Thoughts of a Sprite

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

It's nail biting time again!

I have finals on Thursday... studying my butt off, keep your fingers crossed for me. I have the second highest grade in my psych class and I am in the top 3% or so in my Crim class.

Just wanted to drop in and say hello, I am thinking about you guys...

I found a pretty good break down of the moments in our lives.

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

shes_a_sprite @ 5:39 PM.

3 comments

starbender said...

U'r Back! Good 2 hear from U--I haven't been here in a while! Sounds like u'r doin excellent with school-good 4 U.

Best of luck with finals-
I'll say a prayer 4 ya.

:)

2:45 AM

starbender said...

Just wanted 2 say HI.
:)

2:24 PM

Garry Nixon said...

Good luck - but it must all be over now, surely?

11:42 AM

Important Lessons

I did very well on my presentation, thanks for keeping your fingers crossed for me! Finals week is upon us UF students agian. I have two finals on Thursday.

I have a funny story. I went to confession Friday, after my classes. I have been attending St. Augustine for a month now, and I still don't even know where the bathroom is, let alone anyone to ask. So after confession, I asked Father if he had time after confession to give me a tour of the church, and some information on the student organizations. He hymmed and hawed a moment, and said he had a dinner, but if he could not do it he would have his secretary do it.

He gave me my pennance, and I waited in the church for him to finish confession. I prayed, and finished my pennance, all the while, the pews around me were starting to fill with people, but I did not give it much thought. Well Father comes out of confession, and I start to get up... and he heads to the pulpit for Mass. He totally tricked me!!! He never mentioned anything about after Mass. I ended up staying for Mass, which was good - just not planned, I did not even know we were having mass. I got my tour, and finally found the bathrooms! God works in mysterious ways! I still intend on going to on Sunday - I just thought it was funny.

Five Important Lessons:

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello ."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway, trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down, and she desperately needed a ride.

Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by, and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached ..

It read:
"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away...God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.

"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied

The little boy again counted his coins.

"I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway; then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the
King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King, indicating that the gold was for the
person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of
recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had
miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it, if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled , as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.

He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Thoughts for the day: Two little words that can make the difference: Start Now

Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them. ~ Lady Bird Johnson

Factiod: Ever heard the saying once in a blue moon.... ever wonder what a blue moon is? Or how often blue moons come around?
A Blue Moon is the second full moon in a calendar month (it is rarely blue.)

The average interval between full moons is about 29.5 days, whilst the length of an average month is roughly 30.5 days. This makes it very unlikely that any given month will contain two Full Moons, though it does happen sometimes.

On average, there will be 41 months that have two full moons in every centrury, so you could say that once in a Blue Moon actually means Once every two-and-a-half years.

shes_a_sprite @ 2:51 PM.

1 comments

Unknown said...

I just love that confession story lol, that has got to be one of the best ones I have heard.
Those lessons are "WOW" I really liked them especially the Mrs.Nat king Cole and your cleaning lady!
I hope you keep enjoying St.Augustine Church, St.Augustine's writings are very powerful too if you ever happen to read them.
xx

7:23 PM

Cracked pots

I thought the following was a good story. I sure have plenty of cracks! lol...

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?" "That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them. SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

I have to do a power point presentation today, about a series of complicated experiemnts (behavioral analysis) trying to explain attack behavoir in pigeons. Wish me luck

The Doctor says that he does not reccomend surgery at this point... The MRI showed Joint Effusion (bruising of the cartiledge) consistent with platella dislocation. He put me in PT... and I will get a review in two weeks - if by then it is not better, he will refer me to a specailist. Keep your fingers crossed that therapy helps. I really don't want to have more surgery. :)

Thanks all! blog ya later.

shes_a_sprite @ 1:19 PM.

2 comments

Anonymous said...

Good luck with your powerpoint thing.
And I'm pleased you don't need surgery atm. I've never had surgery before, I bet it's scary.

5:59 AM

Unknown said...

I love that cracked pots thing! That's pretty sweet.
I will pray and keep my fingers crossed for you. No surgery!!!

10:27 PM