More than flying elephants...

I decided to post a response to the last assignment in a new post all its own rather than a super long comment. Amazingly, this silly assignment got me thinking. I sat down to type a response and wound up thinking about it for like an hour. What would I ACTUALLY wish for if I met a car (or anything) that could grant me wishes? I immediately thought of money - pay for school, my parents' morgage, help my siblings out, donate to charity, the works. Then I thought that I really couldn't live with that. I mean who could be satisfied with a nice house and no debt knowing that they could have gotten rid of cancer or aids or world hunger? So I thought I'd wish for that...but then my mind went to God. He has the power to do all those things, but He doesn't. I know that for a lot of people that's what turns them off from God: they just don't understand how He lets that happen, or think He really doesn't have the power to change it. I understand that. But if there is one thing I believe about God it is this:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

(Ex. 34:6, Neh. 9:17, Ps. 86:15, 103:8, 145:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2)

I believe with all my heart that God is in control and that despite all the evil and suffering He is good and loves people more then we could ever begin to imagine. God loves the people in this world far more then I ever could ... and He allows suffering. It's not to say that He causes suffering, or that it does not break His heart, but He does not magically wish it away.

How then could I then wish away what God has allowed? I don't know why it happens, but I believe that everything that happens is in His control and ultimately serves a purpose. So, unless God told me that it was His will for me to wish away suffering from the world, I don't think I could do it. I would REALLY hope He would tell me that, but...even I can see how good comes from pain.

What would I the wish for?

Ultimately, I had this picture of me sitting in this car, having all this run through my head, hands on the steering wheel, debating what I would do. And my hour of pondering came to an end as I pictured myself getting out of the car and walking away.

All that to say I wound up writing a poem about it (I'm in an American Lit class, what can I say? it's in my brain) because I felt that I couldn't accurately describe what I felt just through writing. So, if what I just wrote made no sense, maybe this will help. Or maybe it'll just be confusing, I don't know. But I like it so I thought I'd share it :)

A stroll through a deserted wood

led me to a peculiar stump

I sat to ponder

sat and thought of what I would

If there were such a thing as luck

a leprechaun

or magic lamp

A cure for all, the end of pain

eternal hope, some greater gain

something only if I could

Yet what would I obtain?

What would I attain?

Struggle, purpose, triumph lost

Love - sacrifice and choice

Absence only, knowing

wishing nothing.

Take 2

WINNER!!! Well, I think I have to give this one to Mom and Joel because they both voted for each other. So, the two of you will have to collaborate somehow and tell me what numbers to do next. And by collaborate I mean that the first one to comment with some numbers is the one I'll use. Let me know!!

UPDATE #2: The voting is extended until tomorrow at noon so that more people can vote because right now it's a tie :)

UPDATE: I've decided to make this more interesting and sweeten the winning pot a bit. Therefore, the winning person will get to pick the next assignment by giving me 3 numbers between 1 and 25 (ex. 18, 3, 25). Those three numbers will be the three pages I use to make the next assignment. That will allow you to repeat certain parts of assignments and such by picking the same number as someone else. (Ex. Let's say you love flying elephants but couldn't think of a creative response to that particular post. The page numbers for that one were 8 - write a thank you note from, 1 - an elephant, 15 - that can fly. So if you won you could pick, for example: 16, 1, 15...which would change the beginning but keep the flying elephant part). Got it? Good. No? well then you just pick 3 numbers if you win and I'll handle the rest :)

Well, no one voted for the last post...so I guess no one wins :) But maybe your creativity was simply not strong enough for flying elephants. Here's #2...voting starts at noon on Tuesday!

Describe what you would do if you met a car that can grant wishes.

Bring it on.

UPDATE: Voting ends Friday (tomorrow) at 4pm. So far, the only vote is invalid because someone voted for their own. However, both responses made me laugh, so I like them both :)

So, I was recently challenged about my lack of blogging, so I decided to update. The problem with blogs is that when you're busy you just don't have time to write, so unless something really exciting happens you're not likely to do it. I was trying to think of something fun and clever to write about but just couldn't think of anything. However, I did remember how much fun the riddles were (for me, at least) because so many people got to participate. So that got me to thinking about creating another "interactive" blog post. Now this might totally bomb, but I have this little kids' creative writing book in which you can choose 3 phrases at random, put them together, and it makes a silly, easy writing assignment. I thought that would be the perfect way to get people involved and hear some amazingly funny stories (especially since Joel's stories have become famous through the whole riddle thing). I will post stories also when I can, but I will probably be mostly moderating.
Here's the rules:
1.) I will give you a certain amount of time for each assignment, after that we vote on who has the best one.
2.) Submit as many entries for the same post as you want.
3.) Vote for your favorite, but not your own, by simply saying so in a comment.
4.) Winners recieve awesomely sweet prizes (thier triumphant picture on the blog)

READY?!?!?! ok, here's the first one:

Write a thank-you note from an elephant that can fly.

You have until noon on thursday (4/8) then voting begins :)