it's raining, it's pouring
the old man is snoring
he bumped his head and went to bed
and didn't wake up in the morning
hmm. how morbid. it's strange how some of those old nursery rhymes have gotten started. Just think about "Ring Around the Rosie" Children are so cruel, playing the Black Plague off like it was some sort of game. (haha, just kidding)
It's been raining all day. cold. dreary. wet. Typical Providence. Last week was so nice, I heard people saying that they felt like it was going to stay that nice and warm for the rest of the semester. Wishful thinking. If there is one thing you ought to know about Providence weather it's to expect nothing and plan for everything. Growing up I had always heard the typical elementary school rhymes such as "April showers bring May flowers" but I had never understood it because back home it hardly ever rains in April and come May, all the flowers have pretty much bloomed and are dying away due to the extreme heat and drout. Now I see that all those typical rhymes that stereotype the seasons come from New England and therefore should not be used to describe South Texas weather. Perhaps a better rhyme for us would be something like: "Rain and gloom cause ebony trees to bloom" or perhaps better yet: "The much needed rain makes mosquitos go insane, which will cause you great pain, with very little gain" hahaha.
I need a better raincoat. The one I have, while I enjoy wearing it because I like the way it looks, is not actually water proof. Crazy right? Who in their right mind would make a raincoat that's not completely water proof? They call it "water-resistant" which pretty much just means that anything more than a light drizzle or a couple of minutes walking outside and the water will start to soak through the fabric and make me feel cold and damp. I saw a really nice one the the Eddie Baure outlet store during Christmas vacation, but even on sale it was too expensive for my budget, plus they didn't have the right color in my size in stock. I also really need to get a new umbrella. Mine is partially broken, which happened literally the first time I had to use it. plus there are some spots on the cloth from rusting metal and what could very well be the beginnings of mold. Though I probably won't buy a new one until this one is no longer able to keep me fairly dry.
Ever notice how people's attitudes change along with the weather? Everyone is so joyful and cheery on bright and sunny days, but on days like this, simply looking outside seems to cause people to become tired and bitter with the world. Did you know that statistically speaking, there are more car crashes on really beautiful days than at any other time? Apparently it's due to the fact that people become so happy with the world that they get distracted by the clear blue skies and the beauty all around them while driving instead of paying attention to the road. I can see how that would happen. Last week while walking to studio I almost walked right into a tree because I was so enjoying the walk and trying to take in everything around me that I really didn't care where I was going, lol.
happy birthday Sergio!
~Rachael
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Spring has Sprung
Spring has sprung! last weekend was beautiful! I got to finally spend some time lying in the sun, got a little bit of a tan. It was needed greatly. The flowers are also beautiful!. Daffodils, Lilies, Tulips, even the trees are blooming! The Dogwood trees have lots of while star-shaped flowers all over them, while the cherry blossoms are pink, I have even seen some yellow and purple trees around Prov. I don't know what kind it is, but there is a tree outside my house that has very large rose-like blossoms all over it. No leaves, just flowers. I can finally go outside in shorts and a t-shirt and not be extremely cold. The return of good weather has also meant the
return of the mounted police. I think they are around during the winter, just not as active. I love seeing these massive horses trotting down busy streets all around the downtown area. It reminds me of olden-days, not that I was alive during olden days, haha, but think I would like to go back there anyways.There is a white swan that likes to swim along the canal. Also to be seen in the canal is the Brown crew team, apparently they are the best in the country, though they don't look like their going THAT fast. There is a man who, dressed in a business suite and carrying a breifcase, rollerblades down the sidewalk in front of my window on his way to work every day. It's a joy to see that. Finals are coming up, though it doesn't really feel like it yet, wish me luck with that. I dont want this year to end. It means that a bunch of very loved friends are graduating and moving away. I truly hope that we will never lose touch, because I will miss them all very much.
Happy Birthday Sarah!
~Rachael
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Roads Less Travelled
Things don't always turn out how we expect them to.
So I got into EHP. . . . .
Yeah, I know.
But I got in for the fall class, something I never even considered a possibility until about a couple days before I got the notice.
I am not yet prepared.
There is so much to do, to think about, to consider before I leave. I have an internship in Massachusetts over the summer with a packaging design company. A well-paying internship, which is something I am desperately in need of as I have suddenly found myself pretty much broke for most of the month.
"Three months," I told them. Well now if I go to Italy that time will be cut down to less than 2 months. I haven't told the company yet.
I was supposed to have a meeting with them last week, but then they had to cancel it at the last minute. So again, I was supposed to have a meeting with them on Friday, but yet again they had to cancel at the last minute. So I'll try to go on Monday, because I'm seriously running out of options and come finals, I won't have any more time to be doing this.
I also need to find a place to live for two months, as close to work as I can get seeing as how I don't have a car to drive.
I never even saw this coming.
When I read my acceptance letter you never would have been able to tell what it said by the look on my face.
Open and ready for whatever fate was to befall me, my first thought was plainly, "OK....What do I do now?" The decisions I had to make were just one more burden to bear.
I set to the task of calling those people who have followed along with me on this journey, unsure as to whether I was delivering good news or bad news. Perhaps it was news of no real meaning or conclusions at the time, but significant news none-the-less.
As of yet I am going about as if I am definitely going.
Why should I not be? This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I would be remiss not to take part. Plus, I can't even imagine telling them that I am turning it down, that I don't want to go live in Italy this year. I might not have a place to live when I come back to school in January, but I do believe that everything will work itself out in due time.
I go where the wind takes me. Not really knowing where it will blow next, but still assured that my final destination will be exactly where I am meant to be, and that I can do many good works along the way. Of course I still worry about how I will live and such things, but I am learning.
Learning to trust God for all that I need.
It's amazing, how thus far everything that I have worried about, prayed about, asked for, has been provided for me, often in really unexpected ways. I often find it hard to pray for my own concerns, since there are so many people in the world in greater need than I, but I have been praying for guidance and reassurance in my plans for the summer, before EHP was even on the horizons. Maybe this is my answer. Sometimes it's hard to recognize where God is leading us. Our own wants and emotions get muddled up in the message, but this is the path that has been set before me. So I must go and follow it to the very end. Who knows? Maybe this could be even better than I ever could have imagined, or maybe it could fail. One thing is for sure, I will certainly learn a lot about the world and about myself along the journey.
So I got into EHP. . . . .
Yeah, I know.
But I got in for the fall class, something I never even considered a possibility until about a couple days before I got the notice.
I am not yet prepared.
There is so much to do, to think about, to consider before I leave. I have an internship in Massachusetts over the summer with a packaging design company. A well-paying internship, which is something I am desperately in need of as I have suddenly found myself pretty much broke for most of the month.
"Three months," I told them. Well now if I go to Italy that time will be cut down to less than 2 months. I haven't told the company yet.
I was supposed to have a meeting with them last week, but then they had to cancel it at the last minute. So again, I was supposed to have a meeting with them on Friday, but yet again they had to cancel at the last minute. So I'll try to go on Monday, because I'm seriously running out of options and come finals, I won't have any more time to be doing this.
I also need to find a place to live for two months, as close to work as I can get seeing as how I don't have a car to drive.
I never even saw this coming.
When I read my acceptance letter you never would have been able to tell what it said by the look on my face.
Open and ready for whatever fate was to befall me, my first thought was plainly, "OK....What do I do now?" The decisions I had to make were just one more burden to bear.
I set to the task of calling those people who have followed along with me on this journey, unsure as to whether I was delivering good news or bad news. Perhaps it was news of no real meaning or conclusions at the time, but significant news none-the-less.
As of yet I am going about as if I am definitely going.
Why should I not be? This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I would be remiss not to take part. Plus, I can't even imagine telling them that I am turning it down, that I don't want to go live in Italy this year. I might not have a place to live when I come back to school in January, but I do believe that everything will work itself out in due time.
I go where the wind takes me. Not really knowing where it will blow next, but still assured that my final destination will be exactly where I am meant to be, and that I can do many good works along the way. Of course I still worry about how I will live and such things, but I am learning.
Learning to trust God for all that I need.
It's amazing, how thus far everything that I have worried about, prayed about, asked for, has been provided for me, often in really unexpected ways. I often find it hard to pray for my own concerns, since there are so many people in the world in greater need than I, but I have been praying for guidance and reassurance in my plans for the summer, before EHP was even on the horizons. Maybe this is my answer. Sometimes it's hard to recognize where God is leading us. Our own wants and emotions get muddled up in the message, but this is the path that has been set before me. So I must go and follow it to the very end. Who knows? Maybe this could be even better than I ever could have imagined, or maybe it could fail. One thing is for sure, I will certainly learn a lot about the world and about myself along the journey.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Pride
Rain rain go away
Come again another day
Or don't, whatever
Oh Providence! How your weather perplexes me!
Everyone was looking forward to the forecasted weather for today. The high was supposed to be 60, the warmest it's been probably since early November. Of course, being Providence, the sky decided it would rain today, as if on a whim. At least it's still not very cold. Who knows!?! Maybe it actually IS in the high 50's. It's not like we can really enjoy it. I don't mind the rain, I really don't, but I sure would enjoy the sun peeking it's head out of the clouds for a while. Perhaps long enough for me to be able to wear my new sun dress? No? Ah well, such as life. The time will come soon enough. Soon enough for what!?! HA! Heck if I know.
I've been reading C.S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity." It's good, very informative and helpful as a sort of guidebook for leading a Christian life and interpreting what the Bible says about how we are to live and act daily, both in our own personal life dealings and in how we view and interact with others. In the chapter I started reading last night, Lewis talks about the worst trait for a Christian to have in their heart. Pride. One of the 7 deadly sins according to the Catholic church, but apparently deadlier than the rest according to many others. Our culture today perhaps doesn't condemn this characteristic nearly as much as it should, in fact, there are many instances that I can think of when we feel that either ourselves or others should be rightfully prideful. Should an athlete not be filled with pride when he is presented with a Gold medal at the Olympics? Should a young child not have pride about accomplishing a big goal? One teacher has told me on numerous occasions that I have done well on one thing or another and should be very proud of myself. Should I? Really? Maybe pride is not the right word. Pleased, perhaps, would be better suited to this situation. Not with myself thinking how wonderful I may or may not be, but with doing something well that makes others happy. I can be pleased that my teacher liked my work, certainly. But when does that cross the line into pridefulness? It's hard to tell sometimes, especially in trying to see that in myself. Sometimes it is so much easier to see faults in others than it is to see faults within your own actions. I try to think back to recent conversations I had with people and I can't help but wonder if I was speaking out of pride for things that I have done, or pleasure from what good things God has worked through me. I certainly hope it was not the former. I certainly didn't mean to sound as if I was boasting about such events, but I am afraid that that's how others could have potentially seen it. Maybe I shouldn't be worried, I know my friends would not think badly of me, but still, I must remember to take a step back sometimes and try to see how I am really acting towards others, or what words I am using to try to communicate clearly to my peers. I realize how important it is to be introspective before I can truly hope to improve my character. Thanks to some really great friends, people I greatly admire and can only hope to emulate, I think that I have made some great strides this year in improving how I interact with and talk to people, in being more of a humble servant to God and to others, and in opening up my heart to try to love more and see goodness in everyone, even those whom I often struggle to get along with. I feel that I still have a ways to go, and there are certainly times when I slip up, but I also must realize that I will never be perfect and that this will be a struggle for me for the rest of my life, but I must keep pressing on towards the goal.
Humbly Yours, I love you all,
~Rachael
Come again another day
Or don't, whatever
Oh Providence! How your weather perplexes me!
Everyone was looking forward to the forecasted weather for today. The high was supposed to be 60, the warmest it's been probably since early November. Of course, being Providence, the sky decided it would rain today, as if on a whim. At least it's still not very cold. Who knows!?! Maybe it actually IS in the high 50's. It's not like we can really enjoy it. I don't mind the rain, I really don't, but I sure would enjoy the sun peeking it's head out of the clouds for a while. Perhaps long enough for me to be able to wear my new sun dress? No? Ah well, such as life. The time will come soon enough. Soon enough for what!?! HA! Heck if I know.
I've been reading C.S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity." It's good, very informative and helpful as a sort of guidebook for leading a Christian life and interpreting what the Bible says about how we are to live and act daily, both in our own personal life dealings and in how we view and interact with others. In the chapter I started reading last night, Lewis talks about the worst trait for a Christian to have in their heart. Pride. One of the 7 deadly sins according to the Catholic church, but apparently deadlier than the rest according to many others. Our culture today perhaps doesn't condemn this characteristic nearly as much as it should, in fact, there are many instances that I can think of when we feel that either ourselves or others should be rightfully prideful. Should an athlete not be filled with pride when he is presented with a Gold medal at the Olympics? Should a young child not have pride about accomplishing a big goal? One teacher has told me on numerous occasions that I have done well on one thing or another and should be very proud of myself. Should I? Really? Maybe pride is not the right word. Pleased, perhaps, would be better suited to this situation. Not with myself thinking how wonderful I may or may not be, but with doing something well that makes others happy. I can be pleased that my teacher liked my work, certainly. But when does that cross the line into pridefulness? It's hard to tell sometimes, especially in trying to see that in myself. Sometimes it is so much easier to see faults in others than it is to see faults within your own actions. I try to think back to recent conversations I had with people and I can't help but wonder if I was speaking out of pride for things that I have done, or pleasure from what good things God has worked through me. I certainly hope it was not the former. I certainly didn't mean to sound as if I was boasting about such events, but I am afraid that that's how others could have potentially seen it. Maybe I shouldn't be worried, I know my friends would not think badly of me, but still, I must remember to take a step back sometimes and try to see how I am really acting towards others, or what words I am using to try to communicate clearly to my peers. I realize how important it is to be introspective before I can truly hope to improve my character. Thanks to some really great friends, people I greatly admire and can only hope to emulate, I think that I have made some great strides this year in improving how I interact with and talk to people, in being more of a humble servant to God and to others, and in opening up my heart to try to love more and see goodness in everyone, even those whom I often struggle to get along with. I feel that I still have a ways to go, and there are certainly times when I slip up, but I also must realize that I will never be perfect and that this will be a struggle for me for the rest of my life, but I must keep pressing on towards the goal.
Humbly Yours, I love you all,
~Rachael
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