Yesterday wrapped up a four-day conference in Minneapolis, Minn. for several collegiate journalists, all aspiring to do three things: Make their college newspapers better, network and enjoy some days out the norm.
For me, I got a crash course in civil service and a nice reminder why I do what I do--because God enabled me to do it and it's one of the most important jobs a single person could hope to have.
Am I biased?
Absolutely.
Do I believe what I just typed?
Definitely.
Journalism--good journalism--is community service. It's working for the people. It's watching government who, believe it or not, don't always have everyone's best interest at heart and calling them on it when they're found out. It's getting the people's stories out there. It's even helping people find answers.
Sitting in two sessions taught by Mark Witherspoon, I felt the reinvigorating surge of service that comes with a career in public service.
What journalists do is not trivial in the slightest.
In fact, if there were no journalists, it's quite possible we'd be a generation of the uninformed walking around in blissful ignorance. Maybe this is my imagination getting the better of me, but ever see Pleasantville?
So, you get the picture.
I thank God for journalists. Now, I fully realize that less than 9 percent of journalists go to church or have a belief in God or any higher deity. But, in my view, what reporters do is a God-given, God-inspired gift that shouldn't be taken for granted.
This job is important.
So, I thank Minnesota and the Associated Collegiate Press 28th Annual Conference for reminding this aspiring community reporter why trekking to city council meetings, budget workshops, Board of Trustees meetings, special-called meetings, etc. is all worth the time and effort.
To all student journalists who are gearing for graduation and want to serve the people...I say kudos.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Forever & a day, but still standing
Well, as the title implies, it's been forever and a day since I posted something to this blog. So, practically five months later, here goes:
MANY things have occurred in the past five months, but one of the most pivotal would have to be me obtaining a S.C. Press Association-sponsored internship at The News & Reporter in Chester, S.C.
When I became introduced to the idea of a town called Chester, my opinion wasn't much. I heard it was small. I heard the people could be close-minded. I heard there was nothing to do. Obviously, my interest was minimal at best.
November 2010, I applied for the S.C. Press Association--praying and pleading to God that I would be one of the three collegiate journalists in all of South Carolina to be awarded the chance to hone my skills at a professional newspaper, and gain invaluable clips and contacts in the process.
Part of my desire was to remain in the York County area, partly because I love it--partly because my church and church family are here--partly because I live here off campus and was not fond of the idea of having to pay for housing in another part of the state while still paying for my rent in Rock Hill. So, I listed The Rock Hill Herald, The Fort Mill Times, The Lancaster News and The Chester News & Reporter as papers I would like to work at this summer.
Honestly, I prayed hard for The Herald.
By April, the S.C. Press Association Foundation--the lovely body of newspaper editors, reporters and veteran journalists--still had not made their decision as to what students would get the internship and the scholarship (which I also applied for).
Then, the day came.
I can't remember the exact date because it's been several months, but yes, I received the internship. PRAISE GOD. Let me tell you, the months of waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting all culminated into a severe test of faith. Here I had nowhere to go and nowhere to work this summer if I didn't get this internship. I balked at the idea of returning to a certain place of previous employment that had absolutely nothing to do with what I felt God wanted to do with my life. I wanted to do something in my field! More than that, I had a new apartment--so I needed to pay rent. I needed a car--so I needed to pay for gas and maintenance.
But let me tell you lady and gentlemen, God is faithful.
"Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"~ Psalm 37:4.
That's no fable. It's absolutely true.
"God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should repent"~ Numbers 23:19
Believe it.
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours"~ Mark 11:24.
That's the Gospel truth.
Not only did I meditate on these Scriptures practically everyday, my faith was exercised. I told God that even if He didn't give me this internship, I knew He would provide for me. After all, He's Jehovah Jireh--a Provider (Genesis 22:14)--and He can't contradict His Word; in fact, he watches over it so that he may perform it...it never returns to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). God is obligated to His Word. More than knowing I would be taken care of, I told the Lord that I would continue to love Him, continue to worship Him, love Him even more and, yes, I was sincere about it.
My faith was added unto (2 Peter 1:5-9); not by my own merit, but by through submission to Holy Spirit and allowing Him to work. Just surrending to Him.
It works.
So, I got the internship (PRAISE GOD) and I was placed at Chester.
I'll be honest, initially, I wasn't absolutely thrilled.
Then, I came to my first day of work and I realized this could positively be one of the greatest experiences of my young adult life. Thus far--two months in, probably close to 50 or more bylines later--I'm in love with this place. This is an awesome job. I'm doing something I love to do, and something I'm gifted at. I'm learning this community and the people. The people like me. I'm calling public officials practically every day. I'm cultivating a beat. I've worked on some pretty big stories, ranging from the demolition of a historic home inciting neighbors' furies to a handicapped resident's plans to sue the city and the county.
I've covered deaths. I've covered awards and art shows. I've covered upcoming renovations to buildings and I dominated city council's budget workshops.
I love the job and now I'm standing on faith again. Would I love to make this a full time job come May 2012?
Without a doubt, absolutely.
Newspapers are in a sour place right now, but I serve Jehovah Jireh--remember that.
I'm not worried. Sometimes I get a little shaken, but as I sang to myself this morning, I'm still standing on the Word of God.
That's my foundation. Christ is my cornerstone. My rock.
He can be yours too. Not just so you can receive endless blessings, but so you can receive an unimaginable, "inexpressible" joy (1 Peter 1:8-9).
All you have to do is confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). Moreover, know that you can stand before God clean and unburdened from all your sins.
Just ask and accept.
MANY things have occurred in the past five months, but one of the most pivotal would have to be me obtaining a S.C. Press Association-sponsored internship at The News & Reporter in Chester, S.C.
When I became introduced to the idea of a town called Chester, my opinion wasn't much. I heard it was small. I heard the people could be close-minded. I heard there was nothing to do. Obviously, my interest was minimal at best.
November 2010, I applied for the S.C. Press Association--praying and pleading to God that I would be one of the three collegiate journalists in all of South Carolina to be awarded the chance to hone my skills at a professional newspaper, and gain invaluable clips and contacts in the process.
Part of my desire was to remain in the York County area, partly because I love it--partly because my church and church family are here--partly because I live here off campus and was not fond of the idea of having to pay for housing in another part of the state while still paying for my rent in Rock Hill. So, I listed The Rock Hill Herald, The Fort Mill Times, The Lancaster News and The Chester News & Reporter as papers I would like to work at this summer.
Honestly, I prayed hard for The Herald.
By April, the S.C. Press Association Foundation--the lovely body of newspaper editors, reporters and veteran journalists--still had not made their decision as to what students would get the internship and the scholarship (which I also applied for).
Then, the day came.
I can't remember the exact date because it's been several months, but yes, I received the internship. PRAISE GOD. Let me tell you, the months of waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting all culminated into a severe test of faith. Here I had nowhere to go and nowhere to work this summer if I didn't get this internship. I balked at the idea of returning to a certain place of previous employment that had absolutely nothing to do with what I felt God wanted to do with my life. I wanted to do something in my field! More than that, I had a new apartment--so I needed to pay rent. I needed a car--so I needed to pay for gas and maintenance.
But let me tell you lady and gentlemen, God is faithful.
"Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"~ Psalm 37:4.
That's no fable. It's absolutely true.
"God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should repent"~ Numbers 23:19
Believe it.
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours"~ Mark 11:24.
That's the Gospel truth.
Not only did I meditate on these Scriptures practically everyday, my faith was exercised. I told God that even if He didn't give me this internship, I knew He would provide for me. After all, He's Jehovah Jireh--a Provider (Genesis 22:14)--and He can't contradict His Word; in fact, he watches over it so that he may perform it...it never returns to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). God is obligated to His Word. More than knowing I would be taken care of, I told the Lord that I would continue to love Him, continue to worship Him, love Him even more and, yes, I was sincere about it.
My faith was added unto (2 Peter 1:5-9); not by my own merit, but by through submission to Holy Spirit and allowing Him to work. Just surrending to Him.
It works.
So, I got the internship (PRAISE GOD) and I was placed at Chester.
I'll be honest, initially, I wasn't absolutely thrilled.
Then, I came to my first day of work and I realized this could positively be one of the greatest experiences of my young adult life. Thus far--two months in, probably close to 50 or more bylines later--I'm in love with this place. This is an awesome job. I'm doing something I love to do, and something I'm gifted at. I'm learning this community and the people. The people like me. I'm calling public officials practically every day. I'm cultivating a beat. I've worked on some pretty big stories, ranging from the demolition of a historic home inciting neighbors' furies to a handicapped resident's plans to sue the city and the county.
I've covered deaths. I've covered awards and art shows. I've covered upcoming renovations to buildings and I dominated city council's budget workshops.
I love the job and now I'm standing on faith again. Would I love to make this a full time job come May 2012?
Without a doubt, absolutely.
Newspapers are in a sour place right now, but I serve Jehovah Jireh--remember that.
I'm not worried. Sometimes I get a little shaken, but as I sang to myself this morning, I'm still standing on the Word of God.
That's my foundation. Christ is my cornerstone. My rock.
He can be yours too. Not just so you can receive endless blessings, but so you can receive an unimaginable, "inexpressible" joy (1 Peter 1:8-9).
All you have to do is confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). Moreover, know that you can stand before God clean and unburdened from all your sins.
Just ask and accept.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Corporate Communicator?
Journalism is a burning passion, consuming my insides like a fire shut up in my bones.
Yet, even I have started questioning whether this is where God wants me.
I know, I know...didn't expect that one did you?
After all, how could I question journalism when I'm the assistant news editor for The Johnsonian, am all over this campus for coverage, always looking for some kind of news to write about, am part of a black journalism organization, write for my church's newsletter, was the editor-in-chief of my school newspaper, has networked with reporters and editors from The Herald to The Charlotte Observer to The Gaston Gazette, have sent my clips to several news organizations and consistently check the latest headlines for Rock Hill's local newspaper?
If anything, I'm made to work at a newspaper. It's in my blood. It's in my sweat. It's even in my tears.
And yet, the second-semester of my junior year, I am--for the first time--considering not working at a newspaper.
Before any of my mass comm. professors deem me hypocritical and inquire as to whether I'm undergoing any kind of crisis of faith, please try to understand where I'm coming from.
The newspaper journalist has changed tremendously with the dawning of social media and an all-pervasive Internet.
News is expected to be updated as soon as it breaks. Facebook and Twitter leave no room for mistakes or lagging behind.
I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all, but it seems that the document-driven, hard news investigating, grammatical-perfecting news reporting of yester-year is no longer as appreciated as it once was.
In addition to Facebook and Twitter, a journalist's work hours have extended.
Steady vacation time is rare.
Holidays happen, but you're always on call.
A journalist's life is driven by the news--trust me, I know. I'm experiencing it already in college.
Do I still enjoy it?
Absolutely!
But, as a tired, overworked and chronically fatigued 20-year-old, do I want to be 40 before I'm 30?
No, not really.
Do I want to neglect my family?
Not at all.
Do I want to occasionally miss church because I need to be in the office?
No I really don't.
Don't get me wrong, I know not only journalists work on Sundays but still, it's the principle of the thing...
I've spoken with former veteran journalists who left the career to focus more on their families. They took "safer" jobs in PR so they could actually be home to cook dinner and at least look their children and spouse in the eyes.
I know two senior journalism majors on The Johnsonian who are preparing to graduate. One is heading for Alaska before starting work. The other is going 'down under,' to Australia. She wants to take a year off before starting at a paper, just because she's felt the stress and pressure of being a student journalist and wants a rest.
Who can blame her?
It's not easy adhering to 50 deadlines at once.
So, I've started to wonder about corporate communications.
The same passion isn't there, to be honest.
But it would be safer. I would get holidays and weekends.
I would go into work at 8:30 and, chances are, be off at 5 or 6.
A lot of journalists hate the stuffy, office life. I know I would too.
Corporate communications forces me to be active--seeking new ways to keep employees, clients, etc. informed on all company activities.
Then, there's more money.
I don't want to sell out my passion for more money, but in this tough economy, it's been a passing thought.
I haven't lost faith in God.
I know He has me; I know He'll place me where He wants me. I'm just wondering if He really wants me at a paper. Would I be as active or effective in ministry? Would I have time to have a life outside of work?
I know many journalists who do have lives outside work, and who do have families.
Still, it's something I've had to consider.
Corporate communications would force me to use my journalistic skills, no doubt, but would it be the same as covering a beat? Would I receive the same satisfaction at the end of the day after writing a comprehensive, detailed feature story or a compelling hard story? Would I get used to not seeing my byline in print?
I can't say for sure anymore.
I'm believing that the answer will become clearer soon.
In the meantime, I'm considering my options with a B.A. in Mass Communication: Journalism.
I'll continue to write for The Johnsonian.
I'll continue to do my best in all that I can do.
Earlier this week, an elder from my church told me that it's good for us to wrestle with what we do or plan to do for a career.
I sure am dragging myself through the mud and enduring a body-slam.
Will it manifest? Will I land where the Lord wants me?
If I continue to put my faith in trust in Him, absolutely.
Just ask me after May 2012.
Yet, even I have started questioning whether this is where God wants me.
I know, I know...didn't expect that one did you?
After all, how could I question journalism when I'm the assistant news editor for The Johnsonian, am all over this campus for coverage, always looking for some kind of news to write about, am part of a black journalism organization, write for my church's newsletter, was the editor-in-chief of my school newspaper, has networked with reporters and editors from The Herald to The Charlotte Observer to The Gaston Gazette, have sent my clips to several news organizations and consistently check the latest headlines for Rock Hill's local newspaper?
If anything, I'm made to work at a newspaper. It's in my blood. It's in my sweat. It's even in my tears.
And yet, the second-semester of my junior year, I am--for the first time--considering not working at a newspaper.
Before any of my mass comm. professors deem me hypocritical and inquire as to whether I'm undergoing any kind of crisis of faith, please try to understand where I'm coming from.
The newspaper journalist has changed tremendously with the dawning of social media and an all-pervasive Internet.
News is expected to be updated as soon as it breaks. Facebook and Twitter leave no room for mistakes or lagging behind.
I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all, but it seems that the document-driven, hard news investigating, grammatical-perfecting news reporting of yester-year is no longer as appreciated as it once was.
In addition to Facebook and Twitter, a journalist's work hours have extended.
Steady vacation time is rare.
Holidays happen, but you're always on call.
A journalist's life is driven by the news--trust me, I know. I'm experiencing it already in college.
Do I still enjoy it?
Absolutely!
But, as a tired, overworked and chronically fatigued 20-year-old, do I want to be 40 before I'm 30?
No, not really.
Do I want to neglect my family?
Not at all.
Do I want to occasionally miss church because I need to be in the office?
No I really don't.
Don't get me wrong, I know not only journalists work on Sundays but still, it's the principle of the thing...
I've spoken with former veteran journalists who left the career to focus more on their families. They took "safer" jobs in PR so they could actually be home to cook dinner and at least look their children and spouse in the eyes.
I know two senior journalism majors on The Johnsonian who are preparing to graduate. One is heading for Alaska before starting work. The other is going 'down under,' to Australia. She wants to take a year off before starting at a paper, just because she's felt the stress and pressure of being a student journalist and wants a rest.
Who can blame her?
It's not easy adhering to 50 deadlines at once.
So, I've started to wonder about corporate communications.
The same passion isn't there, to be honest.
But it would be safer. I would get holidays and weekends.
I would go into work at 8:30 and, chances are, be off at 5 or 6.
A lot of journalists hate the stuffy, office life. I know I would too.
Corporate communications forces me to be active--seeking new ways to keep employees, clients, etc. informed on all company activities.
Then, there's more money.
I don't want to sell out my passion for more money, but in this tough economy, it's been a passing thought.
I haven't lost faith in God.
I know He has me; I know He'll place me where He wants me. I'm just wondering if He really wants me at a paper. Would I be as active or effective in ministry? Would I have time to have a life outside of work?
I know many journalists who do have lives outside work, and who do have families.
Still, it's something I've had to consider.
Corporate communications would force me to use my journalistic skills, no doubt, but would it be the same as covering a beat? Would I receive the same satisfaction at the end of the day after writing a comprehensive, detailed feature story or a compelling hard story? Would I get used to not seeing my byline in print?
I can't say for sure anymore.
I'm believing that the answer will become clearer soon.
In the meantime, I'm considering my options with a B.A. in Mass Communication: Journalism.
I'll continue to write for The Johnsonian.
I'll continue to do my best in all that I can do.
Earlier this week, an elder from my church told me that it's good for us to wrestle with what we do or plan to do for a career.
I sure am dragging myself through the mud and enduring a body-slam.
Will it manifest? Will I land where the Lord wants me?
If I continue to put my faith in trust in Him, absolutely.
Just ask me after May 2012.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Never Did Skip
In my three years as a student at Winthrop, I've never intentionally, purposefully skipped a class.
Never.
Not once.
Nada.
Sure, I've entertained the thought but I've never been able to summon the "guts" to skip a class, or take a "mental health day" as some of my peers and friends call it.
The reason being simply guilt.
Every time the thought crossed my mind, I would feel like I would let the professor down, or let myself down.
I would also be giving up a title..."the good student." Sometimes, "the dedicated student."
I shuddered to think what would happen if one of my professors happened not to see me in class one day.
I scoffed at the thought of missing some important piece of information that was surely to be invaluable on the next exam.
No matter how tired, no matter what had occurred in my personal life, I just refused to skip a class.
Is this a good thing?
Not necessarily.
As I said, I didn't want to relinquish the title of "good student." If there's one thing in my years of churchgoing, Bible-reading, ministry-working, is that a person should never chase after a title.
In fact, titles can sometimes be more of a curse than a blessing.
No, "good student" isn't an official title that's going to appear under my name on my degree.
I'm not going to put "good student" next to my GPA on my resume.
Yet, I liked feeling that way. I liked making good grades and being dependable.
Well, last semester, I was surely humbled.
Car trouble led to me missing the last class before the final of my community journalism course.
Fortunately, the final was a paper.
A week later, my own mistake led me to missing my CRTW final.
There I was, walking into Kinard 308 at 3 p.m., striding confidently--ready to tackle my final in-class essay when I realized that I did not recognize one person in that class.
Well, I did recognize one person and probably would have recognized more if I stayed in there long enough to make things twice as awkward, but that's beside the point.
I rushed to my professor's office and, by the grace of God, she allowed me to take my exam.
Still, talk about embarrassing. Imagine how that crushed my "good student" persona in my own mind.
I came to a quick realization.
Number one, no one's perfect. Number two, don't try to be perfect. Number three, eliminate the idea that you can attain any sort of perfection from your consciousness. And finally, number four, no one--even the most seasoned obsessive compulsive disorder (sometimes I wonder if people inflict OCD themselves in order to feel competent in our occasionally elitist society)--is on the top of their game all the time.
With that said, I'm still not going to purposefully skip class--nor do I condone it. What I do condone is a time for mental rest.
I can recall many nights staying on campus late through The Johnsonian layout and then the next morning trudging into class, yawning incessantly and guzzling coffee like I hadn't had anything to drink in days.
It's not always healthy--nor does it feel good.
Being the "good student" along with the "good Christian," "good journalist," "good roommate," "good friend," "good member of organization#1," "good member of organization#2," "good member of organization#3," "good church-goer," and good everything else isn't the most important thing.
God is.
So, for my own sanity and for the love of God, I must take a mental rest day.
It has to happen.
I just pray I realize it before it's too late.
Never.
Not once.
Nada.
Sure, I've entertained the thought but I've never been able to summon the "guts" to skip a class, or take a "mental health day" as some of my peers and friends call it.
The reason being simply guilt.
Every time the thought crossed my mind, I would feel like I would let the professor down, or let myself down.
I would also be giving up a title..."the good student." Sometimes, "the dedicated student."
I shuddered to think what would happen if one of my professors happened not to see me in class one day.
I scoffed at the thought of missing some important piece of information that was surely to be invaluable on the next exam.
No matter how tired, no matter what had occurred in my personal life, I just refused to skip a class.
Is this a good thing?
Not necessarily.
As I said, I didn't want to relinquish the title of "good student." If there's one thing in my years of churchgoing, Bible-reading, ministry-working, is that a person should never chase after a title.
In fact, titles can sometimes be more of a curse than a blessing.
No, "good student" isn't an official title that's going to appear under my name on my degree.
I'm not going to put "good student" next to my GPA on my resume.
Yet, I liked feeling that way. I liked making good grades and being dependable.
Well, last semester, I was surely humbled.
Car trouble led to me missing the last class before the final of my community journalism course.
Fortunately, the final was a paper.
A week later, my own mistake led me to missing my CRTW final.
There I was, walking into Kinard 308 at 3 p.m., striding confidently--ready to tackle my final in-class essay when I realized that I did not recognize one person in that class.
Well, I did recognize one person and probably would have recognized more if I stayed in there long enough to make things twice as awkward, but that's beside the point.
I rushed to my professor's office and, by the grace of God, she allowed me to take my exam.
Still, talk about embarrassing. Imagine how that crushed my "good student" persona in my own mind.
I came to a quick realization.
Number one, no one's perfect. Number two, don't try to be perfect. Number three, eliminate the idea that you can attain any sort of perfection from your consciousness. And finally, number four, no one--even the most seasoned obsessive compulsive disorder (sometimes I wonder if people inflict OCD themselves in order to feel competent in our occasionally elitist society)--is on the top of their game all the time.
With that said, I'm still not going to purposefully skip class--nor do I condone it. What I do condone is a time for mental rest.
I can recall many nights staying on campus late through The Johnsonian layout and then the next morning trudging into class, yawning incessantly and guzzling coffee like I hadn't had anything to drink in days.
It's not always healthy--nor does it feel good.
Being the "good student" along with the "good Christian," "good journalist," "good roommate," "good friend," "good member of organization#1," "good member of organization#2," "good member of organization#3," "good church-goer," and good everything else isn't the most important thing.
God is.
So, for my own sanity and for the love of God, I must take a mental rest day.
It has to happen.
I just pray I realize it before it's too late.
NABJ hosts cultural event program, impresses yet again
Ok, so the headline may be a little biased and subjective, but come on, why not do some internal reporting/bragging on a personal blog?
WUNABJ (Winthrop University Association of Black Journalists) hosted and facilitated, "Is It Because I'm Black?" a panel featuring several black professionals discussing racial discrimination, stereotyping and career advancement in the workplace.
It was also an approved cultural event, something all Winthrop students need if they plan to walk across the stage.
All I have to say is that I'm very proud of this organization.
It's an unexplainable feeling to see something you're a part of grow and gain notoriety.
I'm not saying we're infamous on campus, but we're a black organization that's doing something big.
I'm not saying other black organizations on campus don't, but we're a bit different. We're a group full of up and coming, aspiring black media professionals and we're doing well. We're putting on mixers--something Winthrop's Mass Comm. department hasn't done before. We're winning cultural event status--something the Society of Professional Journalists hasn't been too successful at doing.
Not to look down on my own academic department, but I feel that NABJ has really made some strides in the last couple of months and I pray that we continue to go forward.
I thank God that I'm a part of this organization and I thank God for the people I work with. We may not all talk the same, look the same or agree about the same things at all times, but one thing we do agree about--we want NABJ to be big and we want to make a difference.
More importantly, we realize and appreciate the importance of networking.
Great job NABJ...let's keep it moving!
WUNABJ (Winthrop University Association of Black Journalists) hosted and facilitated, "Is It Because I'm Black?" a panel featuring several black professionals discussing racial discrimination, stereotyping and career advancement in the workplace.
It was also an approved cultural event, something all Winthrop students need if they plan to walk across the stage.
All I have to say is that I'm very proud of this organization.
It's an unexplainable feeling to see something you're a part of grow and gain notoriety.
I'm not saying we're infamous on campus, but we're a black organization that's doing something big.
I'm not saying other black organizations on campus don't, but we're a bit different. We're a group full of up and coming, aspiring black media professionals and we're doing well. We're putting on mixers--something Winthrop's Mass Comm. department hasn't done before. We're winning cultural event status--something the Society of Professional Journalists hasn't been too successful at doing.
Not to look down on my own academic department, but I feel that NABJ has really made some strides in the last couple of months and I pray that we continue to go forward.
I thank God that I'm a part of this organization and I thank God for the people I work with. We may not all talk the same, look the same or agree about the same things at all times, but one thing we do agree about--we want NABJ to be big and we want to make a difference.
More importantly, we realize and appreciate the importance of networking.
Great job NABJ...let's keep it moving!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Just Relax Already! Geez!
So, it's been a while since I've blogged. I know one of the primary tenets of blogging is consistency, but when you're writing and reporting constantly, a college student who lives off-campus, dedicated to ministry and trying to avoid stress, some things end up being neglected.
That's what brings me to my newest treatise (just a joke, of course). Really, this feels like a random spool of thoughts, but where better to spool?
Busyness is never a good thing. If there's one common theme that's permeated my blog is that I've battled with a "busy spirit" for a while now.
Something in me can't stand not doing anything. If I'm sitting down in my apartment, with nothing to do but relax, my entire being becomes shaken.
I get jittery.
I look for things to do.
I actually experience "relaxer's guilt," bringing about my own feelings of worthlessness, laziness and conviction from not overwhelming myself with "meaningful" tasks.
About two days ago, I took some time to scour the blogs of The Gaston Gazette's reporters. One of them, Amanda Memrick, was a featured panelist at the CAABJ Student Forum I and several other NABJ members attended last October.
As I was reading through Memrick's posts, I came upon one where she described her own busyness. She chronicled her efforts not to check her SmartPhone, check her e-mail or think about the stories for the week that needed to be written.
She actually tried to enjoy her weekend off.
She credited technology for the world's preoccupation with work.
I think she has a point.
Once upon a time, leisure was a very important part of life.
Let's look at God's command to the Israelites that they take the seventh day of the week to do no work.
Instead, they were to relax.
All cooking, cleaning and any other sort of preparation needed to be taken care of the day before the Sabbath.
If anyone was found working on the Sabbath, they would die.
Of course, Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law so that we no longer have to live by the many rules and regulations one can find throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Still, I firmly believe Jesus wants us to relax.
Why?
Because it brings much-needed refreshment and rejuvenation.
"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"~ Matthew 28:11
"Be still and know that I am God"~ Psalm 46:10
"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him..."~ Psalm 37:7 (some translations say, "Rest in the Lord...")
These are only three scriptures to illustrate the importance of rest.
Are we commissioned to go into all the world and seek the lost? Yes
Are we given a very important work? Yes indeed
Is the harvest right, but the workers few? Yuppers.
Does that mean we should all burn ourselves out and wear our bodies out until we're ineffective ourselves and, not only do we not enjoy life, but we no longer enjoy Christ or ministry? I don't think so.
As the Israelites traveled through the wilderness, Moses acted as the people's holy liaison to God--he was their access point to the Almighty.
Several times, Moses had to intercede for the people after they disobeyed one of God's commands and were two seconds away from experiencing the totality of His unbridled wrath.
In Exodus 18, after the Israelites have just defeated the Amelakites (OT prototypes for the flesh), Moses sat as a judge for the people, settling their disputes and providing for their needs.
His father-in-law Jethro had come to visit him and was a bit disturbed at what he witnessed. Moses was doing all the work!
Jethro, in not so many words, told Moses that the burden would be too heavy for him--instead he needed to delegate responsibilities so that the work did not overwhelm him or anyone else (paraphrase of Exodus 18:13-23).
Similarly, in Acts, as the Early Church began to undergo its initial formation, the Hellenists (Greeks/Gentiles) began to complain that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.
The disciples though were on fire (figuratively, yet literally). The Holy Spirit had just come at Pentecost and true evangelism began.
But, how could the disciples preach the Gospel, make and mentor disciples, watch over the church, take care of the widows, etc.?
Though they were given divine power by God, they were still human.
Thus, the 12 (not including Judas, but including Matthias) gathered together and chose seven men from among their number to serve as overseers of the people (this is where we get our duties of the office of the deacon--Acts 6:1-7; 1 Timothy 3:8-13).
The point is, no man is an island.
None of us can do it alone, and it makes no sense to try. What we could do instead is overwhelm ourselves with so many jobs, tasks and responsibilities that we miss out on what God truly wants for us and others.
Let's remember Mary and Martha, who while hosting Jesus at their home, took on two separate roles.
While Martha was the busy-bee taking care of the household business, Mary stayed at the feet of Jesus--speaking with Him and spending time in His awesome presence.
Sometimes, we just need to stop the hustle and kneel at Jesus' feet. There are things He wants to tell us, but we won't hear unless we're as attentive as Samuel (1 Samuel 3; Luke 10:38-41). Once Samuel stopped and listened, God began to reveal himself at Shiloh, after there had been no revelation for years.
Personally, I want to hear from the Lord. There seemed to be a time where I could hear Him so clearly, but then I became so preoccupied. First, it started with two jobs, then a heavy work load with school and The Johnsonian and now I find myself in a cycle.
I'm sick of the cycle and I'm ready for change.
Yes, we have to work. We can't take relaxation as an excuse for being lazy--because that also brings about ineffectiveness.
But, we can't work ourselves to the ground till the point we lose all heart. Before we know it, we'll grow weary in well-doing and faint. Like the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2, we'll forget our first love and just continue to do good work.
Good work is great and all, but I rather be with Jesus; I rather be in His presence--flawed and all--than attempt to be a perfectionist workaholic that feels heavy on the inside.
"Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain"~ 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NRSV).
That's what brings me to my newest treatise (just a joke, of course). Really, this feels like a random spool of thoughts, but where better to spool?
Busyness is never a good thing. If there's one common theme that's permeated my blog is that I've battled with a "busy spirit" for a while now.
Something in me can't stand not doing anything. If I'm sitting down in my apartment, with nothing to do but relax, my entire being becomes shaken.
I get jittery.
I look for things to do.
I actually experience "relaxer's guilt," bringing about my own feelings of worthlessness, laziness and conviction from not overwhelming myself with "meaningful" tasks.
About two days ago, I took some time to scour the blogs of The Gaston Gazette's reporters. One of them, Amanda Memrick, was a featured panelist at the CAABJ Student Forum I and several other NABJ members attended last October.
As I was reading through Memrick's posts, I came upon one where she described her own busyness. She chronicled her efforts not to check her SmartPhone, check her e-mail or think about the stories for the week that needed to be written.
She actually tried to enjoy her weekend off.
She credited technology for the world's preoccupation with work.
I think she has a point.
Once upon a time, leisure was a very important part of life.
Let's look at God's command to the Israelites that they take the seventh day of the week to do no work.
Instead, they were to relax.
All cooking, cleaning and any other sort of preparation needed to be taken care of the day before the Sabbath.
If anyone was found working on the Sabbath, they would die.
Of course, Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law so that we no longer have to live by the many rules and regulations one can find throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Still, I firmly believe Jesus wants us to relax.
Why?
Because it brings much-needed refreshment and rejuvenation.
"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"~ Matthew 28:11
"Be still and know that I am God"~ Psalm 46:10
"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him..."~ Psalm 37:7 (some translations say, "Rest in the Lord...")
These are only three scriptures to illustrate the importance of rest.
Are we commissioned to go into all the world and seek the lost? Yes
Are we given a very important work? Yes indeed
Is the harvest right, but the workers few? Yuppers.
Does that mean we should all burn ourselves out and wear our bodies out until we're ineffective ourselves and, not only do we not enjoy life, but we no longer enjoy Christ or ministry? I don't think so.
As the Israelites traveled through the wilderness, Moses acted as the people's holy liaison to God--he was their access point to the Almighty.
Several times, Moses had to intercede for the people after they disobeyed one of God's commands and were two seconds away from experiencing the totality of His unbridled wrath.
In Exodus 18, after the Israelites have just defeated the Amelakites (OT prototypes for the flesh), Moses sat as a judge for the people, settling their disputes and providing for their needs.
His father-in-law Jethro had come to visit him and was a bit disturbed at what he witnessed. Moses was doing all the work!
Jethro, in not so many words, told Moses that the burden would be too heavy for him--instead he needed to delegate responsibilities so that the work did not overwhelm him or anyone else (paraphrase of Exodus 18:13-23).
Similarly, in Acts, as the Early Church began to undergo its initial formation, the Hellenists (Greeks/Gentiles) began to complain that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.
The disciples though were on fire (figuratively, yet literally). The Holy Spirit had just come at Pentecost and true evangelism began.
But, how could the disciples preach the Gospel, make and mentor disciples, watch over the church, take care of the widows, etc.?
Though they were given divine power by God, they were still human.
Thus, the 12 (not including Judas, but including Matthias) gathered together and chose seven men from among their number to serve as overseers of the people (this is where we get our duties of the office of the deacon--Acts 6:1-7; 1 Timothy 3:8-13).
The point is, no man is an island.
None of us can do it alone, and it makes no sense to try. What we could do instead is overwhelm ourselves with so many jobs, tasks and responsibilities that we miss out on what God truly wants for us and others.
Let's remember Mary and Martha, who while hosting Jesus at their home, took on two separate roles.
While Martha was the busy-bee taking care of the household business, Mary stayed at the feet of Jesus--speaking with Him and spending time in His awesome presence.
Sometimes, we just need to stop the hustle and kneel at Jesus' feet. There are things He wants to tell us, but we won't hear unless we're as attentive as Samuel (1 Samuel 3; Luke 10:38-41). Once Samuel stopped and listened, God began to reveal himself at Shiloh, after there had been no revelation for years.
Personally, I want to hear from the Lord. There seemed to be a time where I could hear Him so clearly, but then I became so preoccupied. First, it started with two jobs, then a heavy work load with school and The Johnsonian and now I find myself in a cycle.
I'm sick of the cycle and I'm ready for change.
Yes, we have to work. We can't take relaxation as an excuse for being lazy--because that also brings about ineffectiveness.
But, we can't work ourselves to the ground till the point we lose all heart. Before we know it, we'll grow weary in well-doing and faint. Like the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2, we'll forget our first love and just continue to do good work.
Good work is great and all, but I rather be with Jesus; I rather be in His presence--flawed and all--than attempt to be a perfectionist workaholic that feels heavy on the inside.
"Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain"~ 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NRSV).
Monday, January 24, 2011
State of the Unity
The infighting needs to stop.
At least that is the tone President Obama tried to set during his speech at the University of Arizona memorial for victims of Jared Lee Loughner’s shooting rampage.
Perhaps the most bracing moment was when Mr. Obama revealed that Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford, who had been shot in the head by Jared Loughner, opened her eyes.
The nation held its breath and then let out a collective, “Awwww.”
Subsequently, Mr. Obama has experienced a big bounce in Gallup approval ratings.
Very impressive considering just in October, his approval ratings had dropped to their all-time low since the president took his term in office.
Perhaps “civility” was the code word all along.
Maybe it’s Mr. Obama who will usher the nation into the America our founding fathers tried to foster—or prevent, depending on whichever historical conspiracy theory is currently popular.
Still, the past refuses to be ignored, or better yet, his opponents refuse to let bygones be bygones.
Yet, all hope is not lost. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both experienced loss of favor with the American public while in office, both experienced hits of approval during their third year.
Third time is the charm?
In a new day and age where the Republican’s refusal to raise the debt ceiling could spell certain disaster for the United State’s already-fragile economy, several answers need to be addressed in Mr. Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday.
The question: will Mr. Obama’s quest for national unity and his recent gains with the American public sway independents long enough to support him as debate about the debt ceiling with Republicans prepares to go full swing?
The fight won’t be easy.
Last Tuesday, the House approved new rules for Republicans, making it harder to pass a debt-limit increase, according to an article in The New York Times.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told congressional leaders for both Republicans and Democrats that the outstanding national debt amounts to $13.95 trillion.
Failure to increase the debt limit will result in the Treasury defaulting on legal obligations and payments to bondholders in the U.S. and overseas, The New York Times reported.
Federal benefits such as Medicare, Social Security and military salaries would cease payments.
The forecast doesn’t look too pretty and Mr. Obama is going to need all the help he can get, and he seems to be trying by adding more pro-business allies to his administration.
His efforts are probably most notable in his recent choice of Jerry R. Immelt, chairman and chief executive of General Electric, as his chief outside economic adviser Friday.
Mr. Obama said that it’s time the nation moves past its economic woes and focus on recovery, according to an article published in The New York Times.
Along with the potential doomsday that many fear are on the horizon, Mr. Obama must contend with the savage refusal of Republicans on the health care bill.
The Democrats proposed and approved health care legislation. The Republicans wrote a bill to repeal health care law. The battle is predicted to carry on into 2013.
The infighting hasn’t stopped yet.
With his approval rating gradually improving and his intense focus on job-creation, Mr. Obama may experience a resurgence of popularity and favor from the American public by his 2012 re-election campaign.
With his touching speech encouraging the nation to move beyond its bipartisan loyalties and agendas and, instead, grow as a nation, Mr. Obama definitely continued to confidently march his way into the annals of history.
Undoubtedly, Mr. Obama has proven himself a charismatic president. With his down-to-earth personality, fantasy football membership, popularity with black church congregants, appearances in an Amazing Spider Man comic book and bobble-heads made in his image, Mr. Obama may be termed the common man’s president.
Yet, it’ll take more than charisma, a winning smile and encouraging words to change the critical and disappointed minds of 56 percent of the nation who say the country’s on the wrong track.
On January 25, it’ll be the time for the president to address a dividing nation. It’ll be the time for a solution to the deficit. Now’s the time for open dialogue and clear plans on how more jobs will be created for more Americans. In his State of the Union address, Mr. Obama will undoubtedly continue his stride of national unity and, hopefully, questions will be answered.
At least that is the tone President Obama tried to set during his speech at the University of Arizona memorial for victims of Jared Lee Loughner’s shooting rampage.
Perhaps the most bracing moment was when Mr. Obama revealed that Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford, who had been shot in the head by Jared Loughner, opened her eyes.
The nation held its breath and then let out a collective, “Awwww.”
Subsequently, Mr. Obama has experienced a big bounce in Gallup approval ratings.
Very impressive considering just in October, his approval ratings had dropped to their all-time low since the president took his term in office.
Perhaps “civility” was the code word all along.
Maybe it’s Mr. Obama who will usher the nation into the America our founding fathers tried to foster—or prevent, depending on whichever historical conspiracy theory is currently popular.
Still, the past refuses to be ignored, or better yet, his opponents refuse to let bygones be bygones.
Yet, all hope is not lost. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both experienced loss of favor with the American public while in office, both experienced hits of approval during their third year.
Third time is the charm?
In a new day and age where the Republican’s refusal to raise the debt ceiling could spell certain disaster for the United State’s already-fragile economy, several answers need to be addressed in Mr. Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday.
The question: will Mr. Obama’s quest for national unity and his recent gains with the American public sway independents long enough to support him as debate about the debt ceiling with Republicans prepares to go full swing?
The fight won’t be easy.
Last Tuesday, the House approved new rules for Republicans, making it harder to pass a debt-limit increase, according to an article in The New York Times.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told congressional leaders for both Republicans and Democrats that the outstanding national debt amounts to $13.95 trillion.
Failure to increase the debt limit will result in the Treasury defaulting on legal obligations and payments to bondholders in the U.S. and overseas, The New York Times reported.
Federal benefits such as Medicare, Social Security and military salaries would cease payments.
The forecast doesn’t look too pretty and Mr. Obama is going to need all the help he can get, and he seems to be trying by adding more pro-business allies to his administration.
His efforts are probably most notable in his recent choice of Jerry R. Immelt, chairman and chief executive of General Electric, as his chief outside economic adviser Friday.
Mr. Obama said that it’s time the nation moves past its economic woes and focus on recovery, according to an article published in The New York Times.
Along with the potential doomsday that many fear are on the horizon, Mr. Obama must contend with the savage refusal of Republicans on the health care bill.
The Democrats proposed and approved health care legislation. The Republicans wrote a bill to repeal health care law. The battle is predicted to carry on into 2013.
The infighting hasn’t stopped yet.
With his approval rating gradually improving and his intense focus on job-creation, Mr. Obama may experience a resurgence of popularity and favor from the American public by his 2012 re-election campaign.
With his touching speech encouraging the nation to move beyond its bipartisan loyalties and agendas and, instead, grow as a nation, Mr. Obama definitely continued to confidently march his way into the annals of history.
Undoubtedly, Mr. Obama has proven himself a charismatic president. With his down-to-earth personality, fantasy football membership, popularity with black church congregants, appearances in an Amazing Spider Man comic book and bobble-heads made in his image, Mr. Obama may be termed the common man’s president.
Yet, it’ll take more than charisma, a winning smile and encouraging words to change the critical and disappointed minds of 56 percent of the nation who say the country’s on the wrong track.
On January 25, it’ll be the time for the president to address a dividing nation. It’ll be the time for a solution to the deficit. Now’s the time for open dialogue and clear plans on how more jobs will be created for more Americans. In his State of the Union address, Mr. Obama will undoubtedly continue his stride of national unity and, hopefully, questions will be answered.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Be Still & Know
So, it's been a while since I've blogged though I said I was going to try and do it more regularly.
During Christmas Break, I kind of took some liberties and actually took a break (perish the thought, I know). But it was a good break. It gave me a chance to sit back, relax, enjoy my family, enjoy my apartment even and really enjoy the Lord.
So many times it's easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life, whether it's work, school or even recreational activities, that we fail to spend adequate enough time with God.
It can even get to the point where when we get the chance to spend time with God, we find anything and everything else to do than just look in His face and say, "Hi!"
First and foremost I thank God that He graced me with the time I had off--time truly can be a blessing.
Second, I want to regale my audience (if anyone's reading) with the important lesson about having a restful and peaceful state of mind and being amidst a chaotic livelihood.
It's January 10--the day Winthrop University students are supposed to return to class. In essence, it's the day we're supposed to get back on the grind.
For upperclassmen who are heavily involved in extracurricular activities and something additional (maybe ministry), it can be a hectic time.
Because my mind is so used to racing and my body used to always being on the go, it was difficult at first to 'calm down' during the break.
Finally, I stopped and remembered Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God."
God is in control. God is the Lord of our lives. God cares so much about us and our daily needs that He's Jehovah Jireh--the God Who Provides.
When Abraham was tested by God in Gen. 22, in which the Lord requested that Abraham sacrifice Isaac, Abraham obediently executed the order the Lord had commanded. Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac on the altar, but the Lord told him not to. Instead, Abraham sacrificed a ram and passed the test. There, Abraham called God Jehovah Jireh (Gen. 22:14).
Knowing that God's got your back--that He has everything taken care of, from the rent to the light bill to the gas in the car to the final exam to the new job to emotional healing to ministry work to true happiness--is true rest.
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him," (Psalm 37:7); "...The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him," (Lamentations 3:24).
Once I returned to Rock Hill, busyness tried to overtake my mind once again. But Tabernacle of Praise Church International entered into our Holy Convocation Week--a time to consecrate ourselves unto the Lord for the new year by spending special time with Him in fasting, prayer and reading the Word.
What an awesome time it was!
In this year of making deliberate progress, I want to deliberately spend more time with the Lord--deliberately rest in His safety--deliberately study more and more of His Word--deliberately love on Him as much as possible.
Busyness in life will come; it is inevitable in this chaotic, sinful world.
But rest in the Lord and peace of mind is also possible by trusting God and being filled with Holy Spirit.
"For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid but gives us power, love and self-discipline," (2 Timothy 1:7-TNIV). Some versions say a "sound mind."
As we foray through 2011, let's devote ourselves to resting in the Lord. I've realized it's okay to take a break once in a while and tell the Lord, "God, I love you."
It's okay to even take a nap and linger in God's presence for more than five minutes.
During Christmas Break, I kind of took some liberties and actually took a break (perish the thought, I know). But it was a good break. It gave me a chance to sit back, relax, enjoy my family, enjoy my apartment even and really enjoy the Lord.
So many times it's easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life, whether it's work, school or even recreational activities, that we fail to spend adequate enough time with God.
It can even get to the point where when we get the chance to spend time with God, we find anything and everything else to do than just look in His face and say, "Hi!"
First and foremost I thank God that He graced me with the time I had off--time truly can be a blessing.
Second, I want to regale my audience (if anyone's reading) with the important lesson about having a restful and peaceful state of mind and being amidst a chaotic livelihood.
It's January 10--the day Winthrop University students are supposed to return to class. In essence, it's the day we're supposed to get back on the grind.
For upperclassmen who are heavily involved in extracurricular activities and something additional (maybe ministry), it can be a hectic time.
Because my mind is so used to racing and my body used to always being on the go, it was difficult at first to 'calm down' during the break.
Finally, I stopped and remembered Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God."
God is in control. God is the Lord of our lives. God cares so much about us and our daily needs that He's Jehovah Jireh--the God Who Provides.
When Abraham was tested by God in Gen. 22, in which the Lord requested that Abraham sacrifice Isaac, Abraham obediently executed the order the Lord had commanded. Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac on the altar, but the Lord told him not to. Instead, Abraham sacrificed a ram and passed the test. There, Abraham called God Jehovah Jireh (Gen. 22:14).
Knowing that God's got your back--that He has everything taken care of, from the rent to the light bill to the gas in the car to the final exam to the new job to emotional healing to ministry work to true happiness--is true rest.
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him," (Psalm 37:7); "...The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him," (Lamentations 3:24).
Once I returned to Rock Hill, busyness tried to overtake my mind once again. But Tabernacle of Praise Church International entered into our Holy Convocation Week--a time to consecrate ourselves unto the Lord for the new year by spending special time with Him in fasting, prayer and reading the Word.
What an awesome time it was!
In this year of making deliberate progress, I want to deliberately spend more time with the Lord--deliberately rest in His safety--deliberately study more and more of His Word--deliberately love on Him as much as possible.
Busyness in life will come; it is inevitable in this chaotic, sinful world.
But rest in the Lord and peace of mind is also possible by trusting God and being filled with Holy Spirit.
"For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid but gives us power, love and self-discipline," (2 Timothy 1:7-TNIV). Some versions say a "sound mind."
As we foray through 2011, let's devote ourselves to resting in the Lord. I've realized it's okay to take a break once in a while and tell the Lord, "God, I love you."
It's okay to even take a nap and linger in God's presence for more than five minutes.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Oh! The Love of Christ
Christmas doth approach.
It's a season of glad tidings.
It's a season of flashing lights, gift-giving, food-cooking, family-gathering, tree-trimming, carol-singing, sled-riding and church play-acting.
It's a season where people take time out of their busy, self-consumed schedules to be generous.
During my childhood, it seemed to be a time where everyone was all of a sudden so happy and caring and people would be filled with excitement.
At least, this is the commercial, money-making meaning of the holiday--including the cloy plays and movies which portray the Nativity Scene as picturesque, beautiful and tranquil; something you would want to put in a snow globe.
Well, none of that is what Christmas is all about.
Christmas is about Christ and God's immeasurable love for His creation.
Christmas is about God loving us so much that He would send His only begotten son--1/3 of Himself--down to a sinful, impure, miserable earth to redeem a miserable, hopeless and lost people.
Christmas is about remembering the love of Christ. How deep it is. How wide it is. How great it is.
It's a great love; the same love which should be rooted so deeply in Christians that the atmosphere changes when we enter a room; that bonds are broken and captives set free; that we triumph in spiritual warfare; that we maintain consistent intimacy with Christ; that we are united as believers; that God's Kingdom may be established through His church.
Is there anything wrong with celebrating Christmas?
Not at all.
Is it wrong to let the people in your life know how much you love and appreciate them?
Of course not.
Is it wrong to do this one day out of the year and turn it into a colossal commercial conundrum?
I believe so.
Because the love of Christ can't be bought or sold. None of us earned it, but it's by grace we have been saved. It's by grace that we are redeemed. Nothing we could ever do--EVER--will guarantee us earning our salvation. But it is the matchless, amazing love of Christ that sets us free from damnation.
And once we experience such a love, we should share it. We should exude it. We should live, eat, breathe and sweat it.
There's so much I could say but can't say at the same time. I'm still learning about the love of Christ--we'll always be learning about it. But when that revelation hits that He loves us--really, truly, absolutely, without a doubt loves us and we come to truly, absolutely, without a doubt love Him--it feels good.
It makes you want to be generous at all times.
It makes you want to forgive others.
It makes you want to smile.
It makes you want to dance, run, shout and sing!
It makes you want to cry with tears of joy.
It gives you the strength to love other people, even the ones who make it hard for people to love them.
Through the love of Christ, we see people as Christ sees them.
Through realization of the human, sinful condition, we feel pity for lost souls.
That's why we seek them. The genuine love of Christ gives us no choice.
If we love a person, we won't push them in front of a speeding truck.
That's what hell is...a speeding truck.
The love of Christ compels us to be better; not just on Dec. 25, but every single day we are blessed with breath.
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ."~ Ephesians 3:18 (TNIV)
It's a season of glad tidings.
It's a season of flashing lights, gift-giving, food-cooking, family-gathering, tree-trimming, carol-singing, sled-riding and church play-acting.
It's a season where people take time out of their busy, self-consumed schedules to be generous.
During my childhood, it seemed to be a time where everyone was all of a sudden so happy and caring and people would be filled with excitement.
At least, this is the commercial, money-making meaning of the holiday--including the cloy plays and movies which portray the Nativity Scene as picturesque, beautiful and tranquil; something you would want to put in a snow globe.
Well, none of that is what Christmas is all about.
Christmas is about Christ and God's immeasurable love for His creation.
Christmas is about God loving us so much that He would send His only begotten son--1/3 of Himself--down to a sinful, impure, miserable earth to redeem a miserable, hopeless and lost people.
Christmas is about remembering the love of Christ. How deep it is. How wide it is. How great it is.
It's a great love; the same love which should be rooted so deeply in Christians that the atmosphere changes when we enter a room; that bonds are broken and captives set free; that we triumph in spiritual warfare; that we maintain consistent intimacy with Christ; that we are united as believers; that God's Kingdom may be established through His church.
Is there anything wrong with celebrating Christmas?
Not at all.
Is it wrong to let the people in your life know how much you love and appreciate them?
Of course not.
Is it wrong to do this one day out of the year and turn it into a colossal commercial conundrum?
I believe so.
Because the love of Christ can't be bought or sold. None of us earned it, but it's by grace we have been saved. It's by grace that we are redeemed. Nothing we could ever do--EVER--will guarantee us earning our salvation. But it is the matchless, amazing love of Christ that sets us free from damnation.
And once we experience such a love, we should share it. We should exude it. We should live, eat, breathe and sweat it.
There's so much I could say but can't say at the same time. I'm still learning about the love of Christ--we'll always be learning about it. But when that revelation hits that He loves us--really, truly, absolutely, without a doubt loves us and we come to truly, absolutely, without a doubt love Him--it feels good.
It makes you want to be generous at all times.
It makes you want to forgive others.
It makes you want to smile.
It makes you want to dance, run, shout and sing!
It makes you want to cry with tears of joy.
It gives you the strength to love other people, even the ones who make it hard for people to love them.
Through the love of Christ, we see people as Christ sees them.
Through realization of the human, sinful condition, we feel pity for lost souls.
That's why we seek them. The genuine love of Christ gives us no choice.
If we love a person, we won't push them in front of a speeding truck.
That's what hell is...a speeding truck.
The love of Christ compels us to be better; not just on Dec. 25, but every single day we are blessed with breath.
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ."~ Ephesians 3:18 (TNIV)
Jessica Jeter: Hometown Hero
When she was younger, Jessica Jeter just wanted her own room.
Now, the 20-year-old junior economics and political science double major is helping others get their own homes as fundraising and Youth United coordinator for York County’s Habitat for Humanity.
An aspiring attorney, Jeter’s well-kept and business-minded demeanor displays her as a woman fit for the courtroom.
Yet, Jeter has seen her share of struggle.
Early into middle school, Jeter and her family left their home of Baltimore, Md. and moved to Greenville, S.C.
Financial struggles followed them south.
“As a kid, I never had a room of my own,” Jeter said.
In May 2008, Jeter walked across the stage of Wade Hampton High School as a high school graduate. A new home purchased by her parents, the Rev. Dr. DeWayne and Kimberly Jeter, was part of her graduation gift.
“I always told my parents if there’s one thing that I wanted, I just wanted my own room one day,” Jeter said. “I just wanted to be able to come home to my own room, to my own space.”
Once graduating high school, Jeter got what she asked for.
Her next request was attendance at Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga.
She got in. On the same token, tuition was $33,000.
Having just purchased a new home, her parents couldn’t afford to send their daughter to her dream school.
Jeter went to Greenville Technical College her freshman year. Her parents hadn’t forgotten their daughter’s dreams of attending a four-year university.
Winthrop soon rose on the horizon.
Things didn’t become easier once Jeter , a sophomore at the time, was accepted to Winthrop. The day before her orientation, her dad, pastor of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, lost his job. Around that same time, Jeter learned that the university wasn’t offering her any financial aid.
“The only thing that was offered to me was student loans,” she said.
Even with the loans, Jeter still had to pay $1,448 monthly to attend school.
“I was like ‘wow, we only lived in our new house for like a year, my dad just lost his job the day before my orientation and they’re asking that I pay this big ole lump sum,” Jeter said. “I didn’t know how I was going to do it.”
At the end of the day, it came down to Jeter’s parents making a choice between their mortgage or her tuition at Winthrop.
“I was like I can’t ask my parents to do that,” Jeter said.
She was ready to go to Greenville Tech another year but Jeter’s father, the Rev. Dr. DeWayne Jeter, was adamant that his daughter would attend Winthrop.
His determination paid off. Jeter and her parents cut out on-campus living fees from her tuition and decided that she would need to live off-campus. In addition, the mortgage was paid.
After hunting for apartments throughout Rock Hill and encountering issues with her first set of roommates, Jeter met her current three roommates and they moved into an apartment together.
Living at an apartment with a month-to-month lease, their landlord increased their rent during the scorching summer months.
With her parents paying her rent and her dad still unemployed, Jeter could not afford to stay in the apartment. Neither could her roommates.
Eventually, all four women moved to a Walk2Campus house.
Walk2Campus is an off-campus housing group which has formed a partnership with Winthrop to provide off-campus alternative housing for Winthrop students in Rock Hill.
Recently, Jeter’s mom’s medical coding company was bought out and her salary cut. Even with her father unemployed and her mom’s salary cut, Jeter said her family is making it.
“We pay our mortgage on time, the rent gets paid on time, we still have all of our cars,” Jeter said. “It just surprises me, it really does.”
Enter Habitat
It wasn’t strictly a love for volunteering that led Jeter to begin working with Habitat for Humanity—it was the people she already knew in high school.
“The high school I went to, a majority of the students were raised in single-home families,” Jeter said. “So there were one or two individuals I already knew of who had their home built [by Habitat].”
It was through this firsthand experience that Jeter saw the impact Habitat for Humanity made in the lives of children and teenagers. It was something she wanted to be a part of.
After her high school sponsored Greenville’s Habitat for Humanity for spirit week, Jeter began attending meetings. Soon, she was volunteering any Saturday she didn’t have a track or cheerleading competition.
While at Greenville Tech, Jeter wasn’t able to volunteer as much as she used to. Once coming to Winthrop and living off-campus, she faced many adjustments.
“I never lived on my own before,” Jeter said. “It was very difficult,”
Jeter, who described herself as a “daddy’s girl,” went home every weekend her first year at Winthrop to ease her homesickness.
Though she said she’s starting to find her balance, Jeter admitted she’s still undergoing the growing-up process.
“The more you grow, the more you mature, the more you learn, you find out your priorities—what’s more important to you,” Jeter said.
In the midst of her transition to Winthrop and York’s Habitat for Humanity, Jeter has found three roommates who are almost like her sisters.
“Opposites do attract,” Jeter said. “One is an art major; she’s like one of the students who walks around with the paint on the pants, and she’s very artsy and carefree.”
Jeter’s second roommate works with plaster and clay all day. The other one is an international business major.
Still, it’s the differences that meld them together.
“I’m the only African American roommate they have,” Jeter said. “All of us are so different that it just kind of mixes well.”
It’s a family thing
Helping others seems to run in the family.
Jeter’s mom, Kimberly Jeter, is a professional medical coder who pursued a law degree in college.
Jeter’s grandfather also pursued law.
Both went in opposite directions.
Jeter’s grandfather is now a pastor in Washington D.C.
After seeing what happened behind the scenes of a law firms, Kimberly deferred and look to the medical profession. To her surprise, she liked coding. Even though she and her father left the law track, Kimberly is hoping her daughter stays focused.
“I see a very focused Jessica,” Jeter’s mom said. “She has a plan and she’s executing it.”
Old Habitats die-hard
This past summer, Jeter returned to Habitat for Humanity; this time, working with York County’s affiliate chapter.
As fundraising coordinator, she leads a committee of volunteers who plan events and coordinate other activities to raise money for the organization.
It’s a labor of love.
One moment that touched Jeter was witnessing a mother receive a new home for her and her children to replace the old one, which was literally split in two.
“Even though my family may not have been as bad off as other families, I know what it’s like as a kid to want for something,” Jeter said.
Jeter said she knows parents, more than anyone, feel wonderful when they are able to give their kids a home.
“That’s what every parent wants to do—make their child happy,” Jeter said.
Katie Lockhart, a Winthrop University senior international business major, has been roommates with Jeter for 11 months. In that time, she has experienced Jeter’s tenacity for helping others.
“If she sees a person or a family who is in need and she can’t financially help, she really takes it to heart,” Lockhart said.
During Jeter’s earlier days with the York affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, Lockhart said some of Jeter’s female committee members thought Jeter was stuck-up.
In response, Jeter cooked a big dinner and invited them to the house for a girl’s night out, Lockhart said.
Lockhart and Jeter, who grew up five minutes away from each other but did not meet until they were both in Rock Hill, have developed a closer friendship since their initial decision to move in together.
“She’s a great roommate,” Lockhart said.
Since working with York, Jeter has seen many families shy to apply for a Habitat home.
She said some people are afraid they won’t qualify for a home because of credit reasons or they just have shame because of their situations.
“Don’t ever be ashamed of your life or what you’ve been through,” Jeter advised. “It makes you who you are as an individual.”
Jeter said her dad preached it best a couple of Sundays ago.
“He said, ‘you never know what issues God may want you to unmask could, for Him fixing your issues in public, that’s proving to other people what God can do for you.’”
In the past, Habitat required its applicants to have a certain credit score to qualify for homes. Now, with the economy’s ebb and flow, the nonprofit organization is just interested in seeing applicants possessing more income than debt, Jeter said.
Habitat for Humanity applicants still have to pay their mortgage, insurance, property taxes and utilities.
“If they see you can actually physically manage that without struggling, then you can get it,” Jeter said.
The Heart of Habitat Slideshow
Jessica Jeter, daughter of Rev. Dr. DeWayne and Kimberly Jeter, is the events and fundraising coordinator for York County's Habitat for Humanity.
The Taylors, S.C., resident got her start with the organization while attending Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, S.C., and carried her love for volunteering and helping others to Rock Hill when she began attending Winthrop.
While she has been unable to participate in many builds herself, the junior political science/economics double major said she is looking forward to her first one, most specifically the excitement and enthusiasm that comes with helping others.
"It's really just the excitement and the spirit that is actually on the build site," Jeter said.
This slide show displays the spirit, sweat and heart that goes into building a Habitat for Humanity home.
As Jeter put it, York County Habitat for Humanity is small but it is one branch of a large tree of similar organizations devoted to providing housing for low-income families.
The slide show includes pictures of a recent build by York County Habitat for Humanity in Clover, S.C. The families were not identified.
Podcast:
As fundraising and Youth United coordinator for York County's Habitat for Humanity, Jessica Jeter has aided in improving the lives of countless families in Greenville and York County. Initially getting her start as a volunteer in her hometown, Taylors, S.C., the 20-year-old junior economics/political science double major has been touched and inspired by her encounters with several families. I sat down to talk to Jeter about some of the experiences that have touched her most while working with Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat">Habitat
Now, the 20-year-old junior economics and political science double major is helping others get their own homes as fundraising and Youth United coordinator for York County’s Habitat for Humanity.
An aspiring attorney, Jeter’s well-kept and business-minded demeanor displays her as a woman fit for the courtroom.
Yet, Jeter has seen her share of struggle.
Early into middle school, Jeter and her family left their home of Baltimore, Md. and moved to Greenville, S.C.
Financial struggles followed them south.
“As a kid, I never had a room of my own,” Jeter said.
In May 2008, Jeter walked across the stage of Wade Hampton High School as a high school graduate. A new home purchased by her parents, the Rev. Dr. DeWayne and Kimberly Jeter, was part of her graduation gift.
“I always told my parents if there’s one thing that I wanted, I just wanted my own room one day,” Jeter said. “I just wanted to be able to come home to my own room, to my own space.”
Once graduating high school, Jeter got what she asked for.
Her next request was attendance at Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga.
She got in. On the same token, tuition was $33,000.
Having just purchased a new home, her parents couldn’t afford to send their daughter to her dream school.
Jeter went to Greenville Technical College her freshman year. Her parents hadn’t forgotten their daughter’s dreams of attending a four-year university.
Winthrop soon rose on the horizon.
Things didn’t become easier once Jeter , a sophomore at the time, was accepted to Winthrop. The day before her orientation, her dad, pastor of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, lost his job. Around that same time, Jeter learned that the university wasn’t offering her any financial aid.
“The only thing that was offered to me was student loans,” she said.
Even with the loans, Jeter still had to pay $1,448 monthly to attend school.
“I was like ‘wow, we only lived in our new house for like a year, my dad just lost his job the day before my orientation and they’re asking that I pay this big ole lump sum,” Jeter said. “I didn’t know how I was going to do it.”
At the end of the day, it came down to Jeter’s parents making a choice between their mortgage or her tuition at Winthrop.
“I was like I can’t ask my parents to do that,” Jeter said.
She was ready to go to Greenville Tech another year but Jeter’s father, the Rev. Dr. DeWayne Jeter, was adamant that his daughter would attend Winthrop.
His determination paid off. Jeter and her parents cut out on-campus living fees from her tuition and decided that she would need to live off-campus. In addition, the mortgage was paid.
After hunting for apartments throughout Rock Hill and encountering issues with her first set of roommates, Jeter met her current three roommates and they moved into an apartment together.
Living at an apartment with a month-to-month lease, their landlord increased their rent during the scorching summer months.
With her parents paying her rent and her dad still unemployed, Jeter could not afford to stay in the apartment. Neither could her roommates.
Eventually, all four women moved to a Walk2Campus house.
Walk2Campus is an off-campus housing group which has formed a partnership with Winthrop to provide off-campus alternative housing for Winthrop students in Rock Hill.
Recently, Jeter’s mom’s medical coding company was bought out and her salary cut. Even with her father unemployed and her mom’s salary cut, Jeter said her family is making it.
“We pay our mortgage on time, the rent gets paid on time, we still have all of our cars,” Jeter said. “It just surprises me, it really does.”
Enter Habitat
It wasn’t strictly a love for volunteering that led Jeter to begin working with Habitat for Humanity—it was the people she already knew in high school.
“The high school I went to, a majority of the students were raised in single-home families,” Jeter said. “So there were one or two individuals I already knew of who had their home built [by Habitat].”
It was through this firsthand experience that Jeter saw the impact Habitat for Humanity made in the lives of children and teenagers. It was something she wanted to be a part of.
After her high school sponsored Greenville’s Habitat for Humanity for spirit week, Jeter began attending meetings. Soon, she was volunteering any Saturday she didn’t have a track or cheerleading competition.
While at Greenville Tech, Jeter wasn’t able to volunteer as much as she used to. Once coming to Winthrop and living off-campus, she faced many adjustments.
“I never lived on my own before,” Jeter said. “It was very difficult,”
Jeter, who described herself as a “daddy’s girl,” went home every weekend her first year at Winthrop to ease her homesickness.
Though she said she’s starting to find her balance, Jeter admitted she’s still undergoing the growing-up process.
“The more you grow, the more you mature, the more you learn, you find out your priorities—what’s more important to you,” Jeter said.
In the midst of her transition to Winthrop and York’s Habitat for Humanity, Jeter has found three roommates who are almost like her sisters.
“Opposites do attract,” Jeter said. “One is an art major; she’s like one of the students who walks around with the paint on the pants, and she’s very artsy and carefree.”
Jeter’s second roommate works with plaster and clay all day. The other one is an international business major.
Still, it’s the differences that meld them together.
“I’m the only African American roommate they have,” Jeter said. “All of us are so different that it just kind of mixes well.”
It’s a family thing
Helping others seems to run in the family.
Jeter’s mom, Kimberly Jeter, is a professional medical coder who pursued a law degree in college.
Jeter’s grandfather also pursued law.
Both went in opposite directions.
Jeter’s grandfather is now a pastor in Washington D.C.
After seeing what happened behind the scenes of a law firms, Kimberly deferred and look to the medical profession. To her surprise, she liked coding. Even though she and her father left the law track, Kimberly is hoping her daughter stays focused.
“I see a very focused Jessica,” Jeter’s mom said. “She has a plan and she’s executing it.”
Old Habitats die-hard
This past summer, Jeter returned to Habitat for Humanity; this time, working with York County’s affiliate chapter.
As fundraising coordinator, she leads a committee of volunteers who plan events and coordinate other activities to raise money for the organization.
It’s a labor of love.
One moment that touched Jeter was witnessing a mother receive a new home for her and her children to replace the old one, which was literally split in two.
“Even though my family may not have been as bad off as other families, I know what it’s like as a kid to want for something,” Jeter said.
Jeter said she knows parents, more than anyone, feel wonderful when they are able to give their kids a home.
“That’s what every parent wants to do—make their child happy,” Jeter said.
Katie Lockhart, a Winthrop University senior international business major, has been roommates with Jeter for 11 months. In that time, she has experienced Jeter’s tenacity for helping others.
“If she sees a person or a family who is in need and she can’t financially help, she really takes it to heart,” Lockhart said.
During Jeter’s earlier days with the York affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, Lockhart said some of Jeter’s female committee members thought Jeter was stuck-up.
In response, Jeter cooked a big dinner and invited them to the house for a girl’s night out, Lockhart said.
Lockhart and Jeter, who grew up five minutes away from each other but did not meet until they were both in Rock Hill, have developed a closer friendship since their initial decision to move in together.
“She’s a great roommate,” Lockhart said.
Since working with York, Jeter has seen many families shy to apply for a Habitat home.
She said some people are afraid they won’t qualify for a home because of credit reasons or they just have shame because of their situations.
“Don’t ever be ashamed of your life or what you’ve been through,” Jeter advised. “It makes you who you are as an individual.”
Jeter said her dad preached it best a couple of Sundays ago.
“He said, ‘you never know what issues God may want you to unmask could, for Him fixing your issues in public, that’s proving to other people what God can do for you.’”
In the past, Habitat required its applicants to have a certain credit score to qualify for homes. Now, with the economy’s ebb and flow, the nonprofit organization is just interested in seeing applicants possessing more income than debt, Jeter said.
Habitat for Humanity applicants still have to pay their mortgage, insurance, property taxes and utilities.
“If they see you can actually physically manage that without struggling, then you can get it,” Jeter said.
The Heart of Habitat Slideshow
Jessica Jeter, daughter of Rev. Dr. DeWayne and Kimberly Jeter, is the events and fundraising coordinator for York County's Habitat for Humanity.
The Taylors, S.C., resident got her start with the organization while attending Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, S.C., and carried her love for volunteering and helping others to Rock Hill when she began attending Winthrop.
While she has been unable to participate in many builds herself, the junior political science/economics double major said she is looking forward to her first one, most specifically the excitement and enthusiasm that comes with helping others.
"It's really just the excitement and the spirit that is actually on the build site," Jeter said.
This slide show displays the spirit, sweat and heart that goes into building a Habitat for Humanity home.
As Jeter put it, York County Habitat for Humanity is small but it is one branch of a large tree of similar organizations devoted to providing housing for low-income families.
The slide show includes pictures of a recent build by York County Habitat for Humanity in Clover, S.C. The families were not identified.
Podcast:
As fundraising and Youth United coordinator for York County's Habitat for Humanity, Jessica Jeter has aided in improving the lives of countless families in Greenville and York County. Initially getting her start as a volunteer in her hometown, Taylors, S.C., the 20-year-old junior economics/political science double major has been touched and inspired by her encounters with several families. I sat down to talk to Jeter about some of the experiences that have touched her most while working with Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat">Habitat
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Christian journalist repents, sports new attitude
I have to apologize for the tone my blog has taken.
I have done a serious disservice to my one follower and myself.
While my one follower is a professor in my news reporting class, just knowing the ramifications of some of the things I've posted is enough to spark repentance.
You see, my last blog post was about a week of ones.
Essentially, I was lamenting the cruelty of the week of classes after Thanksgiving Break. While it may be true that this is a hard week, as a disciple of Christ and an example on Winthrop's campus, I should have known better than to air something that can be interpreted as complaining.
Complaining is a natural human response to external, intense and often unfavorable situations.
In fact, some commentators have made a career out of complaining.
The problem lies in then natural, human part.
The human nature is a sin nature.
If complaining is all too human, then it's something I shouldn't indulge in too often.
One of my favorite verses of the Bible, Psalm 37:8 states, "Refrain from anger, turn from wrath. Do not fret, it leads only to evil."
Well, Dictionary.com defines fret as expressing worry, annoyance or discontent. It also means to move in agitation or commotion.
That is something I don't want to do.
The enemy moves in agitation and commotion; he feeds and incites it.
"...Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8)
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." (John 10:10)
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'Where have you come from?' Satan answered the Lord, 'From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.'" (Job 2:2)
So, you see, complaining, indulging in agitation, annoyance and discontent for prolonged periods of time isn't good.
Some of my blog posts have portrayed my intensely busy schedule and the resulting fatigue I have felt this semester.
That's not encouraging to anyone. That's not edifying to anyone's spirit. That doesn't portray God as a sustainer and healer.
And that's why I aim to change the spirit and tone of this blog.
Initially, I started blogging because professors mandated it in class.
Now, I've found that I've enjoyed it.
One of my desires is to write for a Christian publication one day.
Why not start here?
My only regret is that this revelation didn't come sooner.
Then again, every nudging I felt after a 'down' blog post was Holy Spirit convicting me.
News flash Jonathan--should have listened.
Now I have.
I thank God for this opportunity; for His love and His mercy. Most of all, I thank Him for Him. I thank Him for conviction, forgiveness and another chance.
So, prepare yourselves. The mood will change.
Three things I like to write about: God, comic books and journalism.
God should encompass it all.
He is top priority.
To quote one of my favorite songs by William Murphy: "It's a new season, it's a new day. A fresh anointing, flowing my way. A new day of power and prosperity. It's not a season--it's already on me!"
Time to live in the overflow.
I have done a serious disservice to my one follower and myself.
While my one follower is a professor in my news reporting class, just knowing the ramifications of some of the things I've posted is enough to spark repentance.
You see, my last blog post was about a week of ones.
Essentially, I was lamenting the cruelty of the week of classes after Thanksgiving Break. While it may be true that this is a hard week, as a disciple of Christ and an example on Winthrop's campus, I should have known better than to air something that can be interpreted as complaining.
Complaining is a natural human response to external, intense and often unfavorable situations.
In fact, some commentators have made a career out of complaining.
The problem lies in then natural, human part.
The human nature is a sin nature.
If complaining is all too human, then it's something I shouldn't indulge in too often.
One of my favorite verses of the Bible, Psalm 37:8 states, "Refrain from anger, turn from wrath. Do not fret, it leads only to evil."
Well, Dictionary.com defines fret as expressing worry, annoyance or discontent. It also means to move in agitation or commotion.
That is something I don't want to do.
The enemy moves in agitation and commotion; he feeds and incites it.
"...Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8)
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." (John 10:10)
"And the Lord said to Satan, 'Where have you come from?' Satan answered the Lord, 'From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.'" (Job 2:2)
So, you see, complaining, indulging in agitation, annoyance and discontent for prolonged periods of time isn't good.
Some of my blog posts have portrayed my intensely busy schedule and the resulting fatigue I have felt this semester.
That's not encouraging to anyone. That's not edifying to anyone's spirit. That doesn't portray God as a sustainer and healer.
And that's why I aim to change the spirit and tone of this blog.
Initially, I started blogging because professors mandated it in class.
Now, I've found that I've enjoyed it.
One of my desires is to write for a Christian publication one day.
Why not start here?
My only regret is that this revelation didn't come sooner.
Then again, every nudging I felt after a 'down' blog post was Holy Spirit convicting me.
News flash Jonathan--should have listened.
Now I have.
I thank God for this opportunity; for His love and His mercy. Most of all, I thank Him for Him. I thank Him for conviction, forgiveness and another chance.
So, prepare yourselves. The mood will change.
Three things I like to write about: God, comic books and journalism.
God should encompass it all.
He is top priority.
To quote one of my favorite songs by William Murphy: "It's a new season, it's a new day. A fresh anointing, flowing my way. A new day of power and prosperity. It's not a season--it's already on me!"
Time to live in the overflow.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
A Week of Ones
The week after Thanksgiving break is sinister.
It's a week filled with incomplete oneness.
After chowing down on turkey, sweet potato pie, macaroni and cheese, corn bread, stuffing, collared greens and a host of other treats that I don't bother cooking myself, who can move?
Who wants to write a paper?
Who wants to study for an exam?
Who wants to traipse to a college campus?
Who wants to wake up at 7 a.m. and not return to a comforting bed until 1 a.m. the next morning?
I didn't want to do any of it.
Alas, I have no choice.
There's one more full week left of classes. There's one more issue left to publish for The Johnsonian. There's one more assignment due for news reporting. There's one more newsletter that needs to be produced at church. There's one more gathering for the college ministry. There's even one more test before finals start.
I'm convinced it's a conspiracy.
Here is where university administrators make you or break you; where they test your value as a student.
With stomachs full and a brief taste of academic reprieve, you're pushed to your limit.
Everything is due within this week. The stuff you started on before Thanksgiving always manages to carry on afterwards--especially if you were unable to access your files due to dial-up connectivity down home :(
Your dedication is tested. Will you strive for an A or settle for a B?
Will you even attempt that one extra-credit assignment?
Will you keep your sanity as professors unload unrealistic expectations onto your fragile frame?
Will you ever go to bed at 10 p.m..? Probably so, just not this week.
Will you finish your Christmas shopping?
Will you make the effort to put up a Christmas tree?
Will you feel holiday joy or will the sounds of children singing classic Christmas carols only upset you?
Will you get it together?
Will you finish this blog post?
It's a week filled with incomplete oneness.
After chowing down on turkey, sweet potato pie, macaroni and cheese, corn bread, stuffing, collared greens and a host of other treats that I don't bother cooking myself, who can move?
Who wants to write a paper?
Who wants to study for an exam?
Who wants to traipse to a college campus?
Who wants to wake up at 7 a.m. and not return to a comforting bed until 1 a.m. the next morning?
I didn't want to do any of it.
Alas, I have no choice.
There's one more full week left of classes. There's one more issue left to publish for The Johnsonian. There's one more assignment due for news reporting. There's one more newsletter that needs to be produced at church. There's one more gathering for the college ministry. There's even one more test before finals start.
I'm convinced it's a conspiracy.
Here is where university administrators make you or break you; where they test your value as a student.
With stomachs full and a brief taste of academic reprieve, you're pushed to your limit.
Everything is due within this week. The stuff you started on before Thanksgiving always manages to carry on afterwards--especially if you were unable to access your files due to dial-up connectivity down home :(
Your dedication is tested. Will you strive for an A or settle for a B?
Will you even attempt that one extra-credit assignment?
Will you keep your sanity as professors unload unrealistic expectations onto your fragile frame?
Will you ever go to bed at 10 p.m..? Probably so, just not this week.
Will you finish your Christmas shopping?
Will you make the effort to put up a Christmas tree?
Will you feel holiday joy or will the sounds of children singing classic Christmas carols only upset you?
Will you get it together?
Will you finish this blog post?
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Student journalist commits blunder
It's one of the hardest things to admit, and in this business, it's pretty permanent.
It bores in your mind incessantly.
You're reminded by your co-workers, your own face, your friends and the clips in your portfolio.
It's a mistake, but not any mistake. We're not talking grammatical errors. We're not talking vacillating misuse of verb tense or dangling modifiers or omitted punctuation.
We're talking misspelling the name of your centerpiece source.
And not just one little slip-up in one graf followed by an immediate correction in the next.
We're talking consistent misspelling in a story that was written practically two weeks ago, held on backlog and then run this week.
We're talking complete and utter embarrassment.
We're talking shame.
To some, it may not be that big of a deal. I'm assuming most people who are thinking that don't work for any kind of media outlet.
One of the first things we learn in journalism and mass media is that people like to see their names in print and online.
It almost gives them the same satisfaction a journalist feels when they see a byline attached to a story they've written.
Yet, it becomes a little more personal in a newspaper. People really don't like to be misrepresented. It's understandable.
For example, I'm not Johnathan McFadden or Jon McFadden or Jonathen McFadden...I'm Jonathan McFadden and I like it that way.
A name is dear and precious and sacred; mine means a gift from God. I don't want that meaning taken away. Sure, adding an extra H after the O isn't that big of a deal, but it's the principle.
The worst part is the potential distrust I've evoked in my community.
If I get this person's name wrong, what's going to stop me from getting this quote wrong?
If I get this quote wrong, what's going to stop me from paraphrasing incorrectly or knowingly protect myself and my publication from libel?
It's a student reporter's worst realization.
I didn't realize it until 10:55 p.m. Thursday night.
My heart sank. I felt bad for the young woman whose name was consistently and utterly destroyed at my hand. I felt sorry for the publication I represent, The Johnsonian, who will only receive more flak due to this discrepancy. I feel humiliated because I know better...always check the names, always, always, always.
What's my excuse?
I can use the defense that it's not easy being a student journalist and balancing that with classes, work, extracurriculars, ministry, church, social interaction and life.
I can say that "you" don't understand the vulnerable position journalists are in. After all, each time we type a word on a screen we allow a piece of ourselves to be exposed to the world. Any word we know or don't know. Any sentence whose syntax is unclear. Any fact mildly questionable. Any story too soft and then too hard, too sympathetic and then too malicious.
No matter how good the writing or how thorough the reporting, that one incident--that one stain of imperfection and forgetfulness will forever taint that story.
It's a heavy responsibility we watchdogs and gatekeepers and advocates and representatives and muckrakers (just kidding) take on.
I'm accountable for my error and to the young woman whom the error was perpetrated against.
This incident will probably be in the back of my mind anytime I apply for an internship or job.
But, it will make me better if I let it.
No, this isn't my first mistake. I take it hard each and every time I make one because it's no light matter. It's nothing I should ever become comfortable shrugging off.
No, this isn't my first mistake and it won't be my last but this is a stepping stool to greater knowledge and wiser practice.
I guarantee I'll triple-check the names next time.
It bores in your mind incessantly.
You're reminded by your co-workers, your own face, your friends and the clips in your portfolio.
It's a mistake, but not any mistake. We're not talking grammatical errors. We're not talking vacillating misuse of verb tense or dangling modifiers or omitted punctuation.
We're talking misspelling the name of your centerpiece source.
And not just one little slip-up in one graf followed by an immediate correction in the next.
We're talking consistent misspelling in a story that was written practically two weeks ago, held on backlog and then run this week.
We're talking complete and utter embarrassment.
We're talking shame.
To some, it may not be that big of a deal. I'm assuming most people who are thinking that don't work for any kind of media outlet.
One of the first things we learn in journalism and mass media is that people like to see their names in print and online.
It almost gives them the same satisfaction a journalist feels when they see a byline attached to a story they've written.
Yet, it becomes a little more personal in a newspaper. People really don't like to be misrepresented. It's understandable.
For example, I'm not Johnathan McFadden or Jon McFadden or Jonathen McFadden...I'm Jonathan McFadden and I like it that way.
A name is dear and precious and sacred; mine means a gift from God. I don't want that meaning taken away. Sure, adding an extra H after the O isn't that big of a deal, but it's the principle.
The worst part is the potential distrust I've evoked in my community.
If I get this person's name wrong, what's going to stop me from getting this quote wrong?
If I get this quote wrong, what's going to stop me from paraphrasing incorrectly or knowingly protect myself and my publication from libel?
It's a student reporter's worst realization.
I didn't realize it until 10:55 p.m. Thursday night.
My heart sank. I felt bad for the young woman whose name was consistently and utterly destroyed at my hand. I felt sorry for the publication I represent, The Johnsonian, who will only receive more flak due to this discrepancy. I feel humiliated because I know better...always check the names, always, always, always.
What's my excuse?
I can use the defense that it's not easy being a student journalist and balancing that with classes, work, extracurriculars, ministry, church, social interaction and life.
I can say that "you" don't understand the vulnerable position journalists are in. After all, each time we type a word on a screen we allow a piece of ourselves to be exposed to the world. Any word we know or don't know. Any sentence whose syntax is unclear. Any fact mildly questionable. Any story too soft and then too hard, too sympathetic and then too malicious.
No matter how good the writing or how thorough the reporting, that one incident--that one stain of imperfection and forgetfulness will forever taint that story.
It's a heavy responsibility we watchdogs and gatekeepers and advocates and representatives and muckrakers (just kidding) take on.
I'm accountable for my error and to the young woman whom the error was perpetrated against.
This incident will probably be in the back of my mind anytime I apply for an internship or job.
But, it will make me better if I let it.
No, this isn't my first mistake. I take it hard each and every time I make one because it's no light matter. It's nothing I should ever become comfortable shrugging off.
No, this isn't my first mistake and it won't be my last but this is a stepping stool to greater knowledge and wiser practice.
I guarantee I'll triple-check the names next time.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Time for God?
As I engaged in a mind spill late tonight, I had to ask myself an important question…where’s my time with God?
I take the time to do my homework.
I take the time to report, write and conduct interviews.
I take the time to assist with layout and page design at least two nights a week, as well as compile a police blotter.
I take the time to go to Bible study, usually sitting on the inside with my mind in so many different places at once that I feel like I’m going to pass out.
I take the time to eat…occasionally.
I take the time to text…usually it’s business related.
I take the time to read my Bible.
I take the time to pray (not as frequently as I used to).
I take the time to go to each and every class.
I take the time to drink a cup of coffee.
In all of this, where did I actually spend time with God?
I can argue that He’s with me always. Well, that’s a given.
I can say, wait, when I read my Bible, I receive direct revelation from Him because He’s speaking to me, right? Well, not necessarily. God is speaking to me, but as a free moral agent, I can always not listen to Him.
Sure I can say I’ve been in Bible study faithfully, but just like Christians can sit in church and receive nothing from the Lord, I can sit in Bible study and still be scatterbrained.
Monday- Thursday I am on Winthrop’s campus generally from 8:30 a.m. until 11 p.m.
That’s a lot of time in one general area.
During those several hours, I wonder how much time I’ve spent with God?
I know I pray. I know I stop doing whatever arduous task I’m engaged in at the time and utter a quick, “Thank you Lord, I love you God.”
But that’s not enough. This I know for a fact
Intimacy with Christ is a direct correlation with a relationship with Him. There was a time when Christ and I were very intimate. Of course, I wasn’t as busy then and I got more sleep.
Still, no excuse. If I can’t pray and fast and praise in the midst of the busy, constantly on-the-go, no stopping ever days of the week, then how strong is my faith?
This is just another mind spill. A deep self reflection that I’m allowing to be published.
Why?
Because I know I’m not the only one. If there’s another Christian in college out there, you know this scenario. You probably know it very well.
Stay encouraged.
Speak the Word of God over your life. That’s what keeps us sustained. That’s what builds our faith-muscles. That’s what draws us closer to Christ.
James 4:4, “Come near to God and He will come near to you”
It’s true.
This is all about relationship.
God never told me to overwhelm myself to the point of collapse.
He never said ignore Him in the process either.
There’s much from this semester that I must repent of. There’s a whole four months of spiritual growth and closeness with Christ that I missed out on.
It was my fault.
I was just too busy for God.
Hmm, now that I think about it—that sounds like a unbeliever’s excuse for not being a Christian.
I’ve…we’ve got to do better.
He deserves so much more.
Lord, forgive us all. Thank you for the capacities you’ve placed in our lives—from journalism to biology to English to barbering to administration to ministry. Help us manage it all. Help us balance it all. Help us love you more. Help us love others more. Help us be closer to you. Help us find time with you.
Now, I need to end the mind spill.
I need to spend time with God…with my refuge…with my sanctuary.
Harmony with God is possible. It's time to seek it.
I take the time to do my homework.
I take the time to report, write and conduct interviews.
I take the time to assist with layout and page design at least two nights a week, as well as compile a police blotter.
I take the time to go to Bible study, usually sitting on the inside with my mind in so many different places at once that I feel like I’m going to pass out.
I take the time to eat…occasionally.
I take the time to text…usually it’s business related.
I take the time to read my Bible.
I take the time to pray (not as frequently as I used to).
I take the time to go to each and every class.
I take the time to drink a cup of coffee.
In all of this, where did I actually spend time with God?
I can argue that He’s with me always. Well, that’s a given.
I can say, wait, when I read my Bible, I receive direct revelation from Him because He’s speaking to me, right? Well, not necessarily. God is speaking to me, but as a free moral agent, I can always not listen to Him.
Sure I can say I’ve been in Bible study faithfully, but just like Christians can sit in church and receive nothing from the Lord, I can sit in Bible study and still be scatterbrained.
Monday- Thursday I am on Winthrop’s campus generally from 8:30 a.m. until 11 p.m.
That’s a lot of time in one general area.
During those several hours, I wonder how much time I’ve spent with God?
I know I pray. I know I stop doing whatever arduous task I’m engaged in at the time and utter a quick, “Thank you Lord, I love you God.”
But that’s not enough. This I know for a fact
Intimacy with Christ is a direct correlation with a relationship with Him. There was a time when Christ and I were very intimate. Of course, I wasn’t as busy then and I got more sleep.
Still, no excuse. If I can’t pray and fast and praise in the midst of the busy, constantly on-the-go, no stopping ever days of the week, then how strong is my faith?
This is just another mind spill. A deep self reflection that I’m allowing to be published.
Why?
Because I know I’m not the only one. If there’s another Christian in college out there, you know this scenario. You probably know it very well.
Stay encouraged.
Speak the Word of God over your life. That’s what keeps us sustained. That’s what builds our faith-muscles. That’s what draws us closer to Christ.
James 4:4, “Come near to God and He will come near to you”
It’s true.
This is all about relationship.
God never told me to overwhelm myself to the point of collapse.
He never said ignore Him in the process either.
There’s much from this semester that I must repent of. There’s a whole four months of spiritual growth and closeness with Christ that I missed out on.
It was my fault.
I was just too busy for God.
Hmm, now that I think about it—that sounds like a unbeliever’s excuse for not being a Christian.
I’ve…we’ve got to do better.
He deserves so much more.
Lord, forgive us all. Thank you for the capacities you’ve placed in our lives—from journalism to biology to English to barbering to administration to ministry. Help us manage it all. Help us balance it all. Help us love you more. Help us love others more. Help us be closer to you. Help us find time with you.
Now, I need to end the mind spill.
I need to spend time with God…with my refuge…with my sanctuary.
Harmony with God is possible. It's time to seek it.
Community Journalism: It's A Passion
Okay, there are many things that a man can call a passion.
For example, a man can be passionate about his work.
A man can be passionate about his faith.
A man can be passionate about his toe.
In today's society, we commonly find people passionate about making money. You can say they love their work, but the bountiful paycheck (if you can find jobs that have those anymore) doesn't hurt.
I haven't personally met many millionaires who were also passionate.
My perspective is skewed, of course, considering my desire is to enter the world of media--where salaries are cut, paychecks lofty and jobs tenuous.
Being a journalist has to be a labor of love.
Finding a story, digging around for research, scoping out sources, interviewing sources, writing on deadline, writing well, writing better than the nearest competitor, writing better than your co-worker, writing better than you did yesterday, writing better than you did one hour ago--all of this has to constitute a mad, agape love for what we do.
Otherwise, reporters would go insane.
Not everyone understands this passion, of course.
Some would prefer the comforts of an office, 9 til 6, Monday-Friday, without fail, without spontaneity, without room for the unusual, without excitement.
Others, on the other hand, thrive on being on the go constantly; thrive from the adrenalin pumping through one's veins when they sniff out a hot story (especially if they get it first).
Personally, I enjoy journalism immensely--it's one of my passions.
I like reporting.
I enjoy interviewing sources.
I get excited throughout the whole process.
I giggle a bit on the inside when I find out tidbits of new information that only a privileged few know.
I find utter release and experience euphoric, rapturous joy when I craft words into Mona-Lisa masterpiece portraits and then see my byline above them.
Weirdly enough, I like the texture of newsprint.
My desire is to work for a community daily or weekly paper. I want to be immersed in a community--not separated from it. I want to be the reporter the people come to and divulge knowledge to because they are confident I will find it out, write it well and report it fairly and accurately.
I want to have coffee with Farmer Joe.
I want to go to church with Old Mrs. Huxley down the road.
When I cut my grass, I want to wave to the new young couple that just moved into the neighborhood.
I want to get into the city council meetings and not be gawked at as if I were an unwelcome stranger.
I want to walk into the police station and be on a first-name basis with the sheriff and lieutenant.
I want to go to Bible study with Mrs. Huxley too.
I want community journalism. It makes any journalist a better one. It keeps us accountable. It keeps us busy. It keeps us good.
Yes, at a community paper, there's a chance one reporter will have the duties equivalent to five staff members at a metro-daily.
It's probable that at a community paper, a rookie will be working eight days a week and be getting paid for at least two of those days.
But it's a true passion and that's why I love the work.
Working as assistant news editor of The Johnsonian has only exacerbated that love.
Times have been tough. Managing it all has been difficult. I would quit if I didn't love it so much. But I do and that's why I want to keep going.
I view journalism as God's mandate for my life.
People can be reached by my words. Souls can be saved by a few paragraphs.
My all time goal is to either work for a strictly Christian publication or own my own.
If it's God's will, it will happen.
In the meantime, I'm going to get my feet wet, gain the experience, establish the connections and definitely produce the clips.
This passion of mine will continue as long as the Good Lord says so.
I will get better. I will work harder. I will get a job as a community journalist.
My community out there--whoever you are, wherever you are--get ready.
Sheriff Wilkes and Officer Williams, I'll be knocking on your door first thing Monday morning.
Farmer Joe, make sure to order me a small coffee with six sugars and two creams.
Mrs. Huxley, my favorite Scripture is Matthew 11:28. Save me a seat at Bible study.
For example, a man can be passionate about his work.
A man can be passionate about his faith.
A man can be passionate about his toe.
In today's society, we commonly find people passionate about making money. You can say they love their work, but the bountiful paycheck (if you can find jobs that have those anymore) doesn't hurt.
I haven't personally met many millionaires who were also passionate.
My perspective is skewed, of course, considering my desire is to enter the world of media--where salaries are cut, paychecks lofty and jobs tenuous.
Being a journalist has to be a labor of love.
Finding a story, digging around for research, scoping out sources, interviewing sources, writing on deadline, writing well, writing better than the nearest competitor, writing better than your co-worker, writing better than you did yesterday, writing better than you did one hour ago--all of this has to constitute a mad, agape love for what we do.
Otherwise, reporters would go insane.
Not everyone understands this passion, of course.
Some would prefer the comforts of an office, 9 til 6, Monday-Friday, without fail, without spontaneity, without room for the unusual, without excitement.
Others, on the other hand, thrive on being on the go constantly; thrive from the adrenalin pumping through one's veins when they sniff out a hot story (especially if they get it first).
Personally, I enjoy journalism immensely--it's one of my passions.
I like reporting.
I enjoy interviewing sources.
I get excited throughout the whole process.
I giggle a bit on the inside when I find out tidbits of new information that only a privileged few know.
I find utter release and experience euphoric, rapturous joy when I craft words into Mona-Lisa masterpiece portraits and then see my byline above them.
Weirdly enough, I like the texture of newsprint.
My desire is to work for a community daily or weekly paper. I want to be immersed in a community--not separated from it. I want to be the reporter the people come to and divulge knowledge to because they are confident I will find it out, write it well and report it fairly and accurately.
I want to have coffee with Farmer Joe.
I want to go to church with Old Mrs. Huxley down the road.
When I cut my grass, I want to wave to the new young couple that just moved into the neighborhood.
I want to get into the city council meetings and not be gawked at as if I were an unwelcome stranger.
I want to walk into the police station and be on a first-name basis with the sheriff and lieutenant.
I want to go to Bible study with Mrs. Huxley too.
I want community journalism. It makes any journalist a better one. It keeps us accountable. It keeps us busy. It keeps us good.
Yes, at a community paper, there's a chance one reporter will have the duties equivalent to five staff members at a metro-daily.
It's probable that at a community paper, a rookie will be working eight days a week and be getting paid for at least two of those days.
But it's a true passion and that's why I love the work.
Working as assistant news editor of The Johnsonian has only exacerbated that love.
Times have been tough. Managing it all has been difficult. I would quit if I didn't love it so much. But I do and that's why I want to keep going.
I view journalism as God's mandate for my life.
People can be reached by my words. Souls can be saved by a few paragraphs.
My all time goal is to either work for a strictly Christian publication or own my own.
If it's God's will, it will happen.
In the meantime, I'm going to get my feet wet, gain the experience, establish the connections and definitely produce the clips.
This passion of mine will continue as long as the Good Lord says so.
I will get better. I will work harder. I will get a job as a community journalist.
My community out there--whoever you are, wherever you are--get ready.
Sheriff Wilkes and Officer Williams, I'll be knocking on your door first thing Monday morning.
Farmer Joe, make sure to order me a small coffee with six sugars and two creams.
Mrs. Huxley, my favorite Scripture is Matthew 11:28. Save me a seat at Bible study.
HOORAY TO NABJ
There are those times in life where you feel really proud to be a part of something.
Tonight was one of those nights for me.
This semester has been a rough one for me mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.
Eighteen hours, The Johnsonian, Taking Opportunities to Prevail, NABJ, off-campus living, newsletter ministry at church, a work study job and trying to maintain a GPA above a 3.5 all weighed heavily on me these past few months. It hasn't been an easy journey. There have been nights of frustration; periods where I was ready to give up. Though I am hesitant to admit it, there are times where I've experienced a greater distance from God than I ever have before.
Yet, in the midst of this, God blessed me with moments of satisfaction, joy, accomplishment, revelation and pride.
November 17 was definitely in the proud accomplishment category.
NABJ helped me remember the reward that awaits at the end of a long road.
Tonight, NABJ held our second on-campus event, the Media Mixer.
Professionals ranging from the editor-in-chief of Creative Loafing, Carlton Hargro, to WSOC TV news reporter Ken Lemon, showed up to mix, mingle and hob-nob with Winthrop's mass communication undergrads.
A good time was had by all. There was free food. There was an open forum for discussion. There was an opportunity to exchange business cards, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, ideas and advice.
Tonight, NABJ did something above and beyond the call of duty, as Ken Lemon put it.
Not only that, we celebrated one year as a chartered minority-centric organization on Winthrop's predominantly white campus.
To add to our accolades, we're the only university chapter in the Charlotte-Metro area and in South Carolina.
In my opinion, we're doing pretty good.
Sure, there is room for improvement. Of course we have a lot to learn but I have to say that pride swelled up on the inside once the night was finished.
While washing fruit-plate dishes and lugging a crock-pot of meatballs, I could only think of how we made a name for ourselves--not only on Winthrop's campus but in the eyes of those who we consider to have "made it."
Networking has become an art for members of NABJ and we plan to continue to perfect it.
I'm proud to be a part of something so big. We may be few in number but in effort and spirit, we're mighty and numerous.
Seeing the hard work, sweat and even occasional worry pay off really makes a vice-president smile.
Beyond fatigued eyes and waning strength, a youthful vigor assaulted me on the inside. The vibe in the room was contagious.
We had a cake too.
Congratulations NABJ. You've made me proud, you've made Winthrop proud, but most importantly, you've grown from the first few blunders and missteps.
No, we're not unstoppable or flawless. Once again, there's room for improvement but after showing what we can do, there's also room for growth and added membership.
We're good NABJ. Let's keep it going.
Looking forward to Spring 2011.
Tonight was one of those nights for me.
This semester has been a rough one for me mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.
Eighteen hours, The Johnsonian, Taking Opportunities to Prevail, NABJ, off-campus living, newsletter ministry at church, a work study job and trying to maintain a GPA above a 3.5 all weighed heavily on me these past few months. It hasn't been an easy journey. There have been nights of frustration; periods where I was ready to give up. Though I am hesitant to admit it, there are times where I've experienced a greater distance from God than I ever have before.
Yet, in the midst of this, God blessed me with moments of satisfaction, joy, accomplishment, revelation and pride.
November 17 was definitely in the proud accomplishment category.
NABJ helped me remember the reward that awaits at the end of a long road.
Tonight, NABJ held our second on-campus event, the Media Mixer.
Professionals ranging from the editor-in-chief of Creative Loafing, Carlton Hargro, to WSOC TV news reporter Ken Lemon, showed up to mix, mingle and hob-nob with Winthrop's mass communication undergrads.
A good time was had by all. There was free food. There was an open forum for discussion. There was an opportunity to exchange business cards, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, ideas and advice.
Tonight, NABJ did something above and beyond the call of duty, as Ken Lemon put it.
Not only that, we celebrated one year as a chartered minority-centric organization on Winthrop's predominantly white campus.
To add to our accolades, we're the only university chapter in the Charlotte-Metro area and in South Carolina.
In my opinion, we're doing pretty good.
Sure, there is room for improvement. Of course we have a lot to learn but I have to say that pride swelled up on the inside once the night was finished.
While washing fruit-plate dishes and lugging a crock-pot of meatballs, I could only think of how we made a name for ourselves--not only on Winthrop's campus but in the eyes of those who we consider to have "made it."
Networking has become an art for members of NABJ and we plan to continue to perfect it.
I'm proud to be a part of something so big. We may be few in number but in effort and spirit, we're mighty and numerous.
Seeing the hard work, sweat and even occasional worry pay off really makes a vice-president smile.
Beyond fatigued eyes and waning strength, a youthful vigor assaulted me on the inside. The vibe in the room was contagious.
We had a cake too.
Congratulations NABJ. You've made me proud, you've made Winthrop proud, but most importantly, you've grown from the first few blunders and missteps.
No, we're not unstoppable or flawless. Once again, there's room for improvement but after showing what we can do, there's also room for growth and added membership.
We're good NABJ. Let's keep it going.
Looking forward to Spring 2011.
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Heart of Habitat
Jessica Jeter, daughter of Rev. Dr. DeWayne and Kimberly Jeter, is the events and fundraising coordinator for York County's Habitat for Humanity.
The Taylors, S.C., resident got her start with the organization while attending Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, S.C., and carried her love for volunteering and helping others to Rock Hill when she began attending Winthrop.
While she has been unable to participate in many builds herself, the junior political science/economics double major said she is looking forward to her first one, most specifically the excitement and enthusiasm that comes with helping others.
"It's really just the excitement and the spirit that is actually on the build site," Jeter said.
This slide show displays the spirit, sweat and heart that goes into building a Habitat for Humanity home.
As Jeter put it, York County Habitat for Humanity is small but it is one branch of a large tree of similar organizations devoted to providing housing for low-income families.
The slide show includes pictures of a recent build by York County Habitat for Humanity in Clover, S.C.
The Taylors, S.C., resident got her start with the organization while attending Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, S.C., and carried her love for volunteering and helping others to Rock Hill when she began attending Winthrop.
While she has been unable to participate in many builds herself, the junior political science/economics double major said she is looking forward to her first one, most specifically the excitement and enthusiasm that comes with helping others.
"It's really just the excitement and the spirit that is actually on the build site," Jeter said.
This slide show displays the spirit, sweat and heart that goes into building a Habitat for Humanity home.
As Jeter put it, York County Habitat for Humanity is small but it is one branch of a large tree of similar organizations devoted to providing housing for low-income families.
The slide show includes pictures of a recent build by York County Habitat for Humanity in Clover, S.C.
Friday, October 8, 2010
IT'S MY PLACE!
No bed, no curtains, no pots, no pans—it's home.
The above description is exactly what my first and current apartment looked like when I walked in the door; a bare den complete with moderate renovations and a staircase.
On the same day graduate students were crossing the stage receiving their master’s degrees, my roommate and I walked over the threshold of a space of rental property we both dub, “the palace.”
Sure, we didn’t have any furniture.
Yeah, there was a big stain in the living room’s carpet.
Of course, the bathroom wasn’t cleaned and the tub was littered with soap scum and other unidentifiable substances.
But it was ours.
Living on campus for two years doesn’t bring the same kind of liberation or pride one’s own place does.
There is the convenience of Café Cash, Thomson Café, Eagle Express and now, Starbucks, but there’s nothing like going home after spending hours in the student publications office and scrounging for food through a semi-empty refrigerator.
With money that goes to rent, a utility bill, groceries, gas, a cell phone bill and car insurance, it sure can be tempting to reminisce about the days I could leave my residence hall, shimmy to Thomson and choose from a variety of questionable food choices.
But I have to remember that I also don’t have to always settle for two-day-old pizza or ‘noodles ala noodles.’
Instead, I have a roommate who loves to cook and I myself can do a little something in the kitchen every now and then.
Not having a bed until this past September has led me to miss the comforts of crashing in my twin sized bed after a hard day.
But, then again, I have to remember that when I was crashing into that bed, it was beside a loud air conditioning unit that blew air with a funky odor.
I also have to remember that in the room with that bed was a roommate who slept less than what felt like 5 feet away from me.
Now, I have my own room, adorned with a desk larger than the ones that can be found in a residence hall. It also has a poster’s illustration of a Bible verse hanging on the wall, a walk-in closet and is clean.
Most importantly though is that the room is mine.
I don’t have to vacate the premises during Fall Break.
I have a roommate who is as much of a clean freak as I am.
On the weekends, I don’t have to complain about having nothing to do or being bored in my room.
Nowadays, I prefer to chill out in my living room or catch up on sleep.
When doing schoolwork, I still prefer the resources the campus has to offer, such as the library and various computer labs.
But, when completing assignments that don’t need to be done on a Mac, it’s refreshing to lounge on my living room floor and get the work done in peace and quiet.
I can’t say that living off campus is for everyone. There’s definitely a lot of responsibility and change that comes with it.
My financial state has felt the most change but I don’t regret it.
Why?
Because for all the money and hard work that goes into maintaining an apartment, at the end of the day, I can say its mine.
People can argue that it really belongs to the realtor but, for now, I’ll live in the belief that the somewhat spacious, lavender scented, clean-carpeted apartment I go home to everyday belongs to me…and my roommate of course.
Yes, buying stuff for the apartment gets pricey but I’ve also learned that furnishing one’s place requires time and patience.
I’m just glad that we now have curtains, pots and pans.
The above description is exactly what my first and current apartment looked like when I walked in the door; a bare den complete with moderate renovations and a staircase.
On the same day graduate students were crossing the stage receiving their master’s degrees, my roommate and I walked over the threshold of a space of rental property we both dub, “the palace.”
Sure, we didn’t have any furniture.
Yeah, there was a big stain in the living room’s carpet.
Of course, the bathroom wasn’t cleaned and the tub was littered with soap scum and other unidentifiable substances.
But it was ours.
Living on campus for two years doesn’t bring the same kind of liberation or pride one’s own place does.
There is the convenience of Café Cash, Thomson Café, Eagle Express and now, Starbucks, but there’s nothing like going home after spending hours in the student publications office and scrounging for food through a semi-empty refrigerator.
With money that goes to rent, a utility bill, groceries, gas, a cell phone bill and car insurance, it sure can be tempting to reminisce about the days I could leave my residence hall, shimmy to Thomson and choose from a variety of questionable food choices.
But I have to remember that I also don’t have to always settle for two-day-old pizza or ‘noodles ala noodles.’
Instead, I have a roommate who loves to cook and I myself can do a little something in the kitchen every now and then.
Not having a bed until this past September has led me to miss the comforts of crashing in my twin sized bed after a hard day.
But, then again, I have to remember that when I was crashing into that bed, it was beside a loud air conditioning unit that blew air with a funky odor.
I also have to remember that in the room with that bed was a roommate who slept less than what felt like 5 feet away from me.
Now, I have my own room, adorned with a desk larger than the ones that can be found in a residence hall. It also has a poster’s illustration of a Bible verse hanging on the wall, a walk-in closet and is clean.
Most importantly though is that the room is mine.
I don’t have to vacate the premises during Fall Break.
I have a roommate who is as much of a clean freak as I am.
On the weekends, I don’t have to complain about having nothing to do or being bored in my room.
Nowadays, I prefer to chill out in my living room or catch up on sleep.
When doing schoolwork, I still prefer the resources the campus has to offer, such as the library and various computer labs.
But, when completing assignments that don’t need to be done on a Mac, it’s refreshing to lounge on my living room floor and get the work done in peace and quiet.
I can’t say that living off campus is for everyone. There’s definitely a lot of responsibility and change that comes with it.
My financial state has felt the most change but I don’t regret it.
Why?
Because for all the money and hard work that goes into maintaining an apartment, at the end of the day, I can say its mine.
People can argue that it really belongs to the realtor but, for now, I’ll live in the belief that the somewhat spacious, lavender scented, clean-carpeted apartment I go home to everyday belongs to me…and my roommate of course.
Yes, buying stuff for the apartment gets pricey but I’ve also learned that furnishing one’s place requires time and patience.
I’m just glad that we now have curtains, pots and pans.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Couch surfing commuters
Commuter students have a lot to balance: off campus living, classes and financial responsibility. Two students, though, deal with a bit more. Read about Mark Jamison, who had commuted in three different area codes, and Keyla Flores, whose family is in Puerto Rico:
Commuters
Commuters
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
WATCH NIGHT OF PAIN
While playing drums at his church, Tabernacle of Praise Church International, during a Watch Night service, Herbert Pouge Jr., 23, suffered from vicious, unexplainable pain. His prognosis…gallstones.
http://mcfaddenj3.podbean.com/
http://mcfaddenj3.podbean.com/
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