My problem is in the fact that I reached a part where I had to decide on work or school. I have a family to provide for so I had to choose work. No big surprise in that choice. What amazed me though was how quickly the faculty and administration was willing to see me walk out the door. I had maintained a 4.0 GPA for these three semesters and thought for sure I would received some type of help to keep me there. Now, I am facing repayment and on top of that my withdrawal left me owing the school money. So, I can't transfer nor can I start over anywhere else due to this debt. It just really frustrates me. 

     Please do not take this as bitterness but take it as a lesson learned. Please, and I repeat please, if you must take out student loans to reach your goals of higher education make sure you can not only complete it but that your career will pay these payments. After all, you are looking at 10 years of payments on most student loans. 

Peace Out!

In type...

It was one of the biggest typos I have ever made...

It started last fall while I was beginning my fourth semester at a local Bible College. We were only about a week or so into it. I sat up that night to do my homework for a class later that week. It was my normal routine. I stayed up and worked on it while talking to others on Facebook. Then I got a instant message from a friend. He was telling me that they were posting crazy or random things on another friends Facebook wall and he wanted me to join in the "fun".

So, I clicked on over to this guy's page and there it was. Many of my other classmates had posted comments. Then I done something I should not have. I wrote something myself!

I thought it was nothing special. Others took what I wrote and started playing off of it. I commented back a couple of times and then noticed some strange things being said and decided to stop. I finished what I could of my homework and went to bed. I was to meet with the president of the college in the morning to discuss my involvement in his office. I was kind of excited to be working with the president of the college and was definitely nervous about our meeting.

I sat there that morning waiting for him to get there and he was not happy when he arrived. Apparently, he saw what we posted on that classmates Facebook wall. I still didn't understand what the big deal was. He came down on me pretty hard for my involvement with it. He even suggested I make a public apology to this person at a Chapel service. I had no problem apologizing if my friend was hurt or offended by my actions. The only problem was that he wasn't, he thought it was funny.

A day or two went by and I was talking with another friend who was involved with this whole ordeal. I told him I just didn't understand what was the big deal. He then proceeded to question me about what I wrote. Apparently, I had made a typo. Now, I do tend to type a little slower than I think and sometimes letters or even words get left out but when I found out what actually was written I was shocked.

My intention was to write, "How dare you come in here screaming and yelling".

It didn't quite come out that way. Instead it came out like this (I capitalized the words for emphasis, not in the original)....

"How dare you come in here CREAMING and yelling"...

This one statement caused the whole thing to be blown out of proportion.

The reason I write all of this is to emphasize once again an important aspect of writing. No matter how short or long, or even where you write something please, I mean PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

Proof Read What You Write!!!!!

Then there is Emo.

           Finally, we get to Mystery Mom!

(She will not let me put up a picture.)

Over the next few days I will be writing a blog on each person of my family. So, please feel free to sit back and enjoy the coming embarrassment.

That is a question that definitely has various opinions. It can include elements that affect it such as fate, chance, or will. Some may argue that God in His Sovereignty has complete control over this world and directs one on the path He has for him. Others may argue the opposite that it is through chance that life unfolds. I am not sure either way. God is way too big for me to know what He is doing. What throws a wrench in the gears of it for me is this funny little thing called "will". As people we can choose whether or not to eat this or that, work here or there, or love this person or that person. We can say yes or no to any request. 

This brings the question to my mind, "Is life what we make it?" 

I don't believe there is a simple answer to this question. After all, this life is not a singular element but one affected and altered by the interaction of others. For instance, (I mean no offense by this example) a person that is raped or molested, whether adult or child, makes the decision not to but is forced by another against his or her own will. This is not what that person wanted out of life. Also, this could not have been the will of God. No, some things are out of our hands and in the hands of others. Oppositely, the couple that chooses to have sex before marriage and ends up having a child together is responsible for their own actions. These two made the decision to perform an action, knowing the possible outcome, and must deal with what they have made out of their own life. 

We all face decisions in our lives that we wish we could go back and change. We all, at some point, make the statement to the effect of, "If I could just go back and do it over again." Sadly, we can not do this. We are stuck with the decisions we have made in the past. The only thing we can do is start where we are and move forward. If we have made mistakes then we deal with them, seek forgiveness where necessary or forgive where necessary, and move forward. Even though it may take time and may still hurt we can't let life pass us by. 

Whether or not you are where you are because of God's hands, your own hands, or by chance make the best of what you have and where you are. Live today with tomorrow in view, laugh at life when it slips up, and love those around you. I know it sounds cliche' but life moves to fast to to let it leave you. Make the best of where you are and if it is not where you want then try to get there.

 

I know, the two exclamations points at the end of that is one too many. I can't help it, she wouldn't look at me. I know what you are thinking, "What is this fool talking about?" Well, I am about to tell you!

Hold on...

Hold on........

Wait for it..........

I know I shouldn't do stupid stuff like that but it is funny to me. 

     Anyway, as I was saying, she wouldn't look at me. Seriously, she wouldn't. I guess I better back up a bit to tell how we got to this point. So, Lisa and I began our relationship and I knew it was different. After a long month I decided to ask her to marry me. Yes, a month, that's what I said. Her birthday was coming up and I wanted to ask her then. I had to plan and plot quickly. I bought a ring, made my plans, and about had a nervous breakdown. After all, I had just turned 21 and here I was talking about getting married. This was crazy talk! Of course people told me to be sure about what I was doing and to me there was nothing I was more sure of. 

     I planned to have her a birthday party at my parents house. Decorations were up and the cake was out. All I needed there was Lisa. There we were with family, friends, and a thunderstorm. Go figure huh? I thought that this was going to be great, the night was going to be ruined by Mother Nature. I was completely wrong though. Everyone was gathered around the table and I was sweating profusely. Then the lights went out. I knew this shall not stand in my way. With the candles lit and it dark all around she opened her gifts one by one. She finally opened the card that was from me. I got down on one knee as she read it holding the little box in my hand. At the bottom of this card it read, "Will You Marry Me?"

I wanted anxiously for her response. (Here it is.) She wouldn't look at me! It seemed like an eternity that I waited next to her on one knee. Finally, my mother's patience drew to an end and she blurted out, "Well?" I guess this snapped her out of shock and to my surprise she said, "Yes!" My heart stopped and I almost fell over. I was in disbelief that she said yes to me. Everything went perfectly that night. Even the power outage gave it a romantic feel. I just wish she didn't scare me by not looking at me and giving me an answer right away. 

I do know now that this is a common trait of hers. She is not good at making snap decisions. You should see what happens at the drive through. She can't decide!

That's where this little episode started. My Granddaddy looking up toward a tree was enough to peak my curiosity. This prompted me to ask, "What are you looking at?" He pointed up to a limb way up high and said there was a raccoon up there. I didn't quite understand why he was staring at that raccoon. Looking back I guess he must have been planning what he wanted us to do. Well, he looked at my cousin, Trey, and I then spoke these words, "We are going to catch him." 

Do what?! That thing was a wild animal. What business did we have trying to catch that thing? Of course we wanted to know how we were going to do that. Apparently he had a plan...

His plan was to wait till it come down from the tree and the three of us would be waiting for him. One would have a broom (my Granddaddy) and the others would have these two wicker looked baskets. Needless to say, this was not raccoon catching equipment. My cousin and I could not contain our excitement over the thought of catching an animal. So, we got into position exactly like my Granddaddy said. He backed away from the tree and my cousin and I stood at a distance holding these baskets, ready to pounce when it came time. All we needed now was the raccoon. 

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity the animal slowly came down the tree. The raccoon was not on the ground good when all three of us sprung into action. My Granddaddy came running at it yelling like a wild man swinging that broom, and my cousin and I began the chase. Running around taking orders from my Granddaddy as to which way two go it appeared to be chaos. The poor raccoon was scared to death. It sought refuge in a culvert the sat in a ditch running through the backyard. 

Here comes my cousin to the rescue! He stands there yelling and watching its every move. My Granddaddy gets my cousin at one end with the basket, thinking that he can force it into it from the other end. What he was not counting on was the raccoon running out before he could doing anything. Now it's a foot race back to the tree. My Granddaddy chasing the raccoon till it gets to the tree and does the unexpected...

It turns around!

Now my Granddaddy is being chased by the raccoon! That had to have been one of the funniest things I have ever seen. He runs back toward my Trey and I with the raccoon in pursuit and that's when we catch it. I do not recall who actually caught it but I do remember the growling and yelping that thing did. 

We were victorious! He was placed in a cardboard box with a piece of glass on top so we could see in it. I know now that we should have left it alone. It did escape a couple of days later when it rained and the box collapsed. Even though it was gone this wonderful memory stayed with me. I loved my Granddaddy for giving me such good times. I miss him so much.