Forgiveness

I tend to become irritated by the small things in life: The teacher who doesn’t really teach, the friend who steals your keys as a practical joke, or the small fact I shouldn’t have blurted out yesterday. God has been working on helping me with the small things my entire life. Grudges have always come easily to me. Sometimes I lose the grudge as fast as I gained it, other times I wallow in self-pity. God is constantly teaching me to change the way I act and to change the way I forgive both myself and those I know.

One summer, I went to summer camp. I found out on accident that a friend of mine planned to play a practical joke on me. I took it the wrong way and decided to get even. I took measures to defend myself and the day before the planned joke I played a guilt trip on her, telling her how much I loved and trusted her. Nothing happened the next day.

Another summer, I went kayaking with some friends. We stopped to play in the water on the shore for a short while. I didn’t play. I didn’t like getting wet when I had my clothes and no bathing suit. My friends snuck up behind me and splashed water all over me. I was soaked and I added more water to my clothes with my tears. I cried and yelled at them and held a grudge against them for a day or two before I got over it, but I never fully or officially forgave them.
Most recently, while playing a game of Apples to Apples, my college friends decided to steal my keys and hide them. They refused to give back my keys until we had finished the game. The stress built up inside me and once the game was over I ran to my room to cry. I wasn’t so much mad at them as I was mad at myself for getting stressed over such a small thing.

Another day, a college friend of mine called me an idiot for skipping chapel. It hurt my feelings, and I yelled back at her. We didn’t talk for most of the day. After a while, however, we talked it over and forgave each other.

Some of my college teachers also get on my nerves. One teacher, in particular, talks down to her students a lot. There have been days when I wanted to shoot her or myself (figuratively speaking – not literally) because I didn’t want to be in class. I felt her class was pointless and that she didn’t teach anything. When Professor Cook gave his lecture on forgiveness, this teacher was the first person to come to my mind.

As the days went on after the lecture, I began to think of all the other areas of my life where I have forgotten to truly forgive. I needed to forgive my teacher and get the most out of her class as I possibly could. I needed to forgive my friends for playing practical jokes on me. I needed to forgive myself for all my sins.

I have the most trouble forgiving myself. The guilt won’t always go away. I often feel drained inside. I question God. I ask Him how He could have a plan for me, a sinner who never seems to stop sinning. I question how He can forgive me and why I can’t forgive myself. I ask Him if He still loves me even after all the stupid things I’ve done and continue to do. Even the little sins tend to grow on my back as a burden. I know God sees all sins as equal, but it’s hard to see things through God’s eyes. I keep reading verses about how God has a plan for my life and about how He will never stop forgiving me, but they don’t seem to register in my heart.

A few months ago I opened my Bible and found Luke 17:4. It says, “And if he sins against you 7 times a day, and 7 times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” This verse applies both to forgiving my friends and forgiving myself. It stood out to me because it was different. I had never read it before, although I had read Matthew 18 plenty of times.

I continue to try to allow God to work in my heart. While things don’t seem to register, I know God will always be there for me. As a step of faith, I often randomly open my Bible and start reading. I ask God to speak to me. Even if I don’t feel His presence or His forgiveness today, I ask Him to show Himself to me and to use me. I ask Him to take my bitterness away and to help me forgive myself and my friends.

Recently, I opened my Bible to Proverbs 24:10-11 which says, “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.” Reading this, I said a short prayer to God:

Lord,

I know I am weak. Lord, be my strength. Do not let me fall again. Help me to forgive others and to forgive myself. I need You and You alone to deliver me from. Hold me back and keep me from death. Show me your ways. Help me to be careful what I say and to not let my emotions get the best of me. When I am tempted to show my frustration, I will go to you. I will love others as you love me. Thank you for being the light on my path. Please continue to shine in my life. Make me whole in You.

Your Daughter, Harmony

The Sociology of Fast Food: Starbucks

My mother loves flavored coffee. Naturally, she loves Starbucks. She often goes there to relax. She’ll bring a book and sit and read for an hour while drinking her coffee. I observed that this is a common practice at Starbucks. My partner Rachel Steiner and I went to Starbucks to observe the kind of people who go there, the way they interact with the employees, and what they do once they get their drinks.

Since I’m not a coffee person, I decided to buy a cup of hot chocolate. The servers didn’t think it strange that I was not buying coffee. They kindly asked me what I wanted. After they had charged me, they gave me my receipt and told me I had been randomly chosen to take a survey. If I took the survey, Starbucks would enter me in a drawing for prizes.

“Give us a good rating,” the woman at the counter teased.

“20 out of 10,” I replied.

“Come back and tell us if you win. We like to know when our customers win.”

There were two women taking orders. One of them was middle-aged and the other looked like she was in her twenties.

“What’s your name?” the older of the two asked. She needed to put my name on my cup.
“Harmony.”

“Oh, that’s a pretty name,” she replied.

Once Rachel and I got our drinks, we sat down in a corner near two men. The men were dressed professionally and were talking about business. It looked like they were having a business meeting or were two co-workers talking about work.

“It’s one of those deals… business managing. I’ll let him know,” one of the men said.

“I try to do what’s best for my clients,” the other man said.

“I emailed him the quote and am trying to meet with him, but he’s so darn busy he can’t fit me in right now.”

The younger woman who had served me and Rachel began to sweep the floor. I saw her coming near me and moved my feet to give her more room.

“Sorry about that,” she said as if it were a great trouble for me to move my feet.

The two female servers were very nice and interacted with customers, but the man who made the drinks did not talk much. Some customers were regulars and knew the two servers. One gentleman came in and the servers talked to him as if they had always known each other. Male customers often came in talking on the phone or otherwise task-oriented. They came in, bought their drink, and left. Many women also came and went but chatted with the employees more. Some students also came in to hang out and study.

Some customers sat quietly, drinking their coffee. Others talked with friends. Many just came, bought a drink, and left. A few people looked at the knick-knacks for sale. As I sat, listening to the relaxing jazz music that played and observing customers coming and going, I wanted to fall asleep. The environment was a comfortable one.

An Extra Hand: How I Got My Segway Tire Off the Segway

God is so amazing! When I'm in the tightest pinch, He always works things out for me! He waits for me to totally freak out and then reminds me that I need Him. Then, he solves the problem. Sometimes He does it in an unexpected way, as well. Today I put my segway tire back on my segway. This afternoon, I realized the other tire was flat. I began to freak out. I tried to remove it so I could pump it up, but couldn't figure out how to do it. I tried to pump it up while it was still on the segway and that didn't work. I called my dad to try to figure out how to use the tool to remove the segway. I scratched and hurt myself. I broke a nail! I cried. I whined. I was exhausted. I had quite a work out! But then, I decided to give it one last try. I started to try to unscrew the screws the opposite way I had been trying and it worked! It worked a lot easier than I thought it would work! I'm not very strong, so it was as if God had given me an extra hand! I pumped it up, and at first the air didn't seem to stay in the tire. I kept trying, however, and now it's full of air (15-20 psi)! Now I'm waiting to see if the air leaks out. If it doesn't, my segway, Brooklyn Segway Wheeler, will be officially fixed!!!



P.S. This is a reminder to post on the following topics: 1. My trip to Chicago and 2. Those times that we'll never forgive ourselves for and 3. A review of Harry Potter 5

Ice

It's raining today, but it's been icy and it's supposed to get icy again. I love the ice, I just hope it doesn't cancel my flight home on Friday! Anyway, The link below will take you to a great video with pictures of ice. You can also go to my photo site: http://declarationphotos.blogspot.com/ for some of my ice photos.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid823425597/bclid877032950/bctid1341032239

In the Mood for a Good Scare?

My roommate and I somehow started looking at videos about subliminal messages in Disney cartoon movies and in advertisement. What we found were these:

Worship

I'm working on a term paper about worship styles and how worship should be planned to meet the congregation's needs (what styles they like), but most of all still focus on God. Any comments would be appreciated. I've posted a few comments on worship based on other blogs at my other blog if you are interested: http://confabremarks.blogspot.com/

Update on Brooklyn Segway Wheeler

For those of you who don't know, I named my segway Brooklyn Segway Wheeler. Thus the title of this post.

I haven't posted much about my segway lately because, unfortunately, Brooklyn is still extremely sick and disabled at the moment. That is, she has no right wheel. Her wheel is currently in the mail on its way back to me. I took it home to fix the flat tire and now my parents are sending it back to me. At least this is happening at a time when its too cold to be outside. It's in the 30s and 40s outside right now. Having no segway to journey out on is also preparing me for going home without Brooklyn. I can't bring her on the plane, so I will be segwayless for a month and a half.

In the mean time, I take joy in looking back at old memories of Brooklyn, like the time a middle-aged man turned to an elderly woman and said, "That's what you need!"

What's your form of worship?

http://www.sacchurch.org/action-steps/sacred_pathways.htm

Harmony -Based on your responses to the Sacred Pathways Assessment, your temperament favors a Naturalist approach to worship.

Intellectual

23

Contemplative

21

Enthusiast

18

Caregiver

19

Activist

13

Ascetic

24

Traditionalist

14

Sensate

17

Naturalist

28

The information contained in this online assessment has been borrowed from the following book:"Sacred Pathways" by Gary L. Thomas© Copyright Zondervan Publishing, 2002click here to purchase this and other books by Gary Thomas, from Amazon.com
Summary of spiritual temperaments:
Intellectual - Loving God with the Mind:These Christians live in the world of concepts. They may feel closest to God when they first understand something new about Him.

Contemplative - Loving God through Adoration:These Christians seek to love God with the purest, deepest, and brightest love imaginable. They want nothing more than some privacy and quiet to gaze upon the face of their heavenly Lover and give all of themselves to God.

Enthusiast - Loving God with Mystery & Celebration:Excitement and mystery in worship is the spiritual lifeblood of enthusiasts. They are inspired by joyful celebration; cheerleaders for God and the Christian life. They don't want to just know concepts, but to experience them, to feel them, and to be moved by them. They like to let go and experience God on the precipice of excitement and awe.

Caregiver - Loving God by Loving Others:Caregivers serve God by serving others. They often claim to see Christ in the poor and needy, and their faith is built up by interacting with other people. Caring for others recharges a caregiver's batteries.

Activist - Loving God Through Confrontation:These Christians define worship as standing against evil and calling sinners to repentance. They are energized more by interaction with others, even in conflict, than by being alone or in small groups. Activists are spiritually nourished through the battle.

Ascetic - Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity:Ascetics want nothing more than to be left alone in prayer. Let there be nothing to distract them--no pictures, no loud music--and leave them alone to pray in silence and simplicity.

Traditionalist - Loving God Through Ritual and Symbol:Traditionalists are fed by what are often termed the historic dimensions of faith: rituals, symbols, sacraments, and sacrifice. They tend to have a disciplined life of faith and have a need for ritual and structure.

Sensate - Loving God with the Senses:Sensate Christians want to be lost in the awe, beauty, and splendor of God. They are drawn particularly to the liturgical, the majestic, the grand. They want to be filled with sights, sounds, and smells that overwhelm them. The five senses are God's most effective inroad to their hearts.

Naturalist - Loving God Out of Doors:The naturalist seeks to leave the formal architecture and the padded pews to enter an entirely new "cathedral", a place that God himself has built: the out-of-doors.

The Struggle Between Pen and Pride

“This girl at school loves the Lord and is awesome at writing,” Shanna Cirka had written. My pulse quickened.

The questionnaire had said, “Choose one friend and write a paragraph about him or her.” The yearbook staff had distributed questionnaires to students, and we were using quotes from them throughout the yearbook. I wondered whether anyone had written about me. I had no friends. Flipping through several questionnaires, Shanna’s had caught my attention.

Was she talking about me? No. I barely knew her, and I wasn’t the best writer at my school.

Shanna continued, “When you read her stories they come alive. They sweep you away. This girl may not be the most popular girl there is, but she’s very strong.”
I’m not that strong.

“I pray that one day people may see the beauty in Harmony Wheeler’s heart.”
How could she write this about me? Could she really know how I felt? I hated that I had no friends and was not popular; but here she was, a friend I didn’t know I had, writing such things about me. I knew then that I wanted to become a writer. I wanted to touch people such as Shanna, and I wanted people to touch me the way Shanna had touched me.

As time went on doubts entered my mind. My freshman year in college I attended a school in New York City. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write or whether I wanted to write at all. I told myself that the city had many opportunities and that I would learn what to write about, even if I didn’t learn how to write.

Living in the city, I attended many Broadway shows and operas. As my love for music grew, I wondered why God hadn’t gifted me in performance. Finally, I realized that God had given me a love of theatre so I could write about acting and singing. I devoured reviews and read about opera and musical theatre. I saw that sexual humor and bad language helped to sell many shows, so I knew that the world needed greater Christian influences.

Every time I stray from writing, God brings me back. I run, but He pulls. I argue, but He wins. God used Shanna’s note to shove my talent right into my face, but I still doubted my abilities. When I realized I would never sing for a living, I resisted God. In New York, God showed me that I could write about things I love.

I often doubt my abilities as a writer, but then I remember the ways God has used writing in my life. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God started something good in my writing and will continue to develop my talents. I am a writer. Music is my passion, but writing is my life, and God is my everything.

God forgives!!!

I'm so glad God forgives.

Luke 17:4

"And if he sins against you seven times a day, and seven times in a day returns to you saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

Pumping Air and Playing with Bubbles

Today I used soapy water to try to finde the leaks in my segway wheels. Then I pumped it up with air using the pump my dad bought for me that I got in the mail today. I found no leaks and the air left the wheel as quickly as it entered the wheel. Plus, my tire gauge doesn't work. Then I call my dad and he tells me that I need to use soapy water while pumping the air in! Wish he had told me that before, lol! So later I'm going to try that and if nothing works I'll have to try using slime. Meanwhile, I have community service to do (10 hour requirement for my college).

Warranty

In answer to a question about warranty:

Tired are not covered under the warranty (yours goes through March of 2008 per Alan) unless they are flat when you take them out of the box to assemble the i2. Nice thought, though. That was the first thing I asked Alan. Oh well...back to the drawing board.

CURSE YOU FLAT TIRES!!!

So I called a number of places and most said they probably couldn't do anything. One guy actually hung up on me. So my mom made some calls for me and today I went to the place she found. They said they didn't want to risk fixing my segway because they'd never worked on one before. Then I went to a Yamaha dealership and they said to fix a tire you have to replace the tube inside the tire. They don't have tubes as small as needed and called the segway people who said you have to buy brand new tires because they don't sell just the tubes. You have to buy a new tire through your local dealership (which for me is two hours away) and that it would cost around $200 per tire. What should I do? I would try the slime stuff and air it up myself, but I have no idea how to use a tire gauge.

What to do when you get a flat tire

First off may I just say, HELP!!! What am I supposed to do with a flat tire on my segway? How am I supposed to make it not flat?

So, for about a month now my friends have been telling my tires looked flat. They did not look flat to me and the segway still worked just fine, until today. Today I had been out for about a half hour when one of my tires randomly went flat. At first I though the sound I heard was just a leaf cauight on a wheel, but then the segway started to act up. A man I passed said, "got a flat tire, huh?" and then I knew, the rumors were true. My segway has a flat tire.

What do you do when your segway randomly gets a flat tire. Well, if you're smart you get off and walk the segway back home. I'm not so smart. I stayed on the segway, made a wrong turn or two, and rode it back to my dorm. I had to go very slowly. Sometimes the segway would randomly slow down. Other times it would lean too far forward or too far back. Some times it started going off to the right as if it wanted to topple over. I stayed on. I prayed. After some difficulties, I got back safely. If this ever happens to you, go no more than 5 miles per hour and keep a constant eye on the key for when the smiley face becomes a frown face (it will do this very frequently).

Anyways, now I have no way to return the DVDs I checked out that are due back Sunday before noon. Everyone is gone for fall break who could take me. What am I supposed to do? How do I make my tire not flat? HELP ME!

I've Been Published!

Ignore the typos, they're the editor's fault, not mine.

www.aboiteindependent.com

Book Review
HOW TO BE HEARD IN HEAVEN
By Eddie Smith
Bethany House, 0764203924, PB, 172 pages, $14.99

In "How to be Heard in Heaven", Eddie Smith reminds readers that "as long as we whine to God about our problems, we'll see nothing. Begin to celebrate God's answer, and He will show it to you"
(p 130).
Smith explores prayer as an intimate relationship with Christ, wherein we acknowledge God's power and submit to His will. We should trust God to provide and should become expectant prayer warriors, praying as if God has already answered us.
Smith uses simple stories, concepts, and verses to support his ideas. His ideas are refreshingly different from those in typical books on prayer. He covers thought-provoking concepts (forgiveness, anxiety, guilt, egotism) with easy-to-understand language. Smith also discusses controversial church issues as faith healing and contemporary miracles. Occasionally you have to read something several times to understand it, but most of the book is a easy to follow. This book fits into church libraries best because Smith writes to mature teenagers and adults who want to enhance their relationship with Christ.

Some Scares Along the Way

Today's Segway Adventure was AWESOME! Well, not really. And it wasn't really an adventure either. But I did get some great comments. Some kids pointed at me and their mom said, "Yeah, isn't it cool!" Another man asked me if he could get a segway in town. I told him he would have to go to Indianapolis or glidemarin.com to get one. Finally, a man yelled out the window of his car, "Is that fun?" I replied, "Yeah!"

I did have a scare or two today, though. I went halfway into the road and stopped to wait for cars to pass, but they stopped for me. I almost thought I would be hit. No worries, I won't take any chances in the future. I also thought the cover on my segway that covers the spare battery and where the charger plugs in had been stolen, but I found it on the sidewalk on my way back. It had fallen off. It likes to do that.

Honk Honk - Riding the Segway Without a Helmet

I was extra careful on my segway today. Why? Because I forgot to wear my helmet and gloves! I realized this about halfway to my destination. I was going fast because rain was expected any moment, but I had to slow down. Luckily, it did not rain on me and I did not fall. I have fallen twice already, so I know the importance of a helmet and gloves. They shield your fall and lessen the bruises. They may also save your life if you hit a car (which I have not done). When riding in windy conditions, be sure to wear a jacket or sweater to keep you warm (you don't want to get a cold). Also, do not try to go too fast against the wind; you could lose your balance and fall. Watch for bumps and try to avoid them. Sidewalks will often be uneven. If you come upon part of a sidewalk that has tranformed into a stairway, do not attempt to go over it; get off the segway and walk it over the stairstep. If there's no traffic, it may be better to ride on the road. I often ride on the road in neighborhoods. However, be alert for cars. Keep your ears open for the sound of a car's engine or the sound of a car driving over and crushing fallen leaves. If a car does appear, pull over to the side of the road and let the car pass.

No good reactions today. However, I did not post some of the reactions that I got about a week ago when I went to the local Blockbuster store.

One woman yelled out, "I like that!"

A man told me he wanted to ride my segway. He begged and pleaded, but I said no. He asked me how much a segway costs. I told him $5000. Surprisingly he still said he was going to buy one (but I doubt he will). Another man who appeared to be with him told him he could make his own segway. It's true you can make your own segway. I saw a website for just such a purpose. However, buying one is much easier and may even be less expensive and less time consuming.

Some kids also waved at me. I waved back.

Some other kids I saw were playing with their toy guns. They stopped to look at my segway. One of them said, "Cool, I want one of those!" A friend of mine who saw this happen told me I must feel real good, promoting world peace. I guess my segway is a great way to stop violence. LOL.

Last of all, the best reaction of the day was a man who turned to me and said, "Honk, honk. You got a horn on that?" Unfortunately, I did not have my bell with me at the time or I would have gave it a ring.

My Nightmares Come Alive

I feel extremely stupid right now. I wasn't thinking straight and I wasn't feeling well and I completely forgot to go to my fitness for life class today! My roommarte reminded me about twenty minutes past the time when class was supposed to start. It's my nightmares come true! This has happened to me before in other situations. Luckily I get 3 cuts, so I'll just use one of those. I don't think the teacher makes you makeup your labs anyway. We have to do labs where we test our wellness. Today we were going to test our flexibility. I hate missing class. Oh well.

In other news, my faculty friend cornered me today about skipping chapel so often. According to our Life Together Covenant I get 3 or 4 cuts per semester. They don't regulate it though and I thought I heard someone say at the beginning of the semester that chapel weren't required, so I've only been going once a week. There are 3 chapels every week. Anyway, my friend cornered me and said he wants me to go more often and that he was proud of me for going today. I guess he didn't notice that my roommate also skips chapel as often as I do. I don't know what it is about chapel I don't like. I grew up going to chapel once a week at a Christian school and I hated it. OUr chapels were so boring and I've never liked worshipping in a group setting unless I'm in the mood. I guess I feel pressured to worship the way everyone else does. It's so easy for me to get angry at chapel. I guess that's why I don't usually go.

Two One Dollar Bills

Two one-dollar bills fit neatly within my pocket. I reached for the money. What was money to me? What use did I have for two measly dollars? Perhaps I could buy some candy. Maybe I could buy a soda. No, I had a credit card for those sorts of things. My parents take good care of me; they pay for everything. They had even given me a fifty dollar gift card to Wal-Mart as a goodbye and good-luck-in-college gift, and here I stood at a Super Wal-Mart in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with the gift card and those two one-dollar bills.

What significance does two dollars have? When a small amount of money comes to you unexpectedly, it can have a lot of significance. Randomly coming into possession of two dollars makes a person wonder why they were given the money. They wonder, “Who would give money away? Why would they give money away?” Perhaps they did not need the money. Perhaps what they needed was the kindness. One act of kindness confuses the recipient. Why would you help someone you do not know?

Nervously, I reached into my pocket, took out the two dollar bills, and leaned over the cash register. Whispering gently to the cashier, I said, “Could you do me a favor? Could you take this money and apply it to the bill of the person behind me or just give it to them and let them use it in whatever way they want to?”

“You want me to do what?” the cashier looked confused.

I guessed I did not say it loud enough.

“Could you give this money to the person behind me?” I repeated.

“But… do you know her?”

“No.” I wanted to do something good for a stranger.

“Then, why? What do you want me do, again? Did I hear you right?”

“Please, give these two dollars to the person behind me.” Irritation rose up in me. Why wouldn’t she just do what I asked? Was it that hard? Why was it so strange for a person to want to do a good deed?

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

The cashier took the cash reluctantly. For a moment, she seemed to consider pushing the cash back into my hands. It was as if she did not want me to freely give my money away. She did not seem to understand why someone would do something for someone else. Coming from California’s fast and furious, self-centered culture, I expected the Midwest to overflow with kind people. I thought the Midwest was the opposite of California. The fact that a small act of kindness would surprise someone in the conservative Midwest came as a shock to me. The United States continues to focus on self, even in the Midwest. I only gave away two dollars, but even this stood out as something that does not happen every day.

I left the register as soon as I had given the money to the cashier, having no desire for recognition. I saw the reaction of the cashier, but wondered about the recipient of my two dollar bills. How would she respond? Rachel Steiner, a friend of mine, observed the recipient’s reaction. The woman who had been behind me in line rejected the money at first. She and the cashier looked around to see where I had gone, but I was no where in sight. After a few moments’ hesitation, she took the money and used to pay for part of her bill. She had two carts full of groceries and four children with her. There was no doubt in my mind; she needed that money and she needed something to brighten up her day.

Rachel took her two dollar bills and gave them to another cashier. I stood nearby to watch how the recipient would react. The cashier took the money willingly and handed it to the two women standing behind Rachel. The older of the two looked puzzled.

“Did you know the person who was in front of you?” the cashier asked.

“No,” the older woman replied.

“I just assumed she knew you.”

“Wow,” the younger woman exclaimed. “Who does a thing like that these days?”

The person behind them asked what was happening and the two recipients started to talk nonstop about the two dollar bills a kind girl had given them

“That’s the way things should be,” one of the women told the person behind them.

“Nobody’s ever done that before for me. I’ve never seen anyone do that for anyone,” the other woman said.

“She must want some good for her,” they continued. “God looks out for you when you do good.”

“What a loyal lady.”

“We don’t even know her.”

“I don’t even see her anymore. She just disappeared.” They were surprised that Rachel had disappeared without any desire for recognition.

They could not hold up the line all day, so they eventually got around to paying for their purchase, but their smiles never left their faces. I wondered what their beliefs were. The way they talked about God and about Rachel’s deed of kindness, it sounded like they believed in karma and some sort of god. So many people believe in some sort of god, but think no further than that. I was unsure of what these people believed.

I do not think that any of the people who gained two dollars from a stranger that day really needed the money. The amount they spent on groceries made two dollars seem like nothing, but I am sure that a small gift of two one-dollar bills blessed their day. It took me a long time to find a line where someone actually came up behind me so I could give them the money. It did not take so long when Rachel gave her two dollar bills to a stranger. I believe God put us in the right places at the right time. Who knows what those two dollar bills did for those who received them, but the money served a much larger purpose in their hands than it did in my pocket.

Showing Off

I like to show off on my segway. I've always liked attention. Sometimes you're not quite sure what to say, though. I also try to be humble. I went to Blockbuster and had lunch at a nearby Chinese Buffet food restaurant today. Thank goodness my friend and I weren't followed this time. We did have fun. She wouldn't stop teasing me about how I liked to show off. I know not to let things go to my head, though. Showing off can be a dangerous thing if you're not careful. That's how I fell the last two times. I was so comfortable and having so much fun that I forgot to watch where I was going and fell.

I did get quite a few good reactions today. One old man was looking for recyclable items. He looked homeless. When he saw me on my segway, he said, "I wish I could have one of those."

One woman asked me a few questions about my segway. All the usual ones. How much does it cost? How far can it go? Is it powered by gas or by battery? (In case you didn't know, it is powered by battery and can go up to 20 miles. It costs around $5000 used.) When my friend teasingly suggested that she try riding it, I said no. It didn't matter, though, because the lady was afraid to try it anyway.

One man did look at my segway and say, "I want to ride that." I replied, "Got $5000?" He lunged back in surprise and disgust. "I don't have that kind of money," he said as I left him.

Another woman saw me and shouted out, "Cool, wish I had one of those." She said something else too that I remember being a unique response, but I can't remember what it was she said.

On our way back, a couple in a van slowly passed us. They rolled down their window. "Sorry, we're not stalking you or anything, we just wanted to see how that thing worked," they told us. They said they had seen a segway once before a few years back in a parade. We talked a few minutes more and then went on with our business.

Lastly, one girl told me that she had seen police using segways, but always wondered if pedestrians could have one. She always was surprised to hear that they're actually called segways. She thought that was just what the police called them.