News - closing

I've decided to stop posting here for now. I've been posting the same material here as on my other blog, so I've decided to keep my other blog up instead of this one for now since college is keeping me busy and I don't have time to upkeep more than one or two blogs. Be sure and visit http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com as often as possible.

What to do when you get a flat tire

http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/2007/10/what-to-do-when-you-get-flat-tire.html

First off may I just say, HELP!!! What am I supposed to do with a flat tire on my segway? How am I supposed to make it not flat?

So, for about a month now my friends have been telling my tires looked flat. They did not look flat to me and the segway still worked just fine, until today. Today I had been out for about a half hour when one of my tires randomly went flat. At first I though the sound I heard was just a leaf cauight on a wheel, but then the segway started to act up. A man I passed said, "got a flat tire, huh?" and then I knew, the rumors were true. My segway has a flat tire.

What do you do when your segway randomly gets a flat tire. Well, if you're smart you get off and walk the segway back home. I'm not so smart. I stayed on the segway, made a wrong turn or two, and rode it back to my dorm. I had to go very slowly. Sometimes the segway would randomly slow down. Other times it would lean too far forward or too far back. Some times it started going off to the right as if it wanted to topple over. I stayed on. I prayed. After some difficulties, I got back safely. If this ever happens to you, go no more than 5 miles per hour and keep a constant eye on the key for when the smiley face becomes a frown face (it will do this very frequently).

Anyways, now I have no way to return the DVDs I checked out that are due back Sunday before noon. Everyone is gone for fall break who could take me. What am I supposed to do? How do I make my tire not flat? HELP ME!

I've Been Published!

Ignore the typos, they're the editor's fault, not mine.

www.aboiteindependent.com

Book Review
HOW TO BE HEARD IN HEAVEN
By Eddie Smith
Bethany House, 0764203924, PB, 172 pages, $14.99

In "How to be Heard in Heaven", Eddie Smith reminds readers that "as long as we whine to God about our problems, we'll see nothing. Begin to celebrate God's answer, and He will show it to you"
(p 130).
Smith explores prayer as an intimate relationship with Christ, wherein we acknowledge God's power and submit to His will. We should trust God to provide and should become expectant prayer warriors, praying as if God has already answered us.
Smith uses simple stories, concepts, and verses to support his ideas. His ideas are refreshingly different from those in typical books on prayer. He covers thought-provoking concepts (forgiveness, anxiety, guilt, egotism) with easy-to-understand language. Smith also discusses controversial church issues as faith healing and contemporary miracles. Occasionally you have to read something several times to understand it, but most of the book is a easy to follow. This book fits into church libraries best because Smith writes to mature teenagers and adults who want to enhance their relationship with Christ.

Honk Honk - Riding the Segway Without a Helmet

http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/2007/10/honk-honk-riding-segway-without-helmet.html

I was extra careful on my segway today. Why? Because I forgot to wear my helmet and gloves! I realized this about halfway to my destination. I was going fast because rain was expected any moment, but I had to slow down. Luckily, it did not rain on me and I did not fall. I have fallen twice already, so I know the importance of a helmet and gloves. They shield your fall and lessen the bruises. They may also save your life if you hit a car (which I have not done). When riding in windy conditions, be sure to wear a jacket or sweater to keep you warm (you don't want to get a cold). Also, do not try to go too fast against the wind; you could lose your balance and fall. Watch for bumps and try to avoid them. Sidewalks will often be uneven. If you come upon part of a sidewalk that has tranformed into a stairway, do not attempt to go over it; get off the segway and walk it over the stairstep. If there's no traffic, it may be better to ride on the road. I often ride on the road in neighborhoods. However, be alert for cars. Keep your ears open for the sound of a car's engine or the sound of a car driving over and crushing fallen leaves. If a car does appear, pull over to the side of the road and let the car pass.

No good reactions today. However, I did not post some of the reactions that I got about a week ago when I went to the local Blockbuster store.

One woman yelled out, "I like that!"

A man told me he wanted to ride my segway. He begged and pleaded, but I said no. He asked me how much a segway costs. I told him $5000. Surprisingly he still said he was going to buy one (but I doubt he will). Another man who appeared to be with him told him he could make his own segway. It's true you can make your own segway. I saw a website for just such a purpose. However, buying one is much easier and may even be less expensive and less time consuming.

Some kids also waved at me. I waved back.

Some other kids I saw were playing with their toy guns. They stopped to look at my segway. One of them said, "Cool, I want one of those!" A friend of mine who saw this happen told me I must feel real good, promoting world peace. I guess my segway is a great way to stop violence. LOL.

Last of all, the best reaction of the day was a man who turned to me and said, "Honk, honk. You got a horn on that?" Unfortunately, I did not have my bell with me at the time or I would have gave it a ring.

My Nightmares Come Alive

http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/2007/10/my-nightmares-come-alive.html

I feel extremely stupid right now. I wasn't thinking straight and I wasn't feeling well and I completely forgot to go to my fitness for life class today! My roommarte reminded me about twenty minutes past the time when class was supposed to start. It's my nightmares come true! This has happened to me before in other situations. Luckily I get 3 cuts, so I'll just use one of those. I don't think the teacher makes you makeup your labs anyway. We have to do labs where we test our wellness. Today we were going to test our flexibility. I hate missing class. Oh well.

In other news, my faculty friend cornered me today about skipping chapel so often. According to our Life Together Covenant I get 3 or 4 cuts per semester. They don't regulate it though and I thought I heard someone say at the beginning of the semester that chapel weren't required, so I've only been going once a week. There are 3 chapels every week. Anyway, my friend cornered me and said he wants me to go more often and that he was proud of me for going today. I guess he didn't notice that my roommate also skips chapel as often as I do. I don't know what it is about chapel I don't like. I grew up going to chapel once a week at a Christian school and I hated it. OUr chapels were so boring and I've never liked worshipping in a group setting unless I'm in the mood. I guess I feel pressured to worship the way everyone else does. It's so easy for me to get angry at chapel. I guess that's why I don't usually go.

Two One Dollar Bills

http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/2007/10/two-one-dollar-bills.html

Two one-dollar bills fit neatly within my pocket. I reached for the money. What was money to me? What use did I have for two measly dollars? Perhaps I could buy some candy. Maybe I could buy a soda. No, I had a credit card for those sorts of things. My parents take good care of me; they pay for everything. They had even given me a fifty dollar gift card to Wal-Mart as a goodbye and good-luck-in-college gift, and here I stood at a Super Wal-Mart in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with the gift card and those two one-dollar bills.

What significance does two dollars have? When a small amount of money comes to you unexpectedly, it can have a lot of significance. Randomly coming into possession of two dollars makes a person wonder why they were given the money. They wonder, “Who would give money away? Why would they give money away?” Perhaps they did not need the money. Perhaps what they needed was the kindness. One act of kindness confuses the recipient. Why would you help someone you do not know?

Nervously, I reached into my pocket, took out the two dollar bills, and leaned over the cash register. Whispering gently to the cashier, I said, “Could you do me a favor? Could you take this money and apply it to the bill of the person behind me or just give it to them and let them use it in whatever way they want to?”

“You want me to do what?” the cashier looked confused.

I guessed I did not say it loud enough.

“Could you give this money to the person behind me?” I repeated.

“But… do you know her?”

“No.” I wanted to do something good for a stranger.

“Then, why? What do you want me do, again? Did I hear you right?”

“Please, give these two dollars to the person behind me.” Irritation rose up in me. Why wouldn’t she just do what I asked? Was it that hard? Why was it so strange for a person to want to do a good deed?

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

The cashier took the cash reluctantly. For a moment, she seemed to consider pushing the cash back into my hands. It was as if she did not want me to freely give my money away. She did not seem to understand why someone would do something for someone else. Coming from California’s fast and furious, self-centered culture, I expected the Midwest to overflow with kind people. I thought the Midwest was the opposite of California. The fact that a small act of kindness would surprise someone in the conservative Midwest came as a shock to me. The United States continues to focus on self, even in the Midwest. I only gave away two dollars, but even this stood out as something that does not happen every day.

I left the register as soon as I had given the money to the cashier, having no desire for recognition. I saw the reaction of the cashier, but wondered about the recipient of my two dollar bills. How would she respond? Rachel Steiner, a friend of mine, observed the recipient’s reaction. The woman who had been behind me in line rejected the money at first. She and the cashier looked around to see where I had gone, but I was no where in sight. After a few moments’ hesitation, she took the money and used to pay for part of her bill. She had two carts full of groceries and four children with her. There was no doubt in my mind; she needed that money and she needed something to brighten up her day.

Rachel took her two dollar bills and gave them to another cashier. I stood nearby to watch how the recipient would react. The cashier took the money willingly and handed it to the two women standing behind Rachel. The older of the two looked puzzled.

“Did you know the person who was in front of you?” the cashier asked.

“No,” the older woman replied.

“I just assumed she knew you.”

“Wow,” the younger woman exclaimed. “Who does a thing like that these days?”

The person behind them asked what was happening and the two recipients started to talk nonstop about the two dollar bills a kind girl had given them

“That’s the way things should be,” one of the women told the person behind them.

“Nobody’s ever done that before for me. I’ve never seen anyone do that for anyone,” the other woman said.

“She must want some good for her,” they continued. “God looks out for you when you do good.”

“What a loyal lady.”

“We don’t even know her.”

“I don’t even see her anymore. She just disappeared.” They were surprised that Rachel had disappeared without any desire for recognition.

They could not hold up the line all day, so they eventually got around to paying for their purchase, but their smiles never left their faces. I wondered what their beliefs were. The way they talked about God and about Rachel’s deed of kindness, it sounded like they believed in karma and some sort of god. So many people believe in some sort of god, but think no further than that. I was unsure of what these people believed.

I do not think that any of the people who gained two dollars from a stranger that day really needed the money. The amount they spent on groceries made two dollars seem like nothing, but I am sure that a small gift of two one-dollar bills blessed their day. It took me a long time to find a line where someone actually came up behind me so I could give them the money. It did not take so long when Rachel gave her two dollar bills to a stranger. I believe God put us in the right places at the right time. Who knows what those two dollar bills did for those who received them, but the money served a much larger purpose in their hands than it did in my pocket.

Rainbows

I woke up this morning to twi beautiful rainbows promising a beautiful day ahead, even if it is hot outside and humid. Unfortunately I didn't get my camera quick enough, so I have no pictures of it.

"This is the Day the Lord has made. I will be glad and rejoice in it."

The rainbows seemed to promised hope and escape from the past. I have reason to rejoice in God's mercy and love today.

Segwaying to the Movies

http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/2007/09/segwaying-to-movies.html

I'm Going to be Published!

Dear Harmony,
Congratulations on hitting the big time your very first month in college. Your review of the Martin book will be published this December in the winter quarterly issue of CHURCH LIBRARIES. Your other review of the Martin book will be published in the Christmas issue of THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATOR.
So, you've cracked two national magazines in your first half-month of being at Taylor Fort Wayne. I see a very successful future ahead for you. Keep up the good work.
Dr. Hensley

Grandma's Verse: Isaiah 55:8-9

Isaiah 55:8-9 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society



8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Segways and Polo - Sports

http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/2007/09/segways-and-polo.html

Some short lessons and fun reactions

http://segwaythrucollege.blogspot.com/2007/09/some-short-lessons-and-fun-reactions.html

Two days ago I went out on my segway and I didn't fall. For once in my segway career, I did not fall! You see, segways can be safe and fun if you ride them the right way. Just don't get so comfortable that you forget to pay attention to where you're going! I did pick up a few new lessons, however. First of all, do not try to go too fast when riding against the wind. If the wind is blowing against you it can throw you off balance if you're not careful. Second of all, takes bumps slowly. Third, wear Off or some sort of mosquitoe spray to keep bugs off of you, especially if you go out in the evening. Speaking of bugs, you might want to wear safety glasses and go a bit slower when riding your segway near a river or some body of water. Bugs like to hang out near water in mass quantities. I learned this the hard way, hitting tons of bugs at once. I leaned my head forward a bit when I saw them coming so as to make them hit my helmet instead of my face. In the end, however, the bugs came off of me as the wind blew them away. Several actually flew away themselves, unharmed. Lastly, I learned that, while it is a stress reliever to go out on a segway on your own, it is a lot more fun to go with some friends. I try to get some of my friends who like to go biking to go with me. It's nice to have someone to talk to. Just don't fall from turning around to talk to them.I did get a few nice reactions. I can't remember them all now, but some teens commented that my segway was cool and another woman said, "I like your thingy." So far no one has lectured me on how walking is healthier, although I have gotten a few strange looks. Some bikers look at me with a questioning face as if they wanted to say, "Why do I have to exercise to get places? Why can't I have a segway too? I hate that girl because she can have one and I can't." One man gave me one of these looks before smiling the other day. I think my favorite reaction, however, is when bikers genuinely smile at me and nod their heads as if tipping their hats (or helmets) off to my cool contraption. Of course, even cooler than this is when people on motorcycles or in trucks honk at me. Some teenagers who obviously thought they were something yelled something out, but I couldn't understand them over their loud music.

They Were There

The chill of the morning air brushes on my cheek,

As I remember the good and bad memories of my past.

I remember every time I cried out for love,

Every time I weeped because of loneliness.

I was a star that shone dimly by itself in the sky,

And still I learned things from it,

And the cold air disappears,

When I know that YOU ARE THERE.

My parents that never left my side,

The ones who stretched out a loving hand,

And held me through the night.

What is there in a girl that is different,

That makes gloom seem right for her.

But to stand upright, to be tall inside,

Makes the sky brighten,

And the clouds clear,

Because THEY WERE THERE

Jesus, You're All I Need and All I Want

Sunday: The Lord's Day: Learning not to Judge

Growing up with a mother who works at a large church, I have experienced all the politics that go on behind the scenes. Yes, you heard me right. Even churches often act like businesses with the politics of the haves and the have-nots. No one and nothing comes without flaws.

Romans 3:23For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Should strife and earthly conflicts take place inside the church? No! After all, we are supposed to shine as a light to the world. But we cannot completely avoid these things. The key comes in doing your best to follow Christ’s example and praying regularly for the church community. We cannot help messing up here and there. We are human and messing up comes with human nature. However, we know that Christ redeems us and forgives us for the things we do wrong. He also admonishes us against allowing what we witness to control how we act and think.

More than once, I have allowed my own feelings to take over and control my actions and thoughts. I became bitter towards those involved in the politics of the church and wanted to rebel. God still had a thing or two to teach me. I tried continually to respect authority and keep a healthy attitude about things. Then the other day, I read something that changed my outlook forever. I read Philippians 1:15-18, mentioned in Max Lucado’s book, “Every Day Deserves a Chance.”

Philippians 1:15-18 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Before I go any further, I have to give you a little background from my experience with prejudice. One time, my church discovered that a pastor there had covered up an old sin. The elders offered him counseling and a probationary period in a lower position, but he refused. Although he seemed to have repented of the original offense, his pride kept him from taking his lumps. Instead, he quit and started a new, competing church. Many in the congregation split off to follow him.

At first, I hated the man. I believed such a man should not pastor a church. I failed to realize that God can bring good out of the bad. Although the politics continue in both his church and my church, the important thing is the fact that Christ is preached. Does that make what he did right? No! But it does mean that Christ is now preached to more people!

When Paul wrote Philippians, he was in prison. He had experienced prison and worse in the past and, now, supposed brethren were doing things just to hurt him. He did not let the trials and persecution get him down. He knew God was in control and that God was using him to preach the gospel. He knew that the important thing was that Christ was preached.

In verse 15, Paul mentions that there are some who preach the gospel only for their own gain and with the wrong motives, but in verse 18 he says,

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

No matter what the politics are behind the scenes, I should rejoice that Christ is preached. Let God judge; I am here to be a light to the world.

Personal Monday: An Old Weight Loss Journal

Thursday, November 03, 2005

My mom and I talked about weight loss the other morning. I have decided to write down what I eat. Writing down what you eat can really help. You do not realize how much you eat until you stop and think about it. Writing down I eat reminds me of my commitment and makes me think about what I can do to change my eating habits. Drinking water helps a lot too. It helps me suppress my appetite.

Wednesday, I walked over to my mom's work after school. She works at the church that is on the same campus as my school. It is not that far of a walk. It takes me about 10 minutes to walk over. Today, however, I actually found myself enjoying it. I knew I had to walk faster and faster. Walking can be a good exercise if you do it often enough. The longer I walk, the faster I go, the more of a work out I get. I will have to walk more often from now on. I have two dogs. I should take them on walks more often. It is a simple thing to do and does not take too much effort. The more I do it, the healthier I get. I can't just walk and do nothing else, though. Not if I want results.

I watched Biggest Loser on TV last night. That show really inspires me. I would like to be on it some day. Not for the money, but for the results. It would teach me how to eat right and would push me to the limit. I would have to persevere and not give up. The people on that show make a choice to change their lifestyles, and gain a healthier body in return. I hope I can do that. I ma not be on TV, but I do have a choice to make and I choose now to be healthy and to do what is right. I will have determination, I will persevere, and I will lose weight!

I actually weigh more than some of the people on "Biggest Loser." How embarrassing is that? But I am not embarrassed! I weigh 280 pounds, so what! I have seen girls go around complaining about their weight and saying how they are chubby. Others do not want to say how much the weigh. They want to keep it hush hush. Me, I do not care. I do not see what the big secret is. I am not negative by saying how much I weigh to myself. I may be outright with it and talk openly about it, but it is o big deal. I am not wallowing in self-pity. I am now trying to do something about it.

It can be so hard sometimes to say no to my craving. I have had enough to eat. So what do I do when I want to eat but have already eaten enough? I literally have to think to myself, "I do not need food, I do not need food. I will not crave, I will not crave." Just the other day in my speech class at MJC a girl came in with McDonalds. She said she had to eat because she was "starved." As I saw her get the food out, my mouth began to water. Of course, I could not eat right then, but I surely could have gotten some fast food after class on the way home. I had to ignore this craving. I wanted food, but I did not need it. I may have gotten past it this time, but I still craved that food. That is the key. I need to train myself to not desire those foods. There are other, healthier foods to eat. I do not even need caramel to make an apple taste good. I can still eat fast food every once in a while, but I need to control how much I eat. Instead of a medium French fry, maybe a small. Even at home, when I am relaxed, I need to find something to do when I think I am hungry, but really am not.

Writing things down in a journal really helps. It reminds me of what I am doing and gives me a place to write down all my feelings. It has helped me a lot.

Cross Country Trip

Well I'm at college now. I drove cross country and took LOTS of pictures. I'll be posting them on and off over the next month or so. I've been taking lots of pictures and will be posting them at my photo blog: http://declarationphotos.blogspot.com/

Proud Owner...

of my own official segway!!! I bought a segway for college today (can't afford a car). This afternoon I took it out for a little practice. It was so much fun! I did not get one "Walking's Healthier" yell, thank goodness. The reactions were positive. Some people pointed. Some teens honked the horn on their car. Some just yelled out, "cool!" The best reactions came from the kids, though. Two kids were playing and I could see they liked the segway. I talked to them a few short moments. My favorite reaction came from a little boy and girl who turned to their father and said, "I want to try!!! Can I do it!" Unfortunately its not safe to let anyone else ride it. Even I was having trouble with it every once in a while. It was fun, though. I got used to going up and down the rounded curbs of the sidewalks and the bumps stopped bothering me after a while. The nice thing about the newer models, which I got a good deal on a used one, is that you turn just by leaning the handles the way you want to go. So, I got to do a lot of fun maneuvers. I am thinking about riding it to church tomorrow morning! Won't that be fun. For now, I'm tired. It's hot our, and you have no idea how much exercise it takes to run one of these things. I'll post pics when I get a chance.

Christadelphians

http://www.allaboutcults.org/christadelphians.htm

My dad pointed out a sign to me the other day. It was a sign for the Christadelphians cult. He said he had heard of it a long tyime ago and disagreed with it. I asked him to look it up for me and he sent me the link above. Looks pretty messed up to me. basically they believe in Jesus but deny all of the major Christian doctrines. I'm not sure what to make of it. I don't even know what they really believe, juts what they don't believe. What do you think?

Driving's Complicated

I was going to take my driver's test today just for the experience, but guess what? I didn't know I was supposed to bring proof of registration for the car! That's not all. My dad had his registration in his car (the car I was going to use), but it was from 2006, not 2007! My mom thinks God was saving me from the rude woman who would have given me the test. I guess that's possible. Anything's possible with God. Given this, I thought it appropriate to repost the following (which I wrote after I took my third permit test):

I had a wierd dream last night. In the dream, I left my driving permit at home and needed to drive somewhere. So, I went ahead and started to drive, but in a training wheel car that resembled a bike. It told police I was a driver in training. There were police out everywhere looking for student drivers. I made too wide a turn and one of them pulled me over, not to give me a ticket, but to make me redo the turn and practice it until I got it right. I never found out how things ended for me, though, because the phone rang and woke me up.

If there is any person qualified to write a book review of the California Driver’s Handbook, it’s me. No, I do not work for the DMV, and no, I am not a perfectionist driver. In truth, I am very afraid of driving. While still on my first permit, I got in an accident. With my driver instructor, my sandal got caught on the pedal and I pushed the gas pedal instead of the break. This caused me to get into a minor bumper accident, no damage. I cried when I got home. Needless to say time came and went and I did not go for my license. My permit expired. Since then I have taken the permit test two more times and gotten better at passing each time. I always passed, but each time the number of missed questions lessened. I actually was scheduled to take my permit test earlier this month for the third time, but my mom lost my passport. A weeks worth of reading was wasted. Luckily, this time I highlighted the important parts and when my mom found my passport a month later I only had to skip read the highlighted parts. Two days ago, on June 28th, 2007, I took the test and only missed two questions. My picture would have turned out good if my double chin had not shown up. It has a way of coming out like that. I hate being fat, I hope to lose weight. Nevertheless, I will not let my bad health drag me down. I did dream once that my double chin saved me from a man who tried to slit my throat. The knife did not go deep enough to kill me, although I did lose some blood. It’s a real dream I had. Anyway, back to the driving thing. As already stated, I hate driving. I’m always afraid I’ll do something wrong. I remember my first experience with driver’s rage. I pulled over to let people pass, but when I tried to pull back into the lane a driver got mad at me and followed me to my turnoff where he proceed to honk at me and flip me off. I eventually got over my fear and got back on the road, but then college came. When you live in NYC you don’t drive much. Thus, it has been over a year since I last drove and my old fears have returned this summer. Since I am attending a different college this fall, I will need to drive and I will need a car. Needless to say, I have so far avoided all my parents attempts to get me on the road, but I really do need to try. Maybe I should go back to that handbook for some help, but don’t expect a book review of it. I already hate it enough, I doubt I would be able to keep from becoming overly judgmental and bias.