Vision

Glasses are quite incredible things. Glasses for vision correction, to be clear. It is impossible for someone to tell whether they need a correction on their own. For the eyes they were born with are all they know to see. How are they to know the world has distinct shape and line if nothing they do with their own eyes like squinting or staring will change the way something looks. It isn't until they start running into objects they cannot tell are in the way, for the extreme examples, or cannot see something written far away they need to read like a teachers white board, or a street sign. Sometimes the need for a vision correction is obvious, but for others, they don't even know the difference. This is how it was for me. I knew I was able to read the white boards, read street signs fairly well and was able to pick out people at a distance. It wasn't until after hours of studying my head would hurt and the world around me was a little more fuzzy. Daily eye aches sent me to an ophthalmologist. During the testing I was to shut one eye and read the letters on the wall. I had always told my vision was 20/20. But after I shut the one eye my vision went to pot. Both of my eyes together worked decently, but alone they were horrible. A few weeks went by and I decided to look for frames and scout prices. At one establishment, the proprietor was kind enough to find some lenses that would show me exactly what I would be seeing differently. He told me to look out the window, then set them on my face. I almost jumped. I was able to read the sign just fine, but instantly the lines were defined and crisp.


If you have read this far you may have guessed my point. I thought my sight was fine and dandy until someone else showed me how much better it could be. This is the way of Christ. We are born into this world with our own natural inclinations, thought processes and experiences that shape our actions and reactions. There is no possible way we could know how to be any different, unless someone gives us a new and clearer way to see. As I hesitated on the real need of glasses at first, many of us may question whether we really need the help because what we are seeing at the moment is good enough and gets us by. But no amount of squinting on our own is going to improve our vision of our own actions. We must be given the better way. The clearer way.

At Rehearsal Tuesday May 25

Someone from the cast who was watching those on stage (me and others) called out "Mom!"

And I answered.

Note that in the script, I am actually his mother. 

Worry.

Burdens have the potential to exalt us, but baggage just weighs us down and wears us out. When we don't repent, sin becomes baggage. Worry, jealousy, and guilt are baggage. An unforgiving heart, anger, regret, and pride are baggage. We choose whether or not to pick up baggage, and Satan loves nothing more than loading us down like pack mules.
-Sheri Dew

Be careful for nothing (Don't be unduly concerned about anything); but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hears and minds through Christ Jesus. ...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased (humble), and I know how to abound (abundance): every where and in all tings I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.
-Philippians 4:6-7, 11-13 King James Translation, parenthesis added from footnotes.

From the Lips of Death.

A quote from Death personified, in the book The Book Thief:

*** A SMALL PIECE OF TRUTH ***

I do not carry a sickle or sythe. 

I only wear a hooded black robe when it's cold.

And I don't have those skull-like 

facial features you seem to enjoy

pinning on me from a distance. You

want to know what I truly look like?

I'll help you out. Find yourself 

a mirror...

At Rehearsal Monday May 11.

There is a short ballroom dance scene in the play with pretty simple choreography, but that doesn't mean I could do it well even in two hours. So, my dance partner (who in the play is my son) and I decided to meet a little early the next rehearsal to get it down better.  We were dancing only a few minutes when some more of the cast arrived; A group of small girls, mostly under 12. The dance is predominately a waltz, which is the romantic, royalty looking dance. I heard one of the girls say "OH! They're dancing!!"and they giggled. The youngest ones were standing close together with girlish grins on their faces as they watched us fly around the floor.

It is strange to realize that to younger kids, I am now what I used to think was SO grownup and where I wanted to be.

Though dancing still fills me with the same sort of glee.

My new slogan:

I'm sorry, I can't. I have rehearsal.

Little did I know what exactly I was being so unceremoniously shanghai'd into. The performances for this play start on June 17th. O_o I think there are around 22 rehearsals (for my role) between now and then. Which means I will be saying "sorry, I can't. I have rehearsal" at least 4 times a week, if not 5 or 6. Hopefully I'll still have some friends by then to actually come and see the play for this all to be worth it. I also dropped one of my jobs until after performances are over. And my sister might be moving within that time. And the family is going out of town and I promised to care for the dog, but since I'll be gone 14 hours at a time I'm not all that helpful...good heavens. Did I mention I am working and going to school and helping plan a wedding and trying to help keep the house standing?


*deep breath*

Jane Eyre.

The following conversations took place this evening, after I had just gotten home from the cannery, and had sat down to watch a movie, then go to bed early:

Him: Wanna be in our play? One of our Lady Ingrams dropped out.
Me: Yes. Details?
Him: Are you free tonight or right now?
Me: Yes.

*Red drives madly*

Director: Do you want to be in a play?
Me: Sure!
Director: This is the other Lady Ingram, sing with her.

Thus, I was thrown into a musical.

Possible Facebook Statuses for the Day.

Red...

• ...arrived at her Ancient Greek Philosophy final this morning, ragged and worn. The TA was already passing out the test when suddenly her brain came back from a deep abyss called stress. She was supposed to bring extra paper for the essays. Thankfully the cute guy next to her was willing to share. She also noticed the rest of the class had books and notes with them. NOW she remembered it was an open book/note test. Did she have them? Of course not. At least she remembered a pencil. The test went rather well, all things considered.
• ...got a whopping $19 for four books that are worth about $100. 
• ...'s car reached a milestone today. 100,000 miles! Good job Neville, keep up the good work. 
• ...remembered how awesome it feels to work out.
• ...wandered around Target looking for a work-out item, and complained loudly in her head about the prices. After digging and trying to find one on sale that fit, she wandered in circles in the women's clothes and accessories for about 40 minutes, then gave up. She found one she liked, that happened to be more expensive than the rest, and bought it. Take that stupid money. 
• ...has commandeered the kitchen table for studying. Sorry Mom.

Never would have guessed that one.

A list of things I never thought I would do:

• Put gel and frizz my hair to look like a lion's mane, then run on stage acting like one.
• Record my own singing voice.
• Be invited to a bar with 3 middle-aged, married, men.
• Wear prescription glasses. 
• Would smash an ice cream cone into a friend's forehead.