Moving Forward

Stories and Satisfaction

Let me start off with a story...
Yesterday Liz, Terry, me, Vinny, Kayla, and Alexandria get off a plane in Chicago. We are all walking to baggage claim when a guy starts following us. He's walking right behind Terry when he says "Let me see your phone!" Terry tells him no and that he's on a call (which he was). The man proceeds to demand to see Terry's phone. We keep walking and he gets louder. He starts saying that he just lost his phone and wants to know if that one is his. Terry tells him it's not his phone and to back off. Dude persists and it takes Liz running her mouth and Vinny turning around for him to back off. We keep walking and he starts approaching Terry again, at which point Vinny takes his glasses off and puts them in their case, Liz starts walking back to them, and I take the kids and keep walking. There is yelling, and a fight almost breaks out because people are just running their mouths. The rest of the trip home was a blast, let me tell you. Moral of the story... in the year 2008 people are still just as ignorant as if it were 1861. This man was a southerner (I'm thinking a Texan) in a northern city accusing a black man of stealing something (it's a $400 phone) apparently just because he was black. My sister has that same exact phone and the jerk didn't say a word to her.
After all of the anger subsided I was just sad. And this isn't the first time I've been around stuff like this... I mean living out in the country if I go to a store with my brother-in-law people stare, but it doesn't usually bother me because no one says anything. I've been out with my nieces and it's obvious that they're mixed and people will look at me, at my ring finger, and then shake their heads, and look away. I've wanted to say something to them to embarrass them in their ignorance, but I just keep moving. I think I'm sad for Terry and the utter ignorance of other people. I'm sad for my girls because I love them so much and don't want them to have to grow up having people be rude to them because they are mixed.
God, I pray for this world.
Moving on... so Florida trip number two is over and I'm finally home. I'm broke as a joke now, but both trips were worth it! I think I've spent more time in Plano today than I have in the last 2 weeks (including sleep time). Life is about to get real slow and it'll definitely be a change... I've yet to decide if it'll be a good or a bad change. We'll see. Anyways, we got to FL on thursday and I went to stacy and jeff's thursday night. We watched the office together and it was spectacular! Friday Stacy and I drove to the beach on the Gulf side, which I love. The water is so calm it's amazing. I hunted for more sand dollars, but had no luck. Then we went home and had dinner with Jeff and Stacy's parents who I love so much! They were my second parents growing up. We all went gator hunting after dinner... I think just to shut me up about gators, but we saw a few so that was fun. Then me, stace, and jeff had a bonfire. Saturday we slept in and they took me back out to Orlando. We spent some time with my family before they went home. Then me and my brother went to the beach on the Atlantic side. Cocoa Beach. It's pretty nice, I'd been there before. Sunday we spent the day at the Magic Kingdom riding rides and fighting crowds. It was a good day. Monday afternoon we came home. I slept so well in my own bed last night. This morning I did not want to get out of bed... come to think of it... I didn't really have to. Shoot.
BUT now life has to get back to some form of normality. I am pretty overwhelmed and feeling very disconnected with my life here. I'm wondering how connected I've ever really been. I have stronger connections elsewhere, but I've gotta press on right? Thoughts of Africa are still in the front of my mind. Australia is still an option. I even have jobs open to me in Florida, Arizona, Indiana and even China. Lot's of prayer will ensue. This'll get sorted. I'm feeling kinda nomadic these days and I'm not sure how to satisfy that. Uncertainty is stressful, but it doesn't have to make you anxious.
All in all, life is good. God is good. That's where my hope lies. :)

When it rains or it shines on this pillow of mine
I will lift up my head to the sky
So I have chance to see
Where my hope has come from
Know there's nothing that I can't abide

When Nothing Satisfies You
When nothing satisfies you
When nothing satisfies you
Hold my hand

Send forth Your Light Lord,
And send forth Your Truth
Let them guide me to Your Holy Place
Then will I go to the Altar of God
To my Joy, my Delight and my Strength

When Nothing Satisfies You
When nothing satisfies you
When nothing satisfies you
Hold my hand

Why are You so downcast o my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God
My Savior, my King
My Savior, my King

When Nothing Satisfies You
When nothing satisfies you
When nothing satisfies you
Hold my hand

posted by Moving Forward @ 11:00 PM