Mary and Martha

AAARGH!!! People! Why do so many of you seem to be jumping on the bandwagon and adding the little gadget on your side bars that automatically starts playing your favorite song(s) whenever the hapless reader scrolls by???? PLEASE! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL WHO READ THESE BLOGS, TURN THEM OFF!!!!!! It is annoying and distracting to have the same song play every single time we open your page, especially if it doesn't happen to be the reader's favorite style of music. I ask this only to help you, because I love you: TURN THEM OFF, PLEASE!!

I told my mom today about my decision to (most likely) convert to Orthodoxy. She didn't freak out, thankfully. She said that she understands it's my decision and wasn't going to try to stop me; she just wanted to make sure that I still believed in Christ's sacrifice on the cross and accepted Him as my savior. She did ask, though, why I don't simply convert to Catholicism, since that would send my extended family into paroxysms of joy (all of my extended family, on both sides, are Catholic and my mom was raised as such) and I said there are just too many doctrines in Catholicism with which I can't agree. Granted, there are many things in Catholicism that I now see the truth of - just from an Orthodox perspective. She doesn't know much about Orthodoxy (hence the Catholicism question), but, then again, neither did I until a few months ago. This will be an excellent opportunity to share with her some of the things I've learned. =) I hope I haven't offend...

I want to know that I'm doing this for the right reasons. Am I pursuing Orthodoxy because it is exotic and unfamiliar? Will my interest cease once it has become routine? I find that, after much struggle, I am able to accept and embrace many of the Orthodox teachings that differ from protestant ones, such as the Eucharist and saints (I feel a particular connection with St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine). I don't want to embark on this journey alone. I want EJ to want it, too. I want to discover Christ's church with him. My decision will create yet more waves. There is so much drama in my family right now and it's mostly because of me. I'm tired of trying to explain everything I believe and do to a group of people who won't accept it (there's more to this than just the headcovering issue I've mentioned in the past.) Right now I'm emotionally drained and spiritually whirling. I need Christ's power to settle over everything.

I'm so lazy. I'm so mean to those I find different. Where is Jesus in me? Why can't I look at someone everyone else considers "a bit off" and see a fellow brother or sister in Christ instead of whatever imperfections they carry with them? How can I seek to go further in my walk with Christ when I can't even like "the odd ones", let alone love them? I'm an odd one myself. I'm one everyone else ignores. So why do I feel I'm justified in conspicuously ignoring others? Jesus, help me to see each person through Your eyes and with Your love. Help me mortify my own flesh so, with it, I can reach out to others with humility and mercy. Beat me down, Lord.

So this blog has kind of turned into just a place to dump whatever little things bug or interest me. I hope it doesn't stay that way, but, right now, I really don't have the time to do anything else. So, for the sake of simplicity, why don't y'all stick around get to know me better. =) **FOODOLOGY** What is your salad dressing of choice? French or Italian What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? Apparently, the "eggs" served for breakfast every day here at school. I don't know if it's the fact that they're not real eggs or what, but I've been eating those suckers since the first day back and there have only been one or two times when I simply could not put them on my plate. What are your pizza toppings of choice? Pepperoni, mushrooms, pineapple, and barbecue chicken - not all at the same time. What do you like to put on yo...

Um, I kind of don't.....because of procrastination, this is going to be one whirlwind of a weekend!! Let's see Today (Friday): Classes 'til 1pm, drive home and find out if mom has a slip to go under my bridesmaid dress (oh, I didn't tell you? One of my friends is getting married this weekend. =P). If she doesn't, panic a little, then run up to Meijer to buy one. After that, head to the ceremony location and help decorate. Rehearsal is at 5, rehearsal dinner is a little later. Hopefully, somewhere in there I can squeeze in time to finish my Spanish homework, due by midnight. Tomorrow (Saturday): Friend's wedding - all day long. Sunday : Find books for my research proposal, read books for my research proposal, write my research proposal for Monday. Study for an exam for Monday.

I just stumbled upon a really weird detail in the English language. Consider the sentence, "It has something in its mouth." Now, add the word 'does' to that same sentence, with no other structural changes, and the verb 'to have' suddenly conjugates in the plural, "It does have something in its mouth." Why?? The subject is the same, the direct object is the same, the only difference is a single word! If we replace 'does' with 'really', the conjugation has remains: "It really has something in its mouth." What in the world is that about?!? I can't think of a single grammar rule as to why that occurs, can someone help me out? EDIT: An acquaintance read this and then ushered me into the demented little world of helping verbs. "Does" is a helping verb, for which "have" is the default of 'to have' - so ... there . (0.o)