Sometimes I just have to remind myself I am not

Sunday, January 29, 2006

Today I might not be a vacuum user

In the first thirty seconds of powerful roaring life with my new Dirt Devil vacuum, it shut off-and won't turn back on.

Possible Reasons from the manual:

1. Power cord not firmly plugged into outlet. (I don't think that is the problem)
2. Blown fuse or tripped breaker. (That wouldn't surprise me due to the overwhelming blow of such a small machine, it literally took off when I took it on, ,and the body is about the size of a cat)
Or 3. Needs service. (This would be typical in my case. All that I bought last semester in the area of home improvement [aka, couch, ottoman, and vacuum] have shown signs of help wanted, or in other words are broken)


**Update**
Though I have yet to make completely sure that my outlet is actually still working, I have found that no amount of resetting, or securing the plug has done me any good in my attempts to revive the roaring machine. Llama face indeed.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Because I had a little free time...

You Are a Soy Latte

At your best, you are: free spirited, down to earth, and relaxed

At your worst, you are: dogmatic and picky

You drink coffee when: you need a pick me up, and green tea isn't cutting it

Your caffeine addiction level: medium
What Kind of Coffee Are You?



Your Scholastic Strength Is Inspiring Others

You are great at developing a vision, and getting others to adopt your way of thinking.
You are talented at leading, balancing tasks, and helping people work together.

You should major in:

Counseling
Environmental studies
Law
Social work
Political science
Nursing
What Should You Major In?



You Are 27 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.
What Age Do You Act?

Monday, January 09, 2006

19 Hall.doc

Now, I found this while I was doing my semesterly clean up of my document files and seeing as how a number of people use my computer, I have no real idea of where it came from. I thought it might be good to post though (I just hope no one is mad, offended, or wronged by my doing so):

The World Is Too Much With Us

Presented By Mercedes Hall

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I John 2.15). Notice the word things. How often the world encroaches upon daily life, many times sending it into a tailspin, turning it topsy-turvy, and bringing chaos and confusion to an otherwise ordered state of existence. Why does this occur? What is the payoff? What is in it for a person? Luke best asks the question when he writes, “For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” (Luke 9.25). Many times these scriptures are used to portray a person’s association with worldly pleasures and activities, but they can also refer to materialism and the gathering of “I want” things to our bosom. Matthew, Mark, and John sound the same warning of clear and present danger to anyone whose thinking becomes clouded by materialism.
Materialism has a way of sneaking into hearts and lives and “burrowing down” for a long stay. This unwelcome visitor slowly begins to tarnish everything it touches, including our relationship with God. Warnings are not weakened nor “watered-down” when scriptures admonish man to give strict heed to his spiritual condition. Peter exhorts all to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour…” (I Pet. 5.8). Satan tries to attack every aspect of our human make-up, looking for that “Achilles’ heel” in a moment of unguarded weakness of “I want.” He will attack us emotionally, spiritually, and physically. If he does not succeed in those areas, he will try to come through the door of materialism. The Apostle Paul cautions a person to “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3.2).
Notice the word things. The world is too much with us. Do we ever stop long enough to ask, “Why?” The rich young ruler who comes to Jesus asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. After hearing the Lord’s answer to sell what he had and give to the poor, this rich young ruler goes away “sad” because he has “great possessions” (Mark 10.22). The world is too much a part of his life; he has too many possessions that mean too much to him. His affections are too set on the things of this world. What do his possessions profit him? He chooses materialism over a relationship that would culminate in eternal life. Never is he heard of again in scripture, and we are left with the picture of a very sorrowful young man who has too much of the world with him.
Satan desires to entangle humanity within a web of deceit many times by way of a three-prong attack which encompasses the spiritual, emotional, and physical make-up of man: the pride of life, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh. John states that these three things are of the world (I John 2.16). Every person has a measure of pride evident by the need to be accepted, the yearning for status, and the desire for success. These are all legitimate issues of life, but trouble arises when the Holy Ghost does not guide these issues. When a man gathers “things” to himself for the main purpose of achieving status among his peers so that his peers might consider him successful and thereby give him an exalted status, the world is too much with him. The ancient Greeks called this pride hubris. Hubris is that pride which causes a person to uplift himself or place himself above others. Paul warns the believer “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think…” (Rom. 12.3); he continues by saying, “If a man think himself to be something…he deceiveth himself” (Gal. 6.3).
The king of Tyrus, Nebuchadnezzar, and Belshazzar are good examples of the consequences of pride and thinking too much of themselves. God pronounces judgment upon the king of Tyrus who sets his heart as the heart of God. By “great wisdom and…traffick” this king increases his riches, lifts his heart up because of those riches, and aspires to the status of god (Ezek. 28.1-9). His kingdom will be given to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. How ironic that approximately twenty years later, Nebuchadnezzar exhibits the same hubris when he asks, “Is not this [the] great Babylon that I have built … by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” (Dan. 4.30). Because of hubris (thinking that he has accomplished this by himself), God removes Nebuchadnezzar from his kingdom, and Nebuchadnezzar spends the next seven years of his life living as a beast of the field. Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson and later king of Babylon, increases his coffers with the golden vessels from the temple at Jerusalem and then proceeds to desecrate these vessels by using them as drinking cups. Belshazzar, who was well acquainted with his grandfather’s judgment, is accused of lifting himself up against the Lord of heaven and loses his kingdom that very night. These three rulers certainly thought more of themselves than they should have. The church of the Laodiceans is another example of materialism out of control. This body of believers receives a very sharp rebuke because they are so focused on their possessions and believe themselves “rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing…” (Rev. 3.17) that they lose sight of the basic requirement of God which is to “do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” (Mic. 6.8). The gathering of things to our bosom is definitely not always a safe thing to do. We must be careful lest the world be too much with us.
Who can say with certainty that Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” against which he sought the Lord “thrice” was not a desire for status and success? His effectiveness and influence in spreading the gospel was second to none. Paul acknowledged that he “would desire to glory,” but in the very next breath he said that he “shall not be a fool” (II Cor. 12.6). Surely if anyone had the bragging rights to status and success, he certainly did. His upbringing was one of affluence as evidenced by his level of education and his level of political and religious clout. Paul was as much at ease in the presence of Roman rulers as he was Jewish religious leaders. He certainly could have harbored such a desire, but he understood the dangers of such thinking; instead he chose to be a servant of Jesus Christ (II Cor. 12.9). Paul’s attitude underscores a research study done by Robert Arkin, a psychology professor from Ohio State University. Arkin’s study shows that people with chronic self-doubt are more consumed with owning possessions because “owning a lot of things proves they are successful…They are interested in possessions because of their meaning [and] the status those possessions confer” (USA Today). Anyone who has ever studied the life of Paul and read his epistles knows that Paul definitely did not have a problem with self-doubt. With the grace of God guiding his heart, any desire for status and success held no temptation for Paul because he knew in whom he believed (II Tim. 1.12).
A measure of lust of the eyes exposes itself by the need for things. A person sees something and decides that the item is a “must have.” When circumstances demand that Abraham and Lot’s families separate, Abraham allows Lot to choose his location first and Abraham will take the other direction. Lot sees the well-watered plains and decides to settle there because that land would benefit his possessions most and give him greater gain. His choice is based on “I want” materialism, and that factor brings dire consequences to him and his family. Achan is not satisfied to obey Joshua’s instructions. He sees an opportunity to increase his possessions and evidently never considers any consequences for his disobedience. Achan’s actions cause Israel’s defeat at the battle of Ai immediately following a great victory at Jericho. When confronted with his sin, Achan confesses, “When I saw, …I coveted …and took…” Not only did Achan’s action affect his countrymen, but also those actions cost the lives of his innocent family. King Ahab, wanting to expand his own vineyard, sees and desires Naboth’s vineyard. When Naboth refuses to sell the vineyard, Ahab tells his wife about the situation, and she then proceeds to take matters in her own hands. By allowing his wife to take care of the situation, he becomes a partner to her actions. Ahab brings judgment from God upon himself by being a partner to the act of murder to obtain property to which he has no right. The world was too much with Lot, with Achan, and with Ahab. If a person subscribes to the "logic" of carnal thinking, possessions should bring happiness; but Solomon (who should have been the happiest person on earth if that thinking is correct) in his wisdom affirms that when he surveyed all that his hands had done and what he had toiled to achieve, everything was vanity or meaningless (Eccles. 2).
People demonstrate a measure of lust of the flesh by supporting or giving in to a feeling of self-gratification concerning the things they possess. Adam and Eve have the perfect home, but the opportunity to become as a god presents itself and is stronger than their desire to obey the commandment of God. Adam and Eve’s self-gratification brings sin and death upon the entire human race (Rom. 5.1). Esau chooses instant gratification over his future birthright. Maybe he believes his future possessions (as first born) are of no value to him at the present but will probably still be available when the time comes to claim them; however, events prove otherwise when Esau loses his birthright to Jacob. His moment of self-gratification was not so gratifying when he realizes that he has lost his birthright (Heb. 12.16). The Lord admonishes the Israelites because, when they return from captivity, they are so preoccupied with their own pursuits and with increasing their own possessions that they fail to make any kind of plans to rebuild the Lord’s house, which lies in waste (Hag. 1.4-6). They never reach the place of having enough of their own to be satisfied and thus turn their focus toward spiritual things. The world was too much with them. The certain rich man has so much that he has to build greater barns to accommodate his possessions, and he says to himself, “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19). This man is so full of what he has accomplished and acquired (by himself) that he never gives thought to thanking God for any increase that he has experienced. God calls the rich man a fool and summons his soul to judgment that night (Luke 12:20).
The Bible is not the only place to find warnings about the dangers of amassing “things” for the wrong reasons; some works of literature also speak plainly concerning materialism and its ill-effects. Literature commonly echoes biblical truths. Not only did “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Pet. 1.21), but Job declares “there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding” (Job 32.8). Such understanding is evident in secular writers such as the English poet, William Wordsworth who has much to say about the negative effects of materialism.
Romanticism literature was a rebellious outcry against the cold, rational scientific thinkers and writers of the Age of Reason. William Wordsworth, commonly accepted as the father of Romanticism, believed that “science nurtured materialist values through its accumulation of facts about the physical world and disguised the importance of the natural world for human life” (Taylor). The intellectual thinkers of the Age of Reason were losing sight of the spiritual side of life; the world was too much with them.
Many of Wordsworth’s poems are founded on his own life and his interpretation of it (Watson 1). As a young man, he held an idealistic philosophy of life and believed that given the right circumstances, people would always choose to do whatsoever was right. Upon graduation from college, he felt that if he did not have all the answers for the ills of the world, he at least had enough of them to make an impact on his immediate world. Little did he know that the real world, rather than waiting for a formal introduction, was lying in wait for the young, naïve Wordsworth, much like the hunter stalking his prey, waiting for that one moment that would give the hunter the advantage.
After graduating from Cambridge in 1791, Wordsworth visited France where the common people were beginning to revolt against the rich aristocracy. Wordsworth embraced the thinking of some of the revolutionary sympathizers who despised corruption and poverty and who sought a time when men could live in “liberty and brotherhood and the world would be a better place” (Watson 2). During Wordsworth’s year in France, he saw much violence and bloodshed; and upon his return to England, he became painfully confused when his patriotism toward his country conflicted with his hope for the Revolution and a better society. He became impatient with the English who criticized the French, and he lashed out against “the baleful influence of aristocracy and nobility upon human happiness and virtue” and defended the revolutionary use of force in order to gain liberty (Watson 3). The next several years became a proving ground for Wordsworth’s idealistic philosophy, but ultimately his idealism experienced its demise. He became vocal concerning his hatred of “inherited rank and wealth, of rich clergy . . .“ (Watson 3). He began to move from an idealistic state of mind to one of isolation, solitude, and confused frustration. The inner braces (the answers for the ills of the world) he thought secure and stable crumbled and left him disillusioned, bitter, and more important, empty. During his trip to France, his subsequent return to England, and his divided loyalties and confused state of mind, he learned that some of his thinking needed adjusting. Observing that society had become too embroiled in things of the world “getting and spending,” Wordsworth penned the poem, “The World Is Too Much With Us.” The message of this nineteenth century poem is still relevant for today’s society. People become too enmeshed in “getting and spending” and amassing “things” that they lose sight of the most important part of life – their spiritual health.
Wordsworth set about rebuilding his inner braces, and one by one the new mental and emotional braces replaced those that had been destroyed with stronger ones. Immature, impatient, and impulsive thoughts were replaced with mature thoughts. Wordsworth passed through, overcame, and left behind the inner conflicts that tormented him. His perceptions of Man, Nature, and Society reached maturity (Bernbaum 84). The voice of inexperience now spoke with experience. Whereas his earlier poetry showed a side-by-side uncomfortable existence between man and nature, with the waning of his idealism, he began to reflect on humankind’s interaction with nature, the purpose of human life, its good and evil, its joy and sorrow, and the recognition that humankind not only experiences enjoyments, but “often has to suffer hardship and misery” (Watson 8). Of primary concern to Wordsworth is the “truth of the human heart” which underscores the truth that, at times, man has ears, but he does not hear; he has eyes, but he does not see; and his heart neither feels nor understands. Wordsworth begins to see that “the world is too much with us.”
What caused this change in his thinking – from idealism to despair to peace? The same eyes that once looked on external objects with little thought of internal make-up, now focused on the internal aspect of the external, and sees miracles that cause inspiration to spring forth (Hazlitt 703). In short, Wordsworth had a spiritual awakening and now believed that if man is to discern the deeper truths of life, he can do so only through communion with nature (Bernbaum 90) which also entails a return to a simpler lifestyle. William Wordsworth felt he now had a message for those who have experienced and will experience great despair. Wordsworth believed a poet should never write about anything unless it has actually been “felt by himself… it must be authentic” (Bernbaum 98). A return to a “simple life,” a humble and rustic life, and a bonding with nature heals man’s wounded outlook on life. As he now revered nature, he felt contempt for materialism. Through the ill effects of materialism, humankind has lost the perspective of life that can be regained only through a personal bonding with nature by returning to a simpler life.
This simple life occurs not in the city but rather in the country. According to Wordsworth, rational life easily becomes lost in the chaotic submersion of mass humanity that is found only in the city. The accumulation of people in cities and the constant need for adjustments keep the mental state of a person in constant exhaustion (Lacey 78). Added to the mental turmoil, evils such as greed, pride, and dishonest ambitions are the direct results of a lack of a simple life and being away from nature (Lacey 74). City life creates certain pressures that are not present in country life. Materialism becomes a monster that preys on people. The more they see, the more they want. The more they want, the more they have to work to acquire the things they see. The more they work, the less time they have to focus on a healthy spiritual relationship which keeps them in balance with God and the world. Materialism now controls their lives. “Getting and spending” becomes the common anthem. Rational life falls by the wayside, and the statement, “We have given our hearts away” reflects that matters of the heart are now controlled by some other entity (“The World Is Too Much With Us”). People have given their hearts as a gift to materialism in return for tangible and momentary frivolities. Only by a return to a calm, simple way of life can man be restored to a rational state. When a person leaves the desire for success, status, and the need to own things behind him and becomes reacquainted with himself {through the Holy Ghost} and gives his heart to that which is intangible but everlasting, then is he able to comprehend the artificiality and shallowness of materialism.
According to Wordsworth, the greatest injustice of humanity is committed by man against himself. This injustice is such a complete absorption with materialistic living that man no longer enjoys the life he has been given. Man is so busy “getting and spending” and seeing to his outer self while the inner man is waning and slowly losing strength. Wordsworth believes that the inner strength of a man is the major brace of human life. When that brace deteriorates, all other inner braces collapse and leave man an empty shell. Once man becomes an empty shell, he has two choices. He can remain an empty shell and retreat within himself, withdrawing from society completely; or he can start rebuilding the collapsed braces, taking greater care the second time around. If a man chooses the latter option, he can be assured of a long, uphill climb because he will have to totally rethink and reshape his values concerning materialism; however, if he perseveres and reaches the top of the summit, his reward will be so great that all thoughts of hardship will be forgotten. What awaits him at the “top of the mountain?” Wordsworth states so eloquently in his poem “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802” …”Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!” Wordsworth realized the value of the inner man and that this inner man daily comes in contact with the “world,” and needs strength and wisdom to make wise decisions. The major brace of the inner man has to be built on a calm and serene foundation {found only in the Holy Ghost} in order to withstand the outer pressures of materialism. Materialism is a silent hunter that diligently stalks the unsuspecting prey and devours without mercy when strong inner braces are not present.
Many times within society, the simpler life falls by the wayside when people become sidetracked by the opinions of others. Behavioral scientists assert that within every human is an inherent need to be loved and accepted. Sometimes a person’s perception of what is needed to be accepted becomes clouded by a bombardment of advertisements aimed at convincing that person that he or she must have those things to be accepted. Lines of credit become overextended; bankruptcy courts see a constant stream of individuals who are persuaded of the necessity of having things so they can be accepted by some entity they believe to be important. The prodigal son is dissatisfied with his life at home and asks his father for his portion of the inheritance; he then goes to town, gathers “friends” around him, squanders his money on those “friends,” and is left penniless and friendless. He comes to himself in a hog pen and admits that the “simple life” of home is not so bad after all. He used his money as a means of being accepted, and when money ran out, his “friends” no longer accepted him.
How does society stray so far from a simpler life? Between 1995 and 1999, Americans purchased 77 million cars and light trucks, almost 8 million new homes, 57 million personal computers, and 64 million mobile phones (Samuelson). We search for personal fulfillment in rising materialism. Many times materialism causes us to become our own worst enemies; abundance breeds anxiety and tension. Getting and spending now control our lives. A national poll commissioned by the Merck Family Fund found that 82 percent of the people surveyed agreed that they consumed more than they needed (Thompson). The average family in the United States spends almost one-third of its income on things that are not necessary to them, things not essential to the preservation of life and health (Singer). Our need for things becomes our driving force. Advertising’s message for today’s society is “Spend, spend, spend. If you can’t fill that hole in the soul, you can at least frame it with fancy things” (Thompson). We see, we want, we spend, we get. Conditioned to value financial achievement, sometimes we tend to cling to materialism even as it makes the contentment we seek more elusive (Peck 42). The world is too much with us.
The lesson of the rich young ruler who went away sad because he had many possessions still speaks to us today and can never be emphasized too much. An article in U.S. Catholic states, “…getting rid of possessions is seldom easy. Possessions hold great power over us…some give us status…. We grow accustomed to having lots of things around us…they give us security. They define us and the hard work we have done…possessions begin to own us rather than us owning them” (Grassi 37).
Billy Graham says, “Love of money crowds out everything else…It isn’t wrong to provide more resources for your family, as long as you don’t allow money and things capture your heart and mind” (Grit 34). In a recent USA Today article, singer Madonna spoke of a controversial video that she made that addresses materialism and contains the lyrics “I tried to stay ahead, I tried to stay on top/I tried to play the part, but somehow I forgot/Just what I did it for and why I wanted more.”
Materialism—what is in it for us? What is the payoff? Consider the following statements by John Shumaker, a senior lecturer in clinical psychology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand:
1. Materialism helps foster the emergence of purposelessness, meaninglessness, and alienation.
2. High degrees of materialism have a toxic effect on psychological well-being and have been associated with diminished life satisfaction, impaired self-esteem, and a predisposition to depression.
3. Escalating materialism may be the single largest contributor to a ten-fold increase in major depression over the past half-century.
. 4. One million of the bankruptcies filed annually are due
to credit excesses.

Materialism—what a payoff! The world is too much with us.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006




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