Cursed

The world is cursed. It's noticeable everywhere. Plants and animals die, filling the air with the stench of rotten flesh and decaying fibers. Animals have fangs, claws, talons, venom, poisons, and sharp teeth. Plants have thorns, spines, noxious chemicals, and sticky resins. Anger and hatred living rampant among humans. When one thinks about all the natural weaponry that is found throughout the created world, the world just bristles with hostility. Yet, we think of it as natural, normal, just a part of nature. But it's not. It's sin touching every minute part of God's creation. The creation is groaning in anguish and torment under the curse.

Today, a thought struck me that had never crossed my brain before. While the choir was singing their song during the morning service, I realized that I had never put these seemingly disconnected bits of information together: The Curse, crown-of-thorns, God the Savior, the Cross. When He pronounced the Curse at the Fall, plants and animals began to change and parts of them actually degenerated into totally different structures than were originally created. Thus began the "natural" hostility that we see today.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Creator of the heavens and earth, bore the literal curse that He Himself had placed on His own Creation. The crown-of-thorns placed upon His head is a very literal representation of that Curse. The beatings, scourging, spitting, pulling of hair, and eventually the crucifixion come from the intense hatred Man has against their fellow men. All the force and ugliness of the Curse fell on the Creator Himself. He bore it, as only He could, to once and for all open the door to eventually reverse and remove the Curse brought on by Man's sin.

Hallelujah!!!! What a Creator/Savior!!!!!

Sure

One of the lessons I have learned from being in the work I'm in is that one has to be sure of himself/herself during life. When one shows the least bit of hesitation or insecurity, the people around them tend to shy away from them and try to find someone else with a little more confidence. People don't trust someone that acts unsure and hesitant.

In my line of work, if you act unsure, the customer will give you a "look" and go on to the next available person that will help them with their problem. I learned long ago never to volunteer for anything where I didn't feel confident. Several times I ended up being forced to do something where I was not at all sure of myself and ended up making a fool of myself and creating animosity in the customer. From those experiences, I learned to act confident even when I knew I had no clue what I was doing.

My advice for people is to go out in the world full of confidence. Know you are you and convey that knowledge to the people around you. One doesn't have to lie about one's self to gain confidence. The lies will eventually find their way out of the facade of self-confidence that one wear and will shatter any trust that people had in the person. If you are not sure of an answer, still act sure but let them know that you can find out more about it for them. If you are unsure of a task, do it with confidence to the best of your ability. If something goes wrong with the outcome, you will have learned something in the process.

Together

We all aren't good at everything. Some are good at most things; some are good at few things. Together we make a more well-rounded, functioning society where every melody and every harmony hums together to create the music of life. My sister's entry for today brought to mind that very subject for me.

Growing up, she and I were opposites in many ways. I was good in math, science, English, etc. while she struggled in math, didn't really get into science, and totally missed some simple concepts of life. I, on the other hand, was never a social butterfly, never wanted to break a sweat, and never confronted anybody about anything. My sister was one that flitted from flower to flower to see what she could find, was always climbing or running or skipping, and never backed down from any argument. But together, we complimented each other. We had fun together, fought each other, and most importantly, learned to love each other despite the differences between us.

I think that one of the most important concepts that anyone can learn is that it's OK for someone to be different from himself/herself. God made each of us and each of us is His special creation. With these differences, we get to learn more about each other and the world around us if we try to understand and catch a glimpse of the world through the other person's eyes. Granted, we will never completely understand because we are our own person. But if we take the time to listen and learn, we will become a better person and, as a whole, a better society.

Cheese Straws and Pain

This just in:

Man's Sternum Almost Crushed by Cookie Press

A local man graciously helping his loving sister and precocious niece with their North Carolina State Fair entries today almost had to be rushed to the ER for a serious injury. The sister was courageously entering cheese straws into the fair culinary competition. She had never made them before and decided to be bold and aggressive in her drive to gain a blue ribbon. After placing the cheesy dough into her never-before-used cookie press, she found the task of pushing it out into lovely lengths of cheese straw potential somewhat more taxing then she had previously thought.

Upon seeing the cry of help forming on her lips, her noble brother leaped to his feet and, intending to show the batter who was the boss, grabbed the press from her quivering hands and set his mind to creating a lovely masterpiece. However, with the first press from his hands, he realized how much more difficult this task would be. With a beet red face, bulging veins, and straining muscles, he tried to figure out the best way to force the extrusion of the batter. Finally deciding to use his chest as the stop while pushing back with his hands, he soon found that his chest had several painful spots and felt as if his sternum would be crushed under the strain of trying to made the perfect straw.

Giggling beyond control and reprimanding her hero of a brother for breathing heavily on the newly formed straws, she suddenly gave in to pity and gallantly handed him a quadruple-folded dish towel to place between his sore chest and the offending culinary tool. Much needed relief soon followed, and he was able to work through the lingering pain and quivering muscles to conquer all of the offending dough. Upon sliding both baking sheets into the perfectly heated oven, the man was finally able to give his overworked muscles a much needed break. The ever concerned sister baked off the straws with a few time adjustments and finally placed the hot, crispy, delicate goodies on the cooling rack.

Time will tell whether these cheese straws will win a blue ribbon. If pain incurred while making them counts for any points, they should receive BEST IN SHOW!!!!!!!

PS The chest is still sore.

Fall

Fall has officially been here for two weeks. What a welcome change it as been! Of course, there is always that initial shock when one walks out the door on the first cool morning of the season. Your body reacts with a visible shiver and chills quickly run rampant through every muscle fiber and nerve ending one has. However, those feelings are quickly replaced by a bodily sigh because gone are the days of oppressive humidity and high temperatures. It's so refreshing and enjoyable to feel the coolness caress your skin and yet there is still enough warmth left to be outside without losing weight on the Shiver Plan.

Fall also brings about beautiful colors. Reds, oranges, yellows, and browns all combine in a myriad of ways to produce a color palette that shouts praise and glory to their Maker and causes even the busiest of people to stop for just a moment to absorb all of their splendor.

Fall is also a time for comfort foods. Cooler weather cries out for them. Brunswick stew, pot roast, pumpkin cheesecake (actually any cheesecake!), and any other food that makes one feel fat and sassy are staples during the Fall season.

Lastly, but certainly not least, Fall is the time for the North Carolina State Fair. I pity those other states that have their fairs at such odd times of the year like February or July! Those months are just not fair-worthy. October is the best time! Deep-fried foods of all kinds, animals, competitions, rides, and games all combine to create one fun-filled whirlwind of a day! Soon, there will be pots and pans a-rattlin' as fair entries are made for this year. It's always fun to try new things and hope that they will stand up to the very subjective tastes of the judges.

Welcome, Fall!

It's so nice to see and feel you again!!

Frankly Frank

There are some people in life who just do not pay attention whatsoever. I have shared this same theme before, but today was just the breaking point for me in one certain area.

Today, I had two, yes TWO!, people call me "Frank".

Why? you may ask...

I have no idea.

Yes, my last name is "Franks", but when my name is clearly displayed on a name badge on my desk or in my email signature or is distinctly stated on my voice mail or when co-workers and friends properly enunciate K-E-V-I-N near the person, why do people still call me "Frank"?

Is there a logical reason for such utter lack of attention?

Should I start calling them "Jones" or "Smith" or "Whitaker"? We are certainly not in the military nor on a sports team.

What will it take to make them grasp the concept of my proper given name? A sharp look? A swift kick in the rear? A quick reply?

Maybe...but what do I end up doing? Just mumbling "hey" as I pass by.

So much for my intense desire to correct their continuing error.

Or maybe, deep down, I realize that some people just can't be helped.

SIGH