Leave Room for God

"Do not look for God to come in a particular way, but do look for Him. The way to make room for Him is to expect Him to come, but not in a certain way... Live in a constant state of expectancy, and leave room for God to come in as He decides."

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Hold Up, Readers!

So its MLK day and I sign into blogger my only intension being looking at where my latest readers have been coming from. My shocked eyes see the astonishing truth: my reader stats have falling drastically in the last past week since changing this URL. Allow me to apologize for changing things up so drastically, leading many of you to my beautiful, but stationary, webpage and giving you only a little Blogger icon at the lower right corner to figure out where this blog went. As my stats have told me, it seems like many of you didn't connect the dots that the little Blogger icon would lead you here. Instead, you formed the conclusion that this blog is gone forever... also wrong. I could never throw away a blog of five years.

So, in benefit of you, my readers, as well as this blog's stats, let me inform you once and for all that this blog's URL has been changed to: www.blog.hazelchazel.com

Bookmark it, favorite it, visit often... I have not yet abandoned it.

As I started out saying at the very beginning of this post, it is indeed Martin Luther King Jr's day! Ironically, last Saturday, just two nights ago, my roommate and I watched this:

What a great movie! I would put it in the same category as those like The Blind Side, The Pursuit of Happyness,  Freedom Writers, etc. It made me cry my eyes off. It made me think of injustice. It made me horrified by how things were during those times. It made me even more horrified that, in areas of the world, today - now - present day - injustice just like that is still going on.

"18 people were killed in Jackson that night. 10 white and 8 black. I don't think God has color in mind when he sets a tornado loose."

God don't got color in mind when he's judging, either.

Speaking of great movies and such, I was watching the Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots game yesterday night when I hear the commentator say Michael Oher. Funny how you know The Blind Side is a true story and you know that Michael Oher plays professionally in the NFL but you never really connect the two dots. I know I'm kinda slow, but I'm not that type of football fan - like I am a soccer fan - that knows pretty much all the players on a team. Just to set the record straight, I'm actually a disappointed Patriots fan - but in all honesty, the Ravens had a much better game and deserved that win.

Its watching an American football game like that, when there's 7:20 minutes on the clock remaining and the Patriots need two more touchdowns and a 2-point conversion, when I am reminded yet again why I'm a REAL football (AKA soccer) fan and not an American football fan. Because,

1, if this was soccer, it wouldn't be impossible to tie the game up, and score two more goals with 7:20 minutes remaining. Instead you are engaged till the very last second of the game, knowing anything can happen. American football, now... 30 minutes before the game is over I'm seeing people posting on Facebook that the game is over. There's 30 minutes left of the game! What's the point of watching the game if, half way through, you already know the outcome.

2, it doesn't take 100 commercial breaks to watch a full soccer game. No it actually doesn't take any commercial breaks at all, except at halftime.

3, you know you're a REAL football fan when the receiver goes beyond the last safety guard at the point of the throw and you're like, "OFFSIDES!" Oh wait, this is American football.

Happy New Year

I stand on the brink of the New Year, with 34 minutes and ticking before we date with a big twenty thirteen. Funny how when the clock ticks slowly (or quickly, whichever way you want to look at it – one of those half empty, half full scenarios) towards to the New Year is when you reflect on how life is going (particularly your own), your accomplishments, your failures, and your goals for the next year.

At church just yesterday, we were talking about our resolutions and how its nice to share your resolutions and have someone be accountable for them. My mind immediately went back to what I was aiming to achieve in 2012, exactly a year ago from this moment, when I was making THIS year’s (2012’s) resolution. Fortunately, I had them typed out as a note on my iPod Touch and could access them that very instance. Oh the wonders of technology. Here’s this years completed and uncompleted resolutions:

Okay so some aren’t as concrete as others. Some are pretty crazy like… put on weight. I mean, who says that. What more… who fails to ACHIEVE that.

Yea… I haven’t reached 100 pounds yet. :(

Before I get too caught up on next year and the things I can’t wait to accomplish then, I think it’s important for me to acknowledge all the things that I’ve really truly accomplished this year.

2012. I’ve not only increased my names-of-people-I-am-acquainted-with database, I’ve also formed some amazing new relationships. I found a great church to which I finally feel like I belong to. I’ve learned to stop judging. I’ve learned that love goes a far ways. It never hurts to ask for help. Playing American football is actually fun… to the point that it becomes a highlight in every single week. There ARE godly boys out there. I can create sculptures out of paper, foam, wire, and plaster of Paris. I learned how to do some pretty amazing renderings. I may have not gotten the scholarship I wanted, but I got two others instead. God works in mysterious ways. I turned eighteen. Had my first experience behind the driving wheel. Drove into a ditch. Learned how to drive stick (the later two events were at separate times). Grew some incredible heights in terms of style and fashion. Built some pretty sweet relationships with my professor, my boss, and a police officer. Learned I’m a pretty feisty petite individual. Learned how to skillfully use a circular saw, table saw, and power drill, along with others. Had some stressful days, schedule-wise, that turned out better than expected. Became more of a Southerner…. yes bring on the cowboy boots and flannels. Grew a few inches taller, with heels. Sprained an ankle. Went to health care three times, each time at the end of each three semesters I’ve had this academic year. Brought the definition of independence to another level. Learned to open up myself and become more vulnerable. Learned to not take things so personally. Got to know God better.

The list could go on but I just looked up and the clock reads 12:12.

You know what that means?

It’s bedtime.

Yea, that too but I meant….

Its 2013! Happy New Year, y’all!