The new Mr. and Mrs. Grace!!!

Arent we cute?

Our first home!!

Today Justin and I signed the lease and picked up the keys for our new home together!!! It's really quite exciting to know that every night I will be coming home to my best friend! I cant wait to start decorating, get settled in, and begin our new life together! Oh and by the way, it is a 2 bedroom townhouse so we have plenty of room for visitors... ;)

Which theologian are you?

You scored as Anselm. Anselm is the outstanding theologian of the medieval period.He sees man's primary problem as having failed to render unto God what we owe him, so God becomes man in Christ and gives God what he is due. You should read 'Cur Deus Homo?' Anselm Anselm 87% Martin Luther 73% John Calvin 73% Karl Barth 67% Friedrich Schleiermacher 60% Jonathan Edwards 53% J?Moltmann 53% Augustine 47% Paul Tillich 20% Charles Finney 13%

Bono on the evangelical church today

I came across this interview with Bono in Rolling Stone and thought that it was interesting how he described the evangelical church in America today....

What do you think of the evangelical movement that we see in the United States now?
I'm wary of faith outside of actions. I'm wary of religiosity that ignores the wider world. In 2001, only seven percent of evangelicals polled felt it incumbent upon themselves to respond to the AIDS emergency. This appalled me. I asked for meetings with as many church leaders as would have them with me. I used my background in the Scriptures to speak to them about the so-called leprosy of our age and how I felt Christ would respond to it. And they had better get to it quickly, or they would be very much on the other side of what God was doing in the world.
Amazingly, they did respond. I couldn't believe it. It almost ruined it for me -- 'cause I love giving out about the church and Christianity. But they actually came through: Jesse Helms, you know, publicly repents for the way he thinks about AIDS.
I've started to see this community as a real resource in America. I have described them as "narrow-minded idealists." If you can widen the aperture of that idealism, these people want to change the world. They want their lives to have meaning. And it's one of the things that the Democratic Party has missed out on. You know, so much of the moral high ground in the past was Democratic: FDR, RFK, Cesar Chavez. Now I suppose it's Hillary's passion for cheaper medical care. And Teddy Kennedy, of course

57 days!

I cant believe that in 57 days I will be a married woman!!! What a crazy thought that this! It's an exciting, but weird realization...it still just seems so unreal.

Im very frustrated right now, because I had spent at least a good 20 minutes on Monday, typing up long post on whether its correct to say that God always provides for his children. I was excited because I finally had the time to post a new entry on my blog, and also because I really wanted some feedback on what I was thinking...However, somehow when I attempted to post it, my computer locked up and it all disappeared!
I've been annoyed about it all since then, and couldnt bear to attempt to type it again since I couldnt remember all that I had wanted to say so...anyways..sorry for no thought-provoking new posts.
But on another note, after speaking in front of the Oklahoma City County Bar Association last week, they called me for a quote for their monthly newsletter. They are going to help out with a toiletry drive for our residents, as well as each individual lawyer sponsoring a monthly activity for the kids. I know this isnt a huge deal but I'm really starting to feel like a professional, going around speaking at different engagements while also advocating for our youth.

Here is the small article:

OKLAHOMA COUNTY BAR ACCEPTING TOILETRY DONATIONS FOR FAMILY JUNCTION EMERGENCY YOUTH SHELTER

The Oklahoma County Bar will is accepting donations of toiletry products for the Family Junction Emergency Youth Shelter through the month of October. The Family Junction Shelter provides a safe environment for runaways, abuse victims and youth needing an alternative to detention for nonviolent delinquent behavior. The Shelter provides temporary accommodations for youth between the ages of 12 and 17.

“Family Junction is incredibly important to our community because it gives kids with no where else to go a safe place to turn,” says Jessica Ballard, program coordinator of Family Junction. “In essence, it provides them with a family during their stay here in our facility” Ballard says. During the 2004 year, more than 300 youth were admitted to Family Junction, with the average stay being14 days.

Because of the temporary nature of the shelter, Family Junction is constantly in need of toiletry items to provide to the youth who utilize the facility. Those items needed by Family Junction include travel size deodorants, toothpaste, shampoos and conditioners. In addition, Family Junction also needs combs, brushes and toothbrushes.
Your donations would be greatly appreciated by Family Junction. Please drop off your donation items to the Oklahoma County Bar at 119 N. Robinson, Suite 240.

Well here I am on a Saturday morning working at the shelter since we are short staffed for the weekend. The kids are still in bed so another staff member and I get to spend the morning playing around on the internet and watching TV. Yeah, my job is pretty difficult :)
Anyways, my friends Jennifer and Annie came in to visit me last night, which is incredibly exciting! They braved the 12 hour drive through such scenic states as Missouri and Oklahoma just to see me...yes they are amazing friends. But anyways, I got to take them downtown OKC which for those of you who may doubt the thrill factor of Oklahoma, is actually a pretty fun and happening place. There were even fireworks going off last night!!!!And everyone who knows me understands how obsessed I am with fireworks! Im enthralled by them. Yes, I know Im a nerd, but thats one of the reasons Justin wanted to take me to Disney World for our honeymoon; so we can see fireworks every night while we are there. We even made special arrangements at our resort so that we can see the fireworks from our hotel room balcony! Yes, it should be pretty sweet...

Alrighty...I know that its been almost a month since my last post and for that my faithful readers I am sorry. But you wouldnt understand how difficult it is to keep up your posts when you have limited access to the internet. So here I am at work at 7 in the morning ( the kids arent up yet) posting.
So yeah. My job. Well I am now the shelter coordinator for a youth shelter here in Oklahoma City! However, this week the director of the shelter had a medical emergency and has been bedrest for the past week, so because of this; I am also the acting director of the shelter for now! Talk about crazy! I mean technically all the staff has to report to me! What a whopping load of responsbility just coming out from college! Anyways, I love it so far. The kids are great. Their stories make me want to cry. Most days I come home stressed. But all in all, this has been an amazing learning experience. Oh, and did I mention that I now also have to prepare the meals for the shelter? Yeah, the cook quit this week too.
Well anyways guys...I gotta run. Kids are getting up.
I will write soon!

Im now an Okie!

Well, I made it. I moved to Oklahoma City a week ago. Im settled into my apartment , got a job that I think Im going to love and it seems that God is working everything out wonderfully. I wont lie it is still an adjustment for me having no friends around except for Justin. But he has been amazing...cooking me dinner and checking my closets before I go to bed each night just to make the transistion smoother. We also have discovered some awesome asian restaurants here that I cant wait to check out. On Monday we had Thai, tonight sushi, and tomorrow vietnamese! Who knew that Oklahoma could be diverse?

Moving...

Hey the next week and a half will be crazy since i am moving to OKC in just 8 days! So please excuse the lack of posts during this time. I will let you know how everything is once I have settled into my new place. Those of you that are here in Illinois, I will miss you all terribly, but look forward to your visits :) Please keep praying that I find a job and that God gives me patience in the meantime. Talk to you all soon!

Stranded in Oklahoma!

Okay, so im supposed to be coming home to Illinois today, but unfortunately my car broke down in Miami, Ok on my drive down to OKC Sunday night and is still not fixed. It looks like there is some significant damage to the trasmission, which means I could be stuck here forever! Okay so maybe that is a slight exaggeration...but anyways my sister and I hitched a ride with a man who had a trailer on the back of his suburban and towed us to OKC. Yes, thats right we drove 3 hours in a car with a complete stranger! I know how bad that sounds, but under the circumstances we felt we didnt have alot of other choices and "Bob" wasnt too scary. ( However I must say my parents werent too happy when they heard about this ) Luckily God blessed us with some very helpful and kind people along our journey and we safely made it to Justins' apartment here. Now we are just waiting to hear when the car will be fixed.
On a more positive note, I have had 2 job interviews and 1 more today since Ive been here. Those both went really well, and I also put down the deposit on an apartment and now have an address in Oklahoma City! YAY! So although things arent going as I imagined, things are working out in the end. I think God may be trying to teach me a lesson on patience and waiting on HIS time. The past couple days have been difficult for me because I have felt as though I have had no control over what was going on in my life. Im stucked in another state and have to rely completely on the kindness of others and that is something i am not accustomed to. I like to do things for myself. So maybe my trust in God isnt as strong as I think and I have been trusting too much in myself to plan out my life. Maybe this is Gods way of saying "hold on, Jess....just remember who's in control here".

Patriotism in church

I just wanted to post a question that i know has been discussed on others blogs but I wanted to hear some input from you guys about it. What role do you all believe the church should have in patriotic celebrations? With tomorrow being Memorial Day, I know that many churches spent today having patriotic services. Although I definitely believe that we should take time to honor our veterans and those who sacrificed thier lives while serving in military, Im concerned that some churches may be chalking up patriotism as a required godly trait. In some Christian circles, I think that criticizing the U.S. government is considered equally as serious as blasphemy. This is something that I was thinking about in church today and I would love to hear your comments.

A Flawed System

Okay so last night a couple of my friends and I went to the drive-in and saw the movie "The Longest Yard". Now i know there have been several bad reviews out there about this flick but we thought it was hilarious and unexpectedly inspirational. I then watched the movie "The Hurricane" today which for those who arent familar with it, is a true story about a man who was wrongly convicted for murder and sat in prison for over 30 years. If you have not seen this movie I highly recommend you watch it. It shines a light on all the corruption and discrimination that exists within our criminal justice system . I had watched it before but yet it stills gives me an uneasy, sickening feeling throughout the entire movie. It makes me so infuriated that such injustices still occur and that there are probably many more innocent individuals in our prisons. Yet because they are labeled "criminals" they are ignored. No one wants to spend the time to plead thier case, especially if they have already been through court proceedings. It doesnt matter if that individual didnt have a credible court defender or that he had a racist panel of jurors. We need to remember that criminals are people too and do everything we can to ensure that every individual is given the right to fair trial and that justice is served to everyone. Of course this is impossible because humans run the systems that govern our courts and humans are flawed themselves. However, that doesnt mean we quit striving for it.

going to Ok next week!

So I've had advancements in my job search and Im headed to Oklahoma city next week for a couple of interviews and to check out some apartments! Isnt that exciting? I cant wait to see how God brings everything together in His timing. I need to remember that because I do tend to stress very easily. But anyways I'll keep everyone updated as to what happens. Please pray for me and that God will give me the discernment and wisdom needed to make good decisions in the upcoming weeks.

Blood diamonds

Since my engagement ring is not the typical diamond but a ruby instead, I have had to explain to several individuals recently what blood diamonds were. To state in simpler terms I found an article that states at least 10 reasons why you shouldnt purchase diamonds. Although this doesnt go into great detail about the history of blood diamonds in Africa it does illustrate how the diamond industry (DeBeers) brainwashed western culture. Without further ado, here is the article.

Econ-Atrocity Bulletin:
Ten Reasons Why You Should Never Accept a Diamond Ring from Anyone, Under Any Circumstances, Even If They Really Want to Give You One (2/14/02) y Liz Stanton, CPE Staff Economist
1. You've Been Psychologically Conditioned To Want a Diamond
The diamond engagement ring is a 63-year-old invention of N.W.Ayer advertising agency. The De Beers diamond cartel contracted N.W.Ayer to create a demand for what are, essentially, useless hunks of rock.
2. Diamonds are Priced Well Above Their Value
The De Beers cartel has systematically held diamond prices at levels far greater than their abundance would generate under anything even remotely resembling perfect competition. All diamonds not already under its control are bought by the cartel, and then the De Beers cartel carefully managed world diamond supply in order to keep prices steadily high.
3. Diamonds Have No Resale or Investment Value
Any diamond that you buy or receive will indeed be yours forever: De Beers’ advertising deliberately brain-washed women not to sell; the steady price is a tool to prevent speculation in diamonds; and no dealer will buy a diamond from you. You can only sell it at a diamond purchasing center or a pawn shop where you will receive a tiny fraction of its original "value."
4. Diamond Miners are Disproportionately Exposed to HIV/AIDS
Many diamond mining camps enforce all-male, no-family rules. Men contract HIV/AIDS from camp sex-workers, while women married to miners have no access to employment, no income outside of their husbands and no bargaining power for negotiating safe sex, and thus are at extremely high risk of contracting HIV.
5. Open-Pit Diamond Mines Pose Environmental Threats
Diamond mines are open pits where salts, heavy minerals, organisms, oil, and chemicals from mining equipment freely leach into ground-water, endangering people in nearby mining camps and villages, as well as downstream plants and animals.
6. Diamond Mine-Owners Violate Indigenous People's Rights
Diamond mines in Australia, Canada, India and many countries in Africa are situated on lands traditionally associated with indigenous peoples. Many of these communities have been displaced, while others remain, often at great cost to their health, livelihoods and traditional cultures.
7. Slave Laborers Cut and Polish Diamonds
More than one-half of the world's diamonds are processed in India where many of the cutters and polishers are bonded child laborers. Bonded children work to pay off the debts of their relatives, often unsuccessfully. When they reach adulthood their debt is passed on to their younger siblings or to their own children.
8. Conflict Diamonds Fund Civil Wars in Africa
There is no reliable way to insure that your diamond was not mined or stolen by government or rebel military forces in order to finance civil conflict. Conflict diamonds are traded either for guns or for cash to pay and feed soldiers.
9. Diamond Wars are Fought Using Child Warriors
Many diamond producing governments and rebel forces use children as soldiers, laborers in military camps, and sex slaves. Child soldiers are given drugs to overcome their fear and reluctance to participate in atrocities.
10. Small Arms Trade is Intimately Related to Diamond Smuggling
Illicit diamonds inflame the clandestine trade of small arms. There are 500 billion small arms in the world today which are used to kill 500,000 people annually, the vast majority of whom are non-combatants.

My engagement story..

I promised to write more details of how Justin proposed, and now that things have settled down, I have a little more time to do so.
As most of you all know, our relationship has been a long distance relationship from the very beginning. So anyways, last Wednesday ( May 11th) Justin flew into Bloomington to be here for my graduation from ISU on Friday. However on Thursday we drove to downtown Chicago to eat at this gourmet Mexican restaurant we had been wanting to go to. Its called Frontera Grill and if you are ever in the Chicago area, you should definitely check it out! http://fronterakitchens.com/ It was amazing! (I also wanted to point out that I successfully parallel parked in downtown Chicago, which for anyone who knows me, this is a huge feat!)
Okay, so after a great lunch in Chicago, we drove to the Indiana Dunes, which is the beach area of Lake Michigan. Its actually very beautiful, and for anyone who lives in the land-locked portion of the United States its our version of the beach since Lake Michigan is so large and spans into the horizon. It also one of the places we went on Justin's first visit to Illinois this time last year.
So anyways it was kind of chilly on the beach, so we took a couple of blankets, found an area overlooking the lake watching the waves roll in with the chicago skyline faintly in the distance, and cuddled while having the beach completely to ourselves. We had been talking for awhile and all of a sudden the sun started coming out from under a cloud, making the moment picture perfect. I truly was thinking at this time, this is just beautiful. "Im with the man I love in such a perfect place" when Justin leaned over and said "I want to spend the rest of our lives together, will you marry me? My heart stopped, b/c I was so taken off guard that I immediately said "Are you serious?" He kind of smiled then got up on his knee, and took the ring out of his wallet. At this point, I realized he was serious and i think I said yes as he put the ring on my finger! Some of what happened is a blur since I was still in shock at the time.
That night we drove home, called some friends and told my parents. I also talked to his mom on the phone who welcomed me into the family, which i thought was incredibly sweet. The next day I graduated from college and on Saturday was my open house which became an engagement/graduation party, so all the family got to meet Justin and see my ring. Needless to say, its been a whirlwind of emotions the past week and a half and it has finally sunk in that Im getting married! Yeah for me! I couldnt be happier!

you can comment now...

Alrighty...so for the last couple months or so, I have felt as though no one really reads my blog, or its just incredibly boring b/c i never have any comments. However, I was informed last night that I had settings on my page that restricted those who can comment on my site. So ive adjusted those settings and now anyone should be able to comment. Let me know if this is the case..

IM ENGAGED! I will write more details later, but just wanted everyone to know how happy I am :)

Count your blessings

This afternoon at a student apartment building near the campus of ISU (Illinois State Univ) a fire broke out and completely destroyed the building, leaving over 80 college students without a place to stay. Apparently the fire started in the 3rd floor of the building and eventually caused the entire building to collapse. Although no one was injured, the students living there lost EVERYTHING, all on the weekend before finals. I cant even imagine...losing pictures, clothing, computers, textbooks, basic toiletries, etc... It seems as though it takes times like these for us to finally remember to count our blessings and then reach out to others.

Challenge from my professor

You are a woman,
of wisdom, courage, strength
compassion and creativity....
Go forth with the
fire of confidence
in your heart.
Kindle it with care &
never let it's brillant flame go out.

You are now a social worker!!!
Regardless of what direction you go
professionally from here...
that is the core of who you are.

Why am I so sappy?

So in the past, I would have never considered myself an emotional girl, but lately I think I've just become a sentimental mush. With graduation only 2 weeks away, and knowing that in about a month I will be moving away, I guess the realization that Im actually leaving is finally setting in. This week our department had a graduation dinner to honor all the seniors and they were talking about moving on to the next phase of our lives, and I just couldnt help but feel a sort of sadness as I looked at the classmates I may never see again. Then yesterday I had an end of the year evaluation with my professor and field instructor, and they were saying such complimentary things about me, and how much they would miss me, and again I became emotional. To top all things off, today when I was doing home visits, I stopped by the apartment of one of my old clients and she had just had a baby 6 days ago, so I got to sit down with her, visit and hold a week old baby...and of course I went to mush. I've put so much heart into the people that I work with and I will miss them so much...
However, dont get me wrong...Im very excited about entering into the next phase of my life. I know it will hold many adventures and joyful experiences, I just think that its normal to feel a sort of loss when change is about to happen. But I dont know...maybe Im experiencing so many varied emotions right now that Im not even making any sense...

Procrastinating as always.....

So I am still working on my paper that is due tomorrow morning...well i guess i should say is due in a few hours. But my neck and back are hurting and i cant really think...so i think im going to call it a night and get up early in the morning to finish working on it...Oh the joys of college life! Why do I always procrastinate?

Why is it that when i have the most to do that I lack any motivation to get it done? For the past 2 1/2 hours I have been sitting in front of my computer trying to work on 1 of 3 projects due next week, and how much do I have done? Well, approximately 3 sentences! What is my problem...all i really want to do is just go to bed and sleep through the next 3 weeks until graduation. That way everything will magically get done on its own and i wont have to worry about it...If only that was the case...life would be so much more enjoyable...

a sad, sad day

well, what a sad day. my illini lost and the college basketball season is over. I actually was pretty emotional watching the highlight reels from the season...so sad...but what a great season for our boys...I think i will still be upset for a few days but....Luckily I get to see my boyfriend in 3 days, (its been 2 months) and He always makes things better :) Yeah for that!

I-L-L-I-N-I

For those who doubted the Illini's ability...well they somehow made it to the NCAA Championship GAME with a clear, decisive victory over Louisville today. Some unexpected yet amazing performances by Rev. Roger Powell, Jack Ingram, and Nick Smith as well as the usual greatness by the famous starters! Good luck to Michigan State as they take on UNC in the next game... We look forward to seeing you on the court again on Monday :)

A sad day..

Well Michael Schiavo finally got what he wanted, his wife died this morning. This man is a murderer and completely disgusts me. What a sad day for this family and for our country..

Terri Schiavo: What is happening in our country?

As I was driving home from work tonight I was listening to the radio and they were discussing the Terri Schiavo case. The broadcasters were talking with Suzanne and Bobby Schlinder (Terri's sister and brother) about how the family is holding up after watching Terri go without food or water for 12 days.
I must say that the more I learn about this situation the more outraged I become. I CANNOT believe that an entire nation is watching while our judicial system orders that a severely disabled woman is starved to death! And the most scary thing to me, is that most people in the U.S. seem to believe that it is the right thing to do.
Now I am the first one to say that if anything tragic ever happened to me and I was left in a vegetative state with little hope of recovery, I would want my family to make the difficult decision to take me off life support so that machines werent keeping me alive. However, that is NOT the case with Terri. Although it is debateable as to whether Terri is in a permanent vegetative state, she is not on any life support. By removing a feeding tube and withholding any food or water from her, they are actively killing Terri Schiavo by starvation. I know that several people have said that Terri should have a peaceful end to her life, and that through dehydration/starvation she could achieve that, but according to her family the doctors have been giving Terri morphine at this point b/c of the enormosity of the pain that she is experiencing.
I feel incredible sorrow for the family at this time. Having whether their daugther lives or dies be a national TV broadcast must be so offensive. They are forced to sit and watch Terri writhe in pain and suffer; unable to do anything b/c Michael (terri's husband) makes all the decisions. How horrific! Even more disturbing is how there is not a public outrage for Terri's life! This case brings to the forefront the rights of disabled individuals and we should be concerned about the possible implications. Why is this judge and Michael Schiavo so adamant that Terri must die? Who gives anyone the right (in particular a judge) to determine whether someone's life has value or not? What will stop us in the future from wiping out whole groups of people b/c they have disabilities and we think as a society that their life couldnt possibly be rewarding? I know that is extreme but I cant get over how arrogant and reminiscent of the Holocast/Nazis all of this sounds. I mean wasnt that the goal of Hitler?; to create a "perfect" race of people. Those who were different ( Jews they were physically different in appearance) were those he weeded out and killed. Yet that same concept is what essentially is being said in the Terri Schiavo story. Because Terri is brain damaged, Terri's life isnt worth the fight, she is better off dead.

THE FINAL FOUR!!!

So all i have to say is WAY TO GO ILLINI! What an amazing game vs. Arizona tonight! Now we are on the way to St. Louis for the Final Four! Louisville better bring your game...

Why America hates its children

Okay...so a little disclaimer before I post this article. I realize that there is an obvious more liberal bias in this article, obviously advocating the philosopy advocated by Hillary Clinton that "its takes a village to raise a child"... For the record, I believe that the government shouldnt tell parents how to raise thier children and yes that people have to take responsibilty for the babies they produce, however I also believe there is alot of merit in the stance this author takes. We cant just ignore the needs of thousands of children in the U.S. and allow them to suffer simply because we think their parents shouldnt have been having sex in the first place. These children are already here and they deserve the same possibilites as anyone else. Besides doesnt the government have an obligation to promote equality for all of its citizens?
I think that you tell alot about what an individual values by where they put thier money. With that said, think of how much most babysitters make to watch someone's kids. I can say that many people still only pay $5/6 hour, now think about how much you would pay someone to mow your lawn. Probably at least $15-$20 for around 1 maybe 2 hours of work. To me something is inconsistent in this picture. I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this issue.


Here is the article i was talking about....
Why Do Americans Hate Children?by Daniel C. Maguire

Show me how you treat kids and I will tell you what you are.There is a simple principle that can test the moral spirit of a people and their government. Here it is: what is good for kids, is good; what is bad for kids is ungodly. Let's take that principle and look into the American soul. I warn you in advance: the U.S. doesn't get a passing grade.My main guide here will be the recent blockbuster book by Gloria Albrecht: HITTING HOME: FEMINIST ETHICS, WOMEN'S WORK, AND THE BETRAYAL OF "FAMILY VALUES," Continuum, New York, 2002). Albrecht makes it clear that our nation does not think that having babies is in the national interest. (How could we miss the point that if we have no babies, there is no tomorrow?) Since 1920 the number of women in the work force rose from 21 percent to 60 percent. The economy is such that one earner per family is not enough. 58 percent of women with a baby under one year are in the labor force and 77% of mothers with kids under six kids. Only 23% stay at home. This means many children are latchkey kids, unsupervised for many hours per week. Is that in the national interest?Obviously, children need care but the ruling assumption in this land of ours is that if you have a baby, it's your problem. Child care is looked on as a consumer item. If you can afford it, great; if not, tough! 96 % of working parents pay full costs of childcare. What government help there is, is inadequate. Only 12 percent of employers provide childcare. Of course, all this hits the poor hardest. Low income families who pay for their childcare spend 35 percent of their incomes on it compared to 7 percent of income spent by non-poor families.Thus, in democratic America the quality of child care varies according to class. Once society decides that child care is a consumer item and not a basic human right that deserves national support, market logic kicks in, and you only get what you pay for. Of course, and ironically, according to classical economics, those who receive the benefits should pay the costs. The benefits of healthy, well cared for, well educated children accrue to the nation not just to the families. They are tomorrow's citizens.Because they are the bearers of children, women are discriminated against in the workplace. They are denied opportunities not just when they have children, but by the very fact that they can have children.Our attitude toward children also shows through in this telling statistic: the median wage of childcare workers in 1997 was $7.03 per hour, three cents less than that of parking lot attendants--and this is usually without benefits. These workers could not afford child care for themselves. Obviously caring for children is not work that we value.Has anyone heard from the so-called "pro-life" people on any of this? Could it be that their interest in life is short circuited by birth?Here is another look into the American heart: according to the Temporary Aid to Need Family program, caring for someone else's children is classified as work; caring for your own is not!As Albrecht says: "The United States lags behind all other industrialized nations in addressing family/work concerns through public policies." A White House report in December 2000 said that "states were able to provide childcare assistance to only 12 percent of all federally eligible low-income working families." Albrecht states the assumption of U.S. welfare "reform.": "There is widespread social agreement that economically poor mothers cannot, by definition, be good mothers unless they work away from their homes and their children." Poor parents can often not afford to work because of the cost of transportation, clothing, and childcare needs at home. In a United Nations survey of 152 countries, the U.S. was one of only six countries that does not have a national policy requiring paid maternity leave.Some 40 states are deeply in debt and are shortening the school week and cutting certain classes and programs. According to the New York Times (January 12, 2003) 60%of Americans oppose raising taxes to correct this. Meanwhile, the Bush administration is spending billions to ship soldiers to the middle east while the states back home starve and victimize kids.There are countries that do not hate their children. Albrecht: "Many European countries already provide universal healthcare, childcare, and requirements benefits, as well as generous (by U.S.. standards) paid parental and family leave, paid vacation time and unemployment policies." Swedes currently are entitled to eighteen months of paid leave with job protection that can be prorated over the first 8 years of a child's life. France provides universal childcare to all toilet- trained children, and single mothers receive government payments until their children are over the age of three. In Denmark all children up to 18 years of age have access to free dental care for both routine examinations and treatment. Europeans are guaranteed longer vacations times, four to six weeks, and this is protected by legislation.Americans bask in a surreal self-image, seeing themselves as a "kind and gentle" people. Most would be offended to read in Duane Elgin's book PROMISE AHEAD: "The United States is the stingiest developed nation in terms of the proportion of total wealth that it donates." We should not be surprised. If we can treat our kids the way we do, why would we be generous to strangers?Dr. Maguire teaches Moral Theology and Ethics at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is founder and president of The Religious Consultation, the author of many books, and is a popular lecturer and frequent guest on radio and TV.

Okay so I know that I said i would post on this thing soon, but let me tell you I have SO much on my plate right now that it is slowly becoming overwhelming...but instead of allowing that to stress me out right now, I am going to start getting excited about my spring break trip to Myrtle Beach, SC!!! Yeah! My friend Jenn, my sister and I are living bright and early in the morning and driving south to hopefully warmer (we are crossing our fingers) weather for the week. It will also be my 23rd birthday while we are there so we will be celebrating that as well. My plan is to post more details about our fun girls vacation when I get back, until then i wish you all a wonderfully productive and fun week of adventures!

Yeah! my computer finally works again! The past 3/4 days my computer has been having some serious issues but thank the Lord its up and running again!
I will post another entry sometime soon... until then check out this U.N. report on the how the plight of women across the globe has actually worsened in the past 10 years.
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050303135509990016

"You know when you have found your prince because you not only have a smile on your face but in your heart... I am a very happy girl right now:)

So I dont really have alot to say tonight...except that this week has totally drained me emotionally, physically, spiritually,financially, and in any other way you can imagine. I just need some time to sleep, relax, and not think of anyone else's problems but my own. I know that sounds selfish, but if you cant take of yourself, how can you take care of anyone else? And since my job involves me taking care of people then I would say my well-being is pretty important (well that and I have been told by a good friend that I need to be especially well rested and full of energy this weekend, so off to bed for me!)....Well, anyways I hope to post more interesting substantial entries soon... Have a Happy Valentines Day weekend everyone!

The fighting Illini

So for some of my readers who didnt believe the Illini would beat Michigan State...you may want to check tonights scores and then remind me which team is currently the number one team in the nation... Yeah, thats a good idea ( For those who would like to know the score ended up being 81-68 Illini winning)

The City Calls Out

This was written by a friend of mine; who also has a heart for urban ministry.

The City Calls out
by Edwin Lindsey

• "Sirens
• Gunshots, Fighting
• A Child Crying for Food
• Drug dealers selling outside
• These are the sounds of the place
• The place in which calls me by my name
• An heir to God to impact peoples daily lives
• Away from the commotion and busyness of routines
• And into the halls of worship and fellowship in which changes
• Those sounds of sirens, gunshots, Fighting, and applause of immoral ness
• You see The place still calls but with a different tone
• With lives being touched with Gods people
• The sound of a heart that’s being mended
• Through self sacrificing saints
• Who is praying for them
• And singing about
• Peace "

Way to go ILLINI!!

Congrats to the fighting ILLINI for breaking the 38-0 home streak at Wisconsin and for continuing to be the greatest team in the nation! A 20-0 record, 6-0 in the Big Ten. YEAH!

Social injustice occur everywhere

Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow..(Is.1:17)
Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen:to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land an will strengthen your frame. (Is. 58:6-11)

Okay so most of you know that one of my passions is social justice, and it recently it just seems like every day I encounter more and more injustices within our world. Like, last night I watched "The Life of David Gale" with my sister and I was again reminded of all the injustices that exist within the criminal justice system. It is just so upsetting to me to know that people would rather let potentially innocent people be put to death simply to protect a flawed system. Why is that?
Then today was my first day of my Social Work Practice with Communities class, which is basically a course on community development and let me tell you I am pretty stoked about this semester. Most of our course work will consist of projects outside of class working in our community. One big project we will be doing is working with high school students at a local alternative school for kids with severe behavioral and learning disorders and uniting them with low-income eldery living in a subsidized housing highrise to complete a mural in their community room. We will literally be orchestrating a whole day event painting the mural, doing a craft fair(with works created by the students and seniors) and help with cleaning/painting the seniors homes. Doing fundraising, writing a grant for additional funding, advertising the event with the public and media, as well as contacting local political officials to support the project will all be componets of the project. I'm totally excited about getting started with this process, and my professor's expertise is in community development so I have no doubts that this will be an incredible learning experience.
Then later today I was watching Oprah and Lisa Ling was doing a report on life for women and children in the Congo. They told stories about how the militia in these countries would raid families homes and beat/kill the children while gang raping the mothers and forcing thier husbands to watch. Oftentimes these women are dragged off with the men and forced to act as sex slaves at thier militia camps. Some of the girls taken were as young as 10 years old!!! It is just so appalling that this happens in our world each day and not just in the Congo. Yet nothing ceases it from continuing. Surely there is something we can do to bring change and hope to these young women's lives. It made me want to weep bitterly when one of the women said "We have no hope for the future". How can we just sit quietly aside and allow this to occur? Why are more people not infuriated about these issues? Have we lost our concern for our fellow humanity? I have to believe thats not the case...especially with the outpouring of donations and money given to the tsumani diaster...So what is it? I will end with a quote that my professor gave to us today that I hope will be an inspiration to us all " Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful comitted citizens can change the world...indeed it's the only thing that ever has."---Margaret Mead

So today I got proposed to TWICE! Yeah, thats right. This afternoon while I was working at the Compassion Center (the homeless day center) I was getting some files and dealing with a couple of different clients and kind of flustered when I turned around at my desk and one of the men was down on one knee. When I asked him if he needed anything he said "Cant you see Im trying to propose?" When I mentioned that we didnt even know each other he said "Well we can take our lives to get to know each other"...Well, at this point another client joined in with him and they kept harassing me about how beautiful I was, how they loved my red hair, etc...Yet, after referring him to work with another case manager, about an hour later he came back and again got down on his knee and said "So what do you say? Have you changed your mind?"
I mean I guess it really isnt a rare event for the workers to get hit on by homeless men at the center, but needless to say it made for an interesting day back on the job! I mean social work is never a boring occupation :)

Jane Addams:
The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.

Stressing about School

Ok, so now it is only 5 days until school starts again...and I must say that I am less than thrilled with the thought of getting back into that whole class/internship/work routine. I've had a pretty great break and spent some quality time with the people I love...so I'm not complaining. I dont really know why the thought of school is so depressing for me. I mean I should be excited...It's the last semester before I graduate!!! I will finally have something to show for the past 5 years of work...but still I just dread it all...
Fortunately for me, this shouldnt be a very academically tough semester either. I only have 2 classes (Practice with Communities, and Field Seminar 2) and a third made up class ( Topics in Social Work)to compensate for the extra amount of hours we will be spending in our field placements. However, I know these next few months will still be incredibly stressful for me for a number of reasons....mainly I have to grow up, get a job, find a place to live, and decide what to do with my life...So if anybody has any suggestions or advice for any those issues...please let me know :)

Talk about creative living space!

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_348111014.html
CHICAGO (AP) Anyone who thinks it is impossible to find an affordable place on one of the city's priciest streets -- Lake Shore Drive -- should talk to Richard Dorsay. For three or four years that's where the homeless man lived. Actually, he lived under Lake Shore Drive, in a wooden shack built into the beams and girders of the drawbridge that crosses the Chicago River. On Sunday, Dorsay was evicted from his home after another man arrested in suburban Streamwood told police about him. Inside, authorities found a home more elaborate than the usual warrens other homeless people have created in the city's nooks and crannies. Dorsay had tapped into the bridge's electricity to power a television, microwave, space heater and PlayStation video game system. There he could relax and, on occasions, turn on a Chicago Bears game, invite friends over and pop open some beers. "I've never seen this," said Tom Powers, a deputy commissioner for the Chicago Department of Transportation, who was at the bridge Sunday. "Usually, it's somebody trying to get warm at night." The home had it quirks. Whenever Dorsay heard the bells that signal the arms of the bridge would soon rise to let boats through, he held on as the bridge slowly pitched him forward. "The first time it was scary," he said. "After that, it was almost like riding a Ferris wheel." Coming and going was different, too. Whenever he left, he would pop his head out of the hole to look for traffic. Then he would climb out and go about his routine of panhandling or searching for items to sell at junk yards. He also collects a welfare check. Dorsay discovered his new home when he spotted a hole in a girder in the midsection of the lower level of the double-decker bridge and climbed in. He liked what he saw and started moving his belongings, which he had been hauling around with him, inside. Then he started bringing in other things he could fit through the 1-foot-by-3-foot hole. Two other people also moved to the same area of the bridge, and a number of wooden huts with sleeping quarters were built. Dorsay used blankets to camouflage the huts to make them harder to spot from the water below. "You've got to be kind of agile," Dorsay said of his living arrangements. "You can't be an idiot. ... It doesn't take long to figure out what you need to do." Dorsay's luck ran out after last week. The man who told police about him allegedly implicated Dorsay in criminal activity and said he had a gun at his home. Police arrested Dorsay at the bridge on Thursday. He was taken to Streamwood, where he was released without being charged. He was, however, charged in Chicago with criminal trespass to property, a misdemeanor. On Sunday, authorities searched his home. No gun was found. Dorsay's father came by the police station Sunday to take him to his home in Burr Ridge. Several calls to the home went unanswered Monday. The discovery could lead the city to change its weekly security sweeps of the bridge and block holes in the structure, said Powers, the transportation department deputy commissioner. Mayor Richard Daley said Dorsay illustrates the homelessness problem in the city. "They're there for a reason, for shelter," the mayor said of the homeless. "And that's the concern we share."
Okay, so when I first read this story, it simply amazed me; the creativity and skill this man must possess to rig up such an operation! I mean its simply ingenious. But anyways, I hope that by including this story on my blog it won't leave you with a bad taste in your mouth or the image that justifies stereotyping all homeless as free-loaders who really choose to live that way. My only point with this post is to illustrate that each and every one of us as individuals has potential to succeed. I believe that God has created every individual uniquely with skills and strengths to build upon and further His kingdom. Unfortunately too often we neglect those talents and skills or only use them to fufill our own purposes, such as the man in this article. (I mean he escaped paying any taxes for three years and free electricity!) Simply think what things this man could accomplish if he were to use the same skills he accessed to create a home in drawbridge! It saddens me to think of the multitudes of people who squander thier potential for furthering the Kingdom by wasting time and energy pursuing things that will never last. Maybe this is a challenge to you or maybe to myself or maybe Im reading way too much into a simple article about a homeless man, but regardless I encourage you to embrace the talents and abilities that God has equipped you with and use them to bring glory to God.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," saith the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future...

Welcome to my Blog!

So, now I've done it...I've officially joined the thousands of individuals who posts their thoughts online by starting my own blog. I'm not sure exactly what my future posts will contain but I hope that it will be interesting, thought-provoking, and somewhat entertaining for those of you who chose to be my audience...Welcome and enjoy. :)