YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE FOR A REASON....by *Russell Kelfer
You are who you are for a reason.
You're part of an intricate plan.
You're a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God's special woman or man.
You look like you look for a reason.
Our God made no mistake.
He knit you together within the womb.
You're just what He wanted to make.
The parents you had were the ones He chose,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom-designed with God's plan in mind,
And they bear the Master's seal.
No, that trauma you faced was not easy.
And God wept that it hurt you so;
But it was allowed to shape your heart
So that into His likeness you'd grow.
You are who you are for a reason,
You've been formed by the Master's rod.
You are who you are, beloved,
Because there is a God!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Only Reason
It never was coz of ur looks
Or ur physique
Or ur manliness
It never was coz of ur success
Or ur ambitions
Or ur intelligence
Or ur street-savviness
It never was coz of the shared language
Or the shared jokes
Or the similar upbringings
Or the similar backgrounds
It never was coz u rescued me
Or that u were patient
Or that u were supportive
Or that u were trustworthy
Or that u stood up for me
It never was coz of any of these things
The only reason: i love you.
Or ur physique
Or ur manliness
It never was coz of ur success
Or ur ambitions
Or ur intelligence
Or ur street-savviness
It never was coz of the shared language
Or the shared jokes
Or the similar upbringings
Or the similar backgrounds
It never was coz u rescued me
Or that u were patient
Or that u were supportive
Or that u were trustworthy
Or that u stood up for me
It never was coz of any of these things
The only reason: i love you.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Chicken in the Engine
One time while working for Lafayette Housing Authority and Americorps, a live chicken got stuck in my car engine...I know you're wondering how such a thing could happen. Had i not witnessed it, i would not have believed it:
A couple of the kids i was working with, discovered that one of their neighbors had a live chicken in his back yard. They talked about this for hours on end. You would think that after hearing this story repeated so many times that afternoon, i would have been more watchful during their recess. Immediately recess started, they ran out to the neighbor's backyard and let the chicken out of it's enclosure. Then the chasing began. The loud shrieks of laughter and excitement caught my attention. When i realized what was causing the excitement, i was understandably worried. On the one hand, I knew that the kids were not brave enough to catch the chicken once it was cornered, on the other hand, the chicken had to be kraaled before the neighbor found out what was happening.
So naturally, my staff and i joined in the chase...i didn't let anyone know that i was just as scared of the chicken as the kids were. After about 10 mins of determined chasing, the chicken could not take it any longer. It ran under my car and eventually made it's way up the engine.
At first we thought we had it completely cornered and all we needed to do was poke it out from the top. Unfortunately, our little friend had been frightened to the point where he was willing to risk it all to avoid any more chases. The more we poked, the deeper it crawled. Soon it was completely stuck and couldn't move if it wanted to. So we did what any sensible person would do under the circumstances; we called the police!
By now the neighbor had heard what had happened and needless to say, he was not in a very good mood. He explained that he got the chicken for his grand-daughter who lived in a farm, and was planning to transport it to her that evening.
Two police officers and two animal control experts worked frantically to free the chicken but gave up after about an hour. The "owner" of the chicken, after several minutes of calling the children vile names, began to see the humor in the situation and thought his grand-daughter would think the story more interesting than actually raising a chicken. He called and narrated the story to her, and sure enough she was laughing so loudly that any tension left was alleviated.
Four hours into the incident, we were still trying to decide what to do. It was already getting dark and most of the children had gone to their homes. The police officers and animal control experts had advised (then left) that i turn on the engine and maybe the heat or the sound of the motor would coax the chicken out of the engine. I visualized much more than a coaxing out...'
I waited until all the children had left then turned on the engine. The chicken did not budge...i had to go home...long story short, the chicken was not in the engine the next day...
A couple of the kids i was working with, discovered that one of their neighbors had a live chicken in his back yard. They talked about this for hours on end. You would think that after hearing this story repeated so many times that afternoon, i would have been more watchful during their recess. Immediately recess started, they ran out to the neighbor's backyard and let the chicken out of it's enclosure. Then the chasing began. The loud shrieks of laughter and excitement caught my attention. When i realized what was causing the excitement, i was understandably worried. On the one hand, I knew that the kids were not brave enough to catch the chicken once it was cornered, on the other hand, the chicken had to be kraaled before the neighbor found out what was happening.
So naturally, my staff and i joined in the chase...i didn't let anyone know that i was just as scared of the chicken as the kids were. After about 10 mins of determined chasing, the chicken could not take it any longer. It ran under my car and eventually made it's way up the engine.
At first we thought we had it completely cornered and all we needed to do was poke it out from the top. Unfortunately, our little friend had been frightened to the point where he was willing to risk it all to avoid any more chases. The more we poked, the deeper it crawled. Soon it was completely stuck and couldn't move if it wanted to. So we did what any sensible person would do under the circumstances; we called the police!
By now the neighbor had heard what had happened and needless to say, he was not in a very good mood. He explained that he got the chicken for his grand-daughter who lived in a farm, and was planning to transport it to her that evening.
Two police officers and two animal control experts worked frantically to free the chicken but gave up after about an hour. The "owner" of the chicken, after several minutes of calling the children vile names, began to see the humor in the situation and thought his grand-daughter would think the story more interesting than actually raising a chicken. He called and narrated the story to her, and sure enough she was laughing so loudly that any tension left was alleviated.
Four hours into the incident, we were still trying to decide what to do. It was already getting dark and most of the children had gone to their homes. The police officers and animal control experts had advised (then left) that i turn on the engine and maybe the heat or the sound of the motor would coax the chicken out of the engine. I visualized much more than a coaxing out...'
I waited until all the children had left then turned on the engine. The chicken did not budge...i had to go home...long story short, the chicken was not in the engine the next day...
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
What I Don't Understand About the Word "NO"
I was watching a coworker's son the other day run around the office and make toys of everything in sight. He seemed so worry-free and full of life. Everything was going well until his mother yelled NO! His demeanor immediately changed and his once giggly face cringed with what seemed like hurt and disappointment.
Made me think of my own reactions to that word. Granted i understand that NO is one of the responses i will get when i ask a question or voice a request. I don't understand why even when i pray about something and don't get a resounding YES from Father, i still imagine that he didn't hear my prayer...and keep praying even when the answer is not an obvious YES. Yes, i know what you are thinking...that sometimes the answer is "WAIT" or "MAYBE"...i don't remember the last time i asked anyone a question or for something and they said MAYBE, and that was the end of the conversation. WAIT is another form of YES but with a time component, so WAIT is acceptable.
Next time i ask, i hope i remember that the answer can be NO. My inability to accept that answer is what might be the root of my inability to give it even when i need to.
Made me think of my own reactions to that word. Granted i understand that NO is one of the responses i will get when i ask a question or voice a request. I don't understand why even when i pray about something and don't get a resounding YES from Father, i still imagine that he didn't hear my prayer...and keep praying even when the answer is not an obvious YES. Yes, i know what you are thinking...that sometimes the answer is "WAIT" or "MAYBE"...i don't remember the last time i asked anyone a question or for something and they said MAYBE, and that was the end of the conversation. WAIT is another form of YES but with a time component, so WAIT is acceptable.
Next time i ask, i hope i remember that the answer can be NO. My inability to accept that answer is what might be the root of my inability to give it even when i need to.
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