A prayer request and some links

So, I fail. Again. Sorry. I really am.

I've been really tired lately. It may not sound like a good excuse, but I haven't really had the energy (physically or mentally) to even consider a post. I think about you everyday and how I need to update this blog.

What's been going on? Just work. I don't know what's been going on with being tired. It's not just tired, but I can't concentrate very well, and I forget things. I lose my train of though with no warning. The other day, I called my cousin for something, and while the phone was ringing, I completely forgot why I was calling. Thankfully, she didn't answer. I still can't remember why I called her.

It worries me a little because it could be a variety of things both physical and mental. I would greatly appreciate some prayers. I don't have insurance, so I can't afford a doctor or the tests I may need. This all gives me a chance to forget about what the world can do to fix me and see what God has in mind.

In other, less depressing news, I have some cool news. I'm not going to tell you until the beginning of April. Mu-wahaha! When I tell you, you'll see why I'm waiting. ;-) Unless circumstances change, it will be April. It could be sooner, but it won't be later than the beginning of April. Wow. How many times can I write April in a paragraph? April.

While I am cooking up some blog posts, check out these great links (hover over each link for a brief description):

If It Were My Home

God working through an iPhone while you're at it Carlos Whittaker: Ragamuffin Soul

tylerstanton.com and trippcrosby.com - because THEY'RE hilarious

Don't forget to check out the links on the right!

Not a coincidence

God is not a God of coincidence. Everything that happens, whether it's the flap of a bird's wing, the falling of snowflakes, or the tears of sadness, does not happen apart from God's command.

This weekend, I had the great opportunity to attend a short conference/retreat. The sole focus was prayer. There weren't many people there, and that was the intention. My hope is that those who did attend will take back what they learned to their campuses. I do wish, however, that there was a bigger representation of Georgia BCMs.

ABCDEFGH- INFP

One test. 16 outcomes. 6.something billion people. Well, that can't be right. Surely God created more than 16 different personalities. Heck, some people have 16 personalities all to themselves.

What am I talking about? Well, the Myers-Briggs Test, of course. You take a test. If you're honest with yourself and don't try to cheat the test, you get four letters assigned to you. Not just any four letters, mind you. You get one from each E/I, S/N, T/F, and J/P. Each letter holds its own meaning, and when you group them together, you get a whole range of possibilities.

There are tons of tests with tons of outcomes ranging from assigned letters, colors, and even animals. While they are all limited, personality tests as a whole show the limitless nature of God. It's beautiful and at the same time sad. It's sad because  people trying to typecast other people is the same way we try to typecast God.

Though we are finite and He is not, we are images of God. We are but shadows, but we have far more to us than the boxes people put us in. I'm not giving people the credit for our minds, creativity, and the like. That's all God. I wonder if we stop trying to stamp others with a four letter zip code and open our minds to the ranges and scales within those letters (or colors, etc) then maybe we'll begin to see a little of the wonder that is God.

I like the Myers-Briggs test. I am quite fond of it, actually. I like my four letters. I used to feel restricted or limited because of them. If you take a full-blown MB test, you'll realize that it is quite extensive. It's still limited, but it allows for the range of a person's personality to shine.

Very rarely does someone's personality actually change. People rarely go from being truly introverted to extroverted or vice versa. It usually takes a tragedy or being involved in some truly life altering event to change a personality. (I know that God can change a person, but I'll get to that.)

I think that if you're introverted; you're introverted. There's nothing to be ashamed of or angry at. It doesn't mean that you're shy (though introverts are the shy ones if there are shy folk around). It doesn't mean that you hate being around people. It doesn't mean that you freak out when public speaking. It means that you get your energy from being alone. I'm an introvert. I love people. I love being around people and speaking to and in front of people. However, too many people for too long makes me tired. I need alone time every now and again to regroup.

God wires us all differently and for His purpose. He gives us strengths and weaknesses. Before I was saved, I believe that the core of my personality was the same as it now. There are things that were changed within me like how I react to people or situations. I'm still a big daydreamer, but the things I dream about are (mostly) different. Before God saved me, I dreamed of all the wonderful places I could go. I still do that, but I usually have an underlying desire to teach people about Him.

I'm still introverted, but I am not as selfish with my time as I once was. Sure, it makes me tired, but I know that Jesus is my resting place.

You may disagree with me, and that is perfectly fine. I do hope we all agree that people cannot strictly be defined by one set of letters, colors, or animals. Like the vast nebulas in the reaches of the universe, so are the possibilities of personalities God creates for His good use.

2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here's a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Fresher than ever.

Crunchy numbers

The Leaning Tower of Pisa has 296 steps to reach the top. This blog was viewed about 1,100 times in 2010. If those were steps, it would have climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa 4 times

In 2010, there were 50 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 118 posts. There were 58 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 12mb. That's about 1 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was May 19th with 44 views. The most popular post that day was Hard.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, stuffchristianslike.net, iamthisday.blogspot.com, digg.com, and thomasnelson.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for purple bath robe, ignoring intuition, jennifer chapman blog, dresden bombing before and after, and dresden 1945.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Hard May 2010
1 comment

2

An Introspective Look April 2010

3

Bonhoeffer: A Review November 2010
1 comment

4

30 before 30 December 2010

5

Things I Learned from the Braves October 2010

What Working for a Divorce Attorney has Taught Me

(Before I start, I was going to write a post last week. I never got around to it because work has been pretty heavy lately. I asked friends and family to describe me in one word, and I was going to turn that into a post that was based on a writing prompt. Let me say that what I got deeply touched me. So, thank you all for your kind honesty. I don't deserve you, but I am truly BLESSED and LOVED in every sense of those words. Please know that God used you for something special.)

To be fair, my boss practices mainly domestic law. In addition to divorces, he does custody and child support cases, too. Throw in the occasional adoption, name change, and will and you've got yourself a fairly accurate description of what I do.

I enjoy the work I do as far as writing legal pleadings, learning about domestic law (I've gotten myself pretty well versed in Child Support Guidelines), and meeting a lot of new and interesting people. With that, though, comes a pretty heavy burden. Most of the people I meet are going through the worst times of their lives. Some are pleasant and others are just plain mean.

So, here are the things I've learned:

• I hate divorce more than I ever have. HATE. (Please don't get me wrong, I don't hate the people who get divorced.)


• People are rotten and will use their children to get money or to hurt the other person.


• People are more fragile than I ever imagined.


• Marriage is more fragile than I ever imagined.


• It takes a lot less to upset me than it used to.


• I've realized that, more than ever, I want to fight for marriages and families to stay together.

Despite all the negative things this job has taught me, God has been pressing me at the same time.

• Marriage is fragile, but it's worth the fight.


• People are indeed broken, but they need love, tenderness, and compassion even if they treat me like crap.


• They way people treat me (and sometimes the way I react) is how we treat God. I am thankful that He doesn't react the way I do sometimes when people yell at me.


• All the He is runs deeper than I ever realized. He reminds me of this everyday when I've had a rough day and He dazzles me with a brilliant sunset.


• He will never disappoint me.


• Though this job makes me feel alone sometimes, He reminds that I am not by showing Himself through the generous love of my amazing family and beautiful friends.


• This job makes me want to get outside of myself and live for Him alone.

I leave you with this:

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Philippians 2:1-18 (ESV)