Got a call this morning from a Snow Bird down south ranting on the latest news of the Secertatry of Tresury scandal. What can I do about this? Nothing. Did he even ask me to do anything about it? Nope. Just wanted someone (anyone apparently) to listen. Don't we all?
One more week here at the capitol. Then its off to more rewarding things.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Ava
**this is one of the stories I started a few years ago. Out of the 4 or so I began, this is the one I would feel most comfortable continuing. But, as you can tell, its got a long way to go and hasn't gotten very far. But I think it about it the most.
She was sitting on the couch in the living room, eagerly anticipating for him to come home.
“Mom? Where is he?” Ava could hardly hold in her excitement as she fidgeted in the sofa, her little legs dangled off the edge.
“He is on his way; he just called and said he left the office. Are you ready to go when he gets here?” Watching her little girl as she had gotten all dressed up for the occasion, her favorite dress and cowgirl boots, and as she eagerly anticipating the arrival of her father- it brought back memories of Julie and her own dad. Growing up, Julie and her dad always made an effort to spend some quality father-daughter time together. When she was Ava’s age, she remembers being just as anxious and fervent. Remembering how special it was to go on those daughter-daddy dates, knowing how much she loved spending that time with him and still cherishes every memory. Her prayer and desire was for one day her daughter to have that same relationship with her husband. She looked at Ava and was so proud and delighted that it was coming true. She heard the garage door open and was snapped back into reality.
“Daddy! Daddy! You're home! Are you ready to go?!” Ava had already jumped off the sofa and darted toward the door. Jumping in excitement her dad swooped her tiny body up in his arms- Her curls bouncing all around. Giving her a big hug and squeezing her tight, it just made her more excited. Julia stood back in the kitchen, leaning up against the counter where she was preparing dinner and just smiled.
“Give me a few minutes to change and talk with mommy, and then we will go.” He put her down on the ground, standing her on her feet. “Go get your purse and wait for me ok?” Ava scurried off to her room.
“And how are you? I missed you.” As he leaned in and gave Julie a gentle kiss, she was yet again reminded of why she married this man. God had been so faithful to both of them, granting them both with the desires they had always harbored in their hearts. When Julia met Jackson she was needing to be rescued. Her relationship with the Lord had been straining, and even though she was involved in ministries and serving in the church- she knew she was still drowning. It was when she least expected it, when she was consumed in her own depravity and seeking to come up for breath, that the Lord answered her prayers. She had been praying for support, for someone to help hold her hands up and be that leader that she so desperately needed.
“Mom? Where is he?” Ava could hardly hold in her excitement as she fidgeted in the sofa, her little legs dangled off the edge.
“He is on his way; he just called and said he left the office. Are you ready to go when he gets here?” Watching her little girl as she had gotten all dressed up for the occasion, her favorite dress and cowgirl boots, and as she eagerly anticipating the arrival of her father- it brought back memories of Julie and her own dad. Growing up, Julie and her dad always made an effort to spend some quality father-daughter time together. When she was Ava’s age, she remembers being just as anxious and fervent. Remembering how special it was to go on those daughter-daddy dates, knowing how much she loved spending that time with him and still cherishes every memory. Her prayer and desire was for one day her daughter to have that same relationship with her husband. She looked at Ava and was so proud and delighted that it was coming true. She heard the garage door open and was snapped back into reality.
“Daddy! Daddy! You're home! Are you ready to go?!” Ava had already jumped off the sofa and darted toward the door. Jumping in excitement her dad swooped her tiny body up in his arms- Her curls bouncing all around. Giving her a big hug and squeezing her tight, it just made her more excited. Julia stood back in the kitchen, leaning up against the counter where she was preparing dinner and just smiled.
“Give me a few minutes to change and talk with mommy, and then we will go.” He put her down on the ground, standing her on her feet. “Go get your purse and wait for me ok?” Ava scurried off to her room.
“And how are you? I missed you.” As he leaned in and gave Julie a gentle kiss, she was yet again reminded of why she married this man. God had been so faithful to both of them, granting them both with the desires they had always harbored in their hearts. When Julia met Jackson she was needing to be rescued. Her relationship with the Lord had been straining, and even though she was involved in ministries and serving in the church- she knew she was still drowning. It was when she least expected it, when she was consumed in her own depravity and seeking to come up for breath, that the Lord answered her prayers. She had been praying for support, for someone to help hold her hands up and be that leader that she so desperately needed.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Childhood Dreams
*this is one of a few stories that I started a few years back. Bear with me. But I thought for you few readers who follow this thing, you might get some ammusment out of them. This is one of a some more to come:
Claudia climbed up the steep steps as she followed her dad to their seats. Heart pounding with excitement, she could hardly keep up. The smell of wine and food filled the arena. She had to keep reminding herself that she was here. She was at the coliseum about to whiteness the most popular game to ever exist. She was going to see a gladiator fight! Earlier that morning her mom was still nervous about her going, not wanting her nine year old daughter’s mind to be filled with these images. But the anxious beating of her heart that Claudia felt inside her was something that she had to feed.
As they took their seats, Claudia shyly maneuvered her way down the packed aisle. Right as she got to her place, the crowd that filled every seat available started cheering, making it seem like the whole arena was shaking! The beat of her heart grew faster.
“Are you alright? Are you gonna make it?” Her dad asked her as if he doubted her ability to stay.
“I am good, just really excited!” Claudia looked down at her chest, thinking that her heart was coming out of it, it was beating so fast.
“The gladiators won’t come out for awhile; there is some pre-game fights that happen before. So just sit tight and be patient.” Looking down at her with a half smile, he wondered what her reaction was going to be when she saw what the Roman games were really about.
Claudia took her gaze off of her dad and focused in on the center of the arena. The sun beat down on the crowd as the heat began to rise. Filled with sand, there were four doors that surrounded the arena down below, behind them where the caged animals and brave men that would fight. As Claudia dreamed of what these mighty warriors looked like and trying to picture which way they would come, the doors opened and the crowed screamed even louder. Claudia’s eyes were fixated upon the doors, looking at them back and forth, not wanting to miss a single moment.
Then, to her surprise, people came to the center. Not these grand men that Claudia had pictured in her mind. But these normal, small, people sheepishly walked onto the dusty sand. Confused, Claudia kept her eyes fixed on them, in particular a little girl, probably about her age, she guessed.
And then, the other door opened and out came five lions. Utterly confused and ultimately frightened, Claudia looked up at her father, “Dad, dad, dad! What is going on? Why are there those people in the field, why is that girl in the sand with lions? Where are the gladiators?” -the questions and confusion flooded in.
“I told you there was some pre-game fights before the gladiators come out. These are just slaves. They probably disobeyed their masters or are sick or old anyway. They are pointless. It’s ok. Just watch.” He said it so… so, normal.
“Are they going to die dad?” She asked it with so much grief and sadness in her voice. Was this what her mom was talking about? Not wanting her to see the horror of the games? With her dad’s mind not paying attention to her, she let the question go, already knowing the answer.
Claudia just stood there, not really sure how to act. Her dad accepted it, so it was okay. Right? With her eyes glued onto the little girl, Claudia could not think of anything anyone could do, especially someone who was so young, to deserve this. As the Lions started sauntering toward the people, the little girl ran behind a woman, Claudia guessed it was her mom. The Lions got closer and closer, knowing that these slaves had no means of escape.
As she watched, captivated by what was about to take place. The crowd’s screams of excitement and the roaring of the drunken men and women died around her. She felt as though she only could hear the little girl’s whimpers as she stood behind her mother. Claudia sat down, knees pulled to her chest and hands covering her ears. She didn’t move until her dad told her it was time to go home.
Claudia climbed up the steep steps as she followed her dad to their seats. Heart pounding with excitement, she could hardly keep up. The smell of wine and food filled the arena. She had to keep reminding herself that she was here. She was at the coliseum about to whiteness the most popular game to ever exist. She was going to see a gladiator fight! Earlier that morning her mom was still nervous about her going, not wanting her nine year old daughter’s mind to be filled with these images. But the anxious beating of her heart that Claudia felt inside her was something that she had to feed.
As they took their seats, Claudia shyly maneuvered her way down the packed aisle. Right as she got to her place, the crowd that filled every seat available started cheering, making it seem like the whole arena was shaking! The beat of her heart grew faster.
“Are you alright? Are you gonna make it?” Her dad asked her as if he doubted her ability to stay.
“I am good, just really excited!” Claudia looked down at her chest, thinking that her heart was coming out of it, it was beating so fast.
“The gladiators won’t come out for awhile; there is some pre-game fights that happen before. So just sit tight and be patient.” Looking down at her with a half smile, he wondered what her reaction was going to be when she saw what the Roman games were really about.
Claudia took her gaze off of her dad and focused in on the center of the arena. The sun beat down on the crowd as the heat began to rise. Filled with sand, there were four doors that surrounded the arena down below, behind them where the caged animals and brave men that would fight. As Claudia dreamed of what these mighty warriors looked like and trying to picture which way they would come, the doors opened and the crowed screamed even louder. Claudia’s eyes were fixated upon the doors, looking at them back and forth, not wanting to miss a single moment.
Then, to her surprise, people came to the center. Not these grand men that Claudia had pictured in her mind. But these normal, small, people sheepishly walked onto the dusty sand. Confused, Claudia kept her eyes fixed on them, in particular a little girl, probably about her age, she guessed.
And then, the other door opened and out came five lions. Utterly confused and ultimately frightened, Claudia looked up at her father, “Dad, dad, dad! What is going on? Why are there those people in the field, why is that girl in the sand with lions? Where are the gladiators?” -the questions and confusion flooded in.
“I told you there was some pre-game fights before the gladiators come out. These are just slaves. They probably disobeyed their masters or are sick or old anyway. They are pointless. It’s ok. Just watch.” He said it so… so, normal.
“Are they going to die dad?” She asked it with so much grief and sadness in her voice. Was this what her mom was talking about? Not wanting her to see the horror of the games? With her dad’s mind not paying attention to her, she let the question go, already knowing the answer.
Claudia just stood there, not really sure how to act. Her dad accepted it, so it was okay. Right? With her eyes glued onto the little girl, Claudia could not think of anything anyone could do, especially someone who was so young, to deserve this. As the Lions started sauntering toward the people, the little girl ran behind a woman, Claudia guessed it was her mom. The Lions got closer and closer, knowing that these slaves had no means of escape.
As she watched, captivated by what was about to take place. The crowd’s screams of excitement and the roaring of the drunken men and women died around her. She felt as though she only could hear the little girl’s whimpers as she stood behind her mother. Claudia sat down, knees pulled to her chest and hands covering her ears. She didn’t move until her dad told her it was time to go home.
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