Southernbelle Ginger...

 Remind Me

Remind me that I like the rain, even though it makes my hair frizzy.
Remind me that You're there, even when I'm in a tizzy.
Remind me of Your faithfulness.
Help me to laugh,
And not cry through math.
Remind me of Your love.
Help me to smile at the little things,
Help me to soar on Your perfect wings.
Remind me of your presence.
Show me the value of just being me,
Show me how I can be.
Remind me of who I am.
Whisper to me day and night,
Whisper who You are.
Help me to see.

Copyright Southernbelle Ginger

That Writer Girl...

Animal Magnetism

     After seventeen years consisting of two dogs, four cats, five hamsters, and multiple aquarium fish, I have come to the conclusion that I do not like animals. We just don't mix. My sister is great with animals--in fact, she's been compared to an angst-ridden Snow White. In my opinion, however, I have some irreparable complaints against the animal kingdom. Some are as follows:

1) They don't speak the human tongue. We just had a discussion in my English/Closet Philosophy class about how language is the key to communication and identity. It goes without saying, then, that there is a disjunction in communication between myself and the animal population, and therefore I cannot possibly identify with them and their personal problems. I don't care how much you sit whining and staring at me with your puppy dog eyes, if you can't tell me exactly what's wrong, I'm not going to help you.

2) They don't clean up after themselves. I don't want to shovel poop out of the sand for you, kitty. If you want to poop in a sandbox so badly, I suggest cleaning it yourself, or finding a bigger one in one of the neighbor's yards.Hamsters and fish, this goes for you as well.

3) They need feeding on a regular basis. I've survived about a fourth of my life without my mother feeding me, I think pets should be able to do the same. I'm a busy person; I don't have time to run around placing bread crumbs in your path. If you're hungry, forage, or hunt, or do whatever your species was actually bred to do.

4) They smell and they shed. What more do I need to say?

5) They leave you unwanted favors. No, no, I don't want the mole you caught, or the bird, or the rabbit, or the woodchuck, or the deer, or the Sasquatch, or anything you hunted down. I don't want it dead and bleeding on my carpet, and I don't want it alive and running around my house. I don't want it, period. Do whatever you like with it (hey, eat it!), as long as I don't see it. Dogs? Dogs are worse, they bring you slobbery toys or poop.

     Those are just a few of the reasons I do not care for any species of the animal kingdom. All of the above could just as easily be applied to human babies, and I don't like them either. It's all in the personality, I guess, and mine is definitely short on "animal magnetism."

Copyright - That Writer Girl

Because my students are awesome...

I had the privilege of developing an Honors Creative Writing class this year. Whenever you write curriculum for a new class, you guess a lot about what will work and what won't work.

The one piece of the creative writing puzzle I knew had to be in place was a journal. This being the year 2011 (well, it WAS 2010 and then it turned into 2011 in the middle of the academic year), I gave students the option of having a blog instead of a paper journal. 13/14 opted for the blog during first semester. By second semester 14/14 were blogging.

When I asked them to write course evaluations on the last day of class, blogs were hands-down the favorite routine writing exercise.

A writer's blog is a place where a student can plant ideas that may or may not germinate into publishable works. Some posts are angsty. Some are sweet. Some made my brain hurt. Some made me laugh until tears ran down my cheeks. Some broke my heart.They were great because, for the most part, they were honest. If you ever want to peek into the window of a teenager's heart, check out his/her blog.  

(Hint: Blogger is for old people--high school graduates and older, and WordPress is for professional pursuits. Teens are on tumblr. tumblr is a hipster place. True hipsters never mention the venue on other websites like Facebook or Twitter. Oh, and more kids are abandoning Facebook for Twitter since FB took the status off the top of the profile page.)

I want to share some of the posts that made me smile, so over the next few days, I'll be posting one a day.  All rights are reserved by the owner of each blog.

Smellin' Coffee and DANCING!

Yeah Boy! I don't know where this is, but I want to go there and do this. The short version says it's clogging. The long version says it tap dancing. It looks like a combination of tap dancing, clogging, AND line dancing. I have a quest.

Nobody's perfik...

I have Hannah Montana in my head now.

My momma says I struggle because I'm a perfectionist. I'm not a perfectionist -- 99.4% is OK too.  See how it did that? If I'd said 99.5%, it would round up to 100%. I'm good with .6% less than absolute perfection. So, there. I'm not a perfectionist.

;-)

SBS?

Any SBS chiquitas out there interested in having SBS this summer? Bible study? Book club? Craft club? Yogurt Mountain fan club?  Something that encompasses all of the above?

Inbox me on FB or DM me on Twitter if you are. I'm fixin' to make some summertime plans...

Love y'all!

I get by with a little help from my friends...

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

It has been an odd and difficult time, but the sun is shining in my heart again, and I am full of praise for first of all the Lord. Can't even breathe without Him. And then for my friends who have reached out. Some have said and done little things that have had a huge impact. Some have climbed into the trenches with me and launched a few grenades at the enemy. I love you ALL--very, very much.

Frah-jee-lay...

For the past month or so, life has been hard around here. We have hit a patch of trials and tribulations. Make no mistake that I still know that I know that I know that God is good. There is no doubt. I also know that He gives beauty for ashes, heals the wounded, raises the dead, works all things together for good and gives grace beyond measure.

That said... right now, my heart is a bit broken. I'm having a tough time. Poynter says that in times of tragedy, understatement is best, so I'm leaving it at that.

I am stepping away for a little while to seek healing that only the Lord can give. He makes all things new, which is my hope right now. I appreciate your prayers.

Homage to Vonage...

What Vonage sent as the text version:

"Hi Ms. William, it's Tim Schumer. In our city track field. Just wanna remind you about the beacon apple or if he might be at home. Really could use over the store like you over there doing out here. Really appreciate what you done force on that. Also, the cops and they is Friday and Saturday the 13th 14th and my we have got one rice or 200 on Friday evening. I would usually the airport good and also I don't a bus running events or most of the day on Saturday. I could usually there to know you're busy man but you think it helps appreciate it. There's a problem or any questions you give me a call ***-****. If you can't make the event please let me know if I don't hear from you I'll know you'll be there. Okay man. Appreciate it. I saw you up you're"

The message that was actually on our voice mail:

"Hey Mr. W******. It's Tim S*******,  ****  track and field. Just want to remind you about the meet coming up on Thursday, May 5th, at home.  Really could use your help as a starter like you've normally been doing all year. We really appreciate what you've done for us on that. Also, the conference meet is Friday and Saturday, the 13th and 14th of May. We have got one race, the 3200, on Friday evening. We could use you there, if we could. And also, I think most of the running events are most of the day on Saturday. We could use you there too. I know you're a busy man, but anything you could do to help us we'd appreciate it. If there's a problem or any questions, give me a call ***-****. If you can't make the event, please let me know. If I don't hear from you, I'll know you'll be there.  OK, man. Appreciate it, and thanks for all your help this year."