choose and view my own attractions
I look, but yet am blind;
But, God, by Your grace, and Your still small voice,
You reach out and help me to find:
I don’t mean to drown the silence.
I don’t mean to turn my ear.
I am trying to be humble.
I know it’s You I want to hear.
Speak to me, my God.
Speak to me, my King.
Your servant is listening,
I want to hear everything.
Copyright 2009 by Jonathan D. Sheddan.
You see, the silence is not a bad thing. God wants to use it, even speak to me through it, but I in my flesh, stick myself in a rut between waiting for God to move, and thus pushing out all of the other things that should hold priority in this time, and at the same time distracting myself with such overly mundane tasks such as surfing the internet, checking my e-mail, and shopping for yet more stuff that I’m going to have to eventually get rid of. I end up with twenty minutes of relative stillness in the car as I head to work, but instead of taking advantage of the peace and quiet where I could converse with my Lord, I “drown the silence” with the sound of the radio. This is when I realized what I’ve been doing, and I came up with this line, and developed the start of the song above. [1]
_______________________________________
[1]This entire post is an excerpt taken from an entry in my personal, non-online journal, dated 24 July 2009.
in Sunday School
I knew just what to say,
I always followed the rules.
But for all these expectations,
I knew my prayers were empty inside.
I felt and I failed so many temptations,
And no help was in my sight.
But You drowned the silence.
You spoke into my ear.
And now I’m trying to be humble,
I know it’s You I want to hear.
Speak to me, my God.
Speak to me, my King.
Your servant is listening,
I want to hear everything.
[Well, now] Cell phones, emails,
And TV screens,
All these distractions,
They’re endless it seems.
As I choose and view my own attractions
I look, but yet am blind;
But, God, by Your grace, and Your still small voice,
You reach out and help me to find:
I don’t mean to drown the silence.
I don’t mean to turn my ear.
I am trying to be humble.
I know it’s You I want to hear.
Speak to me, my God.
Speak to me, my King.
Your servant is listening,
I want to hear everything.
Copyright 2009 by Jonathan D. Sheddan.
You see, the silence is not a bad thing. God wants to use it, even speak to me through it, but I in my flesh, stick myself in a rut between waiting for God to move, and thus pushing out all of the other things that should hold priority in this time, and at the same time distracting myself with such overly mundane tasks such as surfing the internet, checking my e-mail, and shopping for yet more stuff that I’m going to have to eventually get rid of. I end up with twenty minutes of relative stillness in the car as I head to work, but instead of taking advantage of the peace and quiet where I could converse with my Lord, I “drown the silence” with the sound of the radio. This is when I realized what I’ve been doing, and I came up with this line, and developed the start of the song above. [1]
_______________________________________
[1]This entire post is an excerpt taken from an entry in my personal, non-online journal, dated 24 July 2009.
Definitions
Main Entry: interior [1]
Function: noun
Date: 1596
1: the inner or spiritual nature : character 2: the interior part (as of a country or island) 3: the internal or inner part of a thing : inside 4: the internal affairs of a state or nation 5: a representation (as in a play or movie) of the interior of a building
Jonathan's Interiors is the name I gave to my personal journal. I will try to be as transparent as possible. However, I’ve heard of too many people getting themselves into trouble by throwing certain thoughts into the public domain without giving themselves a chance to wisely discriminate their choice in expression.
While I applaud the courage it takes to be so brutally honest with their thoughts and actions, I have to think that I might avoid certain unnecessary strife by keeping my rawest thoughts safe in my own private files. While my online version as displayed here has undergone significantly more screening and discretion before being published, I still hope and intend for it to reflect my inner thoughts and emotions.
________________________________________
[1]http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interiors [accessed May, 2008]
Function: noun
Date: 1596
1: the inner or spiritual nature : character 2: the interior part (as of a country or island) 3: the internal or inner part of a thing : inside 4: the internal affairs of a state or nation 5: a representation (as in a play or movie) of the interior of a building
Jonathan's Interiors is the name I gave to my personal journal. I will try to be as transparent as possible. However, I’ve heard of too many people getting themselves into trouble by throwing certain thoughts into the public domain without giving themselves a chance to wisely discriminate their choice in expression.
While I applaud the courage it takes to be so brutally honest with their thoughts and actions, I have to think that I might avoid certain unnecessary strife by keeping my rawest thoughts safe in my own private files. While my online version as displayed here has undergone significantly more screening and discretion before being published, I still hope and intend for it to reflect my inner thoughts and emotions.
________________________________________
[1]http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interiors [accessed May, 2008]
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