Laura Murray's blog

I am one for adventure, exploring a new place or people, but not for an adventure when it comes to new foods and a few other things.
I am also not one for adventure when it comes to making decisions based on unknowns.  This leaves me with a sense of uncertainty, questioning myself and wondering if I could have made a better decision somewhere along the line.

I wish that God did not surprise me so much. 
I say this because I think that if I had more faith and a better understanding of who He is then He wouldn't surprise me so much.  I think if I knew Him better I would not be surprised when He softens a heart, I would not be surprised when He moves, I would not be surprised when He does His God things.

One of the hardest things for me is being misunderstood.  You could even say that I hate it.  To not have someone misunderstand you, misinterpret you, judge you incorrectly, etc.  Maybe it's not the misunderstanding that I hate so much as much as it is the times when there is no opportunity to clarify and bring about understanding.  I think that's it.  Misunderstanding with clarity and understanding immediately afterwards I can handle, what I cannot handle is misunderstanding with no clarity and understanding afterwards.

As of late my brain has not done much thinking unless it has had to.  You know, the kind of thinking that processes, solves problems, makes decisions, sets the world right (or thinks it can), dissects Scripture, makes connections, etc.  Instead my brain has been in wonder and curiosity.

My husband has been teaching a class on Prof Hendricks Bible Study Methods at our church.  Last week he commented, "I get so frustrated when people start interpreting when we're just supposed to be observing!"  They obviously have not understood Cardinal Rule #1 of Bible Study Methods, "Don't begin interpretation until you've completed observation."

I have issues with letting go.  You know, letting go what is not my responsibility (why did I grab it in the first place?), letting go too late, grabbing what is not mine to grab and quite often thinking that I am responsible for the things that are actually God's responsibility.

Oh, the comforts of tradition.  I welcome them, I love them and I feel safe in them.
Oh, the refreshment of non-tradition.  I am free, I love the unknown and look forward to the ride.

I love to multi-task.  I think it is something genetically wired in women, that we can do it and love to do it.  Maybe it's just my personality.  I'm not satisfied with killing two birds with one stone, but I want to kill 5 or 10 birds with one stone.  Efficiency and multi-tasking become my god.

At the beginning of each New Year Americans make New's Years resolutions pledging to change their ways.  Each March most of these resolutions have gone by the wayside and are no where to be seen until the beginning of the next new year comes around. 
I am by no means a keeper of resolutions and I, as many people do, want to improve their lives, change their ways and better the world around them.  All of this is up to me.  It starts with my discernment of what needs to change, my ability to put a plan into action and my discipline to stick to it.

Recently I heard about the new way in which a certain company was contributing to Project Red during the month of December.  I decided to check it out online and then in the store on December 1st.  Here is what I found:

On December 1st (World AIDS Day), if you bought a specialy product (the ones that cost more), then 5 cents of your purchase went to fight HIV/IADS Africa.  The rest of the month of December, if you buy an exclusive product your nickel is going to the Global Fund to help fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa.