I've been thinking about starting a blog for over a week. And for most of that week, I've been wondering what my super clever blog name should be. I asked friends, I asked my boyfriend, and I couldn't come up with anything.
And so tonight, I finally got an idea: I would check my facebook for something clever that could be related to me in some way. Because let's face it "Valerie's blog" isn't fun or clever at all... Its just descriptive. So, I read something that a shift supervisor at my previous job (Starbucks) called me. Ginger Spice. It was my Spice Girl name. Thanks to the wonderful world of South Park (imagine this said with disdain), I'm often referred to as a Ginger because of my red hair. I am not a fan of being called Ginger, however, I am a fan of Ginger Spice. It has a certain je ne sais quoi to it.
All of this is a little detour to tell you what a procrastinator I am. Or, as Jamie the Very Worst Missionary (whom you should also be reading, her blog is wonderful) calls it, procrasturbating. Putting off what needs to be done to fulfill carnal desires like facebook, or showering, or eating unhealthy food. Even now, there are worlds of things that I am putting off at this very moment to start this blog. I should be studying for a biology test (the books are open, Mom, what more do you want?), or finishing a paper that is ALMOST done. But its not done, none of it is done. And why?
Because I have other things I would rather be doing. Like eating a PB&J and blogging. But in my defense, I was really productive earlier today. I quasi-legitimately studied, and I for-real worked on my paper. AND the most important of all:
I read my bible today.
This is not a high-and-mighty "Oh, look at me and all of my Christian wonderfulness, reading my bible and having quiet times like a good Christian should". Oh no. I have not picked up my bible in a while. In fact, before today (and last night), I can't remember the last time I even touched my bible. I keep it in my backpack just in case I happen to need it. But I haven't read it. Know why? Because I've been procrasturbating. In my want to read the bible cover to cover in a year, which started in August, I've become complacent. I'll check my facebook status umpteen times instead of reading Hosea. I'll talk on the phone instead of walking through Matthew. I'll CLEAN OUT MY CLOSET instead of pouring through Proverbs!
But today, I read my bible on the bus. My 10 minutes to-and-from my apartment and read my bible. I read Joel, Amos and part of 2nd Chronicles. But I stumbled across this little verse:
"Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come."
And very quickly, I knew exactly that just as Amos is writing to the "notable men of the foremost nation", he is writing to the "redheaded Ginger Spice that put off reading her Bible too long." Because you see, when things are going well, you feel like you don't need God. Hey God, go deal with that crisis in Japan, go deal with everyone elses problems. I don't need you, I'm good here. And so when you do need him, you have to say "Oh, hey God, remember me? I know we haven't talked in a while. You've been busy. But can you do this eensy-weensy little thing for me?" We feel secure when things are going well. We take control of our own lives because we think that we don't need God for a little while.
Like driving a car on cruise control, if you're going straight for a few miles, you don't close your eyes because "hey, the car doesn't need me, it seems to be doing well on its own," No. I'm scared to sneeze while I'm behind the wheel of a car (Hey, your muscles all jerk, your heart skips a beat, and your eyes close, all at once. Not something you want to happen behind the wheel!!!)
And now, I'm going to leave you with that. I hope that this new blog relationship is something that we can all be happy with. I hope that we learn a lot together. But now, I need to go study for my biology test.
Or I can check facebook one more time.
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