:: State of Mind ::

:: Friday, December 06, 2002 ::

out of the mouths of babes::
while sitting in taco bell to enjoy what i had planned to be a quite lunch and gather thoughts towards a 1000wd paper on islam...i was given a pretty good lesson in life. the teacher...a loud and abnoxious girl about the age of 6 who was with her father and a friend of his. watch as the story unfolds>

sitting there....having just finished my chicken grilled stuffed borrito and sipping my mountain dew (the BEST lunch combo...aside from chick-fil-a in the world) i opened up my wonerful text book...western ways of being religious. i was just beginning to take in the 5 pillars of islam as this child entered "my territory".... that back corner of the restaurant where i had hoped to be alone.
i figured, surely she and her father would eat and leave without too much interferance to me and my quiet lunch. boy was i wrong. i quickly developed the notion that perhaps this child should be the poster child for birth control. or maybe the lifeguard had just been off duty at her parents gene pool. who knows. anyway....this child began talking but it was well beyond talking....it defied the capabilities of white noise and just resonated through the entire place. so i was forced to listen the ever so loud, fran dresher trapped in a 6 year old body.
this child was loud but some of the things she had to say really made me stop and think. some of the 1st things that i overheard saddened me. she continued to tell her dad "daddy, lets pretend that you are my mommies boyfriend and you live in our house but youre her boyfriend." to this he asked her "well what about your momies husband?" her answer...." well, we ccan pretend that he died cause he kept going up and down the stairs and he fell and brokehis head"
how sad. i couldnt imagine the broken home that this young girl experiences on a daily basis and further more i could not fathom the thoughts that were going through her fathers head as she continued to expound on this issue for at least 10-15 minutes.
the child quieted for a moment to eat her taco which she claimed wasnt the "good kind" and switched it with her fathers (whose was the EXACT same!)

what came next was what really struck me. at first it was extremely annoying but it developed into something almost profound.

i felt bad for this little girl as she went to the counter in order to get an additional order. apparently the clerk didnt see her or the people around her disregarded her as being some random child that a parent should have kept a closer eye on. anyway.... next thing you know this little girl is coming back to the table completely furious and practically yelling...."daddy, that lady cut. she cut. i was second in line. i was there. she got in front of me. i was there. she cut she cutted in front of me" she continued on and on and on....repeating things of that nature for at least 10 min. i was ready to choke her as she continued and thought to myself, surely this father will do something to calm her down or something. like i said...she was loud and everyone in that place could hear. i just kept thinking what my parents would have done to me had i pulled a stunt like that.

later the fathers friend was able to shed a new light on the childs situation. he asked her to consider forgiving the lady. the girl replied "its just not right. shes wrong. what if i come back the next time and she is here and she cuts again. she cant keep doing that to people." i cant help but put myself in that little girls shoes. she is wise beyond what most people would give her credit for. you know...fighting for a principle. for how people should treat others. just the whole idea

as the friend continued his attempt to calm the child he said..."you know, right now is the time when you really should forgive her because its the season of advent. do you know what that means? its the four weeks.." at this point he was interrupted by the girl who said "i know...we talked about this in school its the four weeks before Jesus was born" at this i was shocked! first off that she knew that. and second of all that she learned that in school. finally there are decent schools out there. she continued in her explaination in which she said that they light candles around a wreath....3 purple and one pink...the friend mentioned the white candle that gets lit in the center. she didnt know about this one but the friend explained a little about Jesus and how that candle is representative of him.

through all of this i completely lost my aggrivation toward the little girl and could do nothing but smile as she was getting a lesson and at the same time teaching me one about our Lord Jesus Christ. i just couldnt help but enjoy seeing things through that little girls eyes and seeing the innocence as she explained her knowledge of Christ and what the Christmas season meant...love and hope and family and Jesus. it was refreshing. so to the little girl who i believe was named stephanie and her father anthony and the friend.....thank you!

you reminded me about how to treat people, how to stand up for a principle that is important, how to forgive those people who overlook you or cut you off or go against that principle, and also reminded me about my Savior and how he came into this world to forgive us as we have gone against him. the whole experience was interresting and i enjoyed the opportunity to learn a lesson from a child.

:: BAlbretsen 2:40:00 PM [+] ::
...

you know......while i was in the shower this morning.....i was thinking.. i know i know....an odd place to have a revelation but here goes:

of the 20 years that i have lived here in the united states in north america on planet earth in our solar system, i think that the year 2002 has by far been the best of them. to enlighten those who have not been a part of the entire year, i reflect:

The year started off with blowing up the 2001 Christmas tree as is tradition, followed by snow over night on the 1st. what better way to kick off the new year?!

Valentine's day was good this year. made a surprise trip to texas for a few days.

my birthday was AWESOME!!!!!!! i was able to go on a cruise with my mother (thanks mom).... what a fun experience....although it was cold! we had great entertainment and good food. fun times!

the end of march (easter sunday) was when i developed the desire to travel north for a semester which was the birth of my semester here in NJ

April was my mothers birthday and mom and dad came to mobile to see the upper room dinner theatre production of annie get your gun. that was lots of fun and during intermission they came out and sang happy birthday to mom! how fun.

dad made is debut appearance at university of mobile chapel and i was one of the directors. both things that i had been wanting to occur.

the month of may brought the spring formal which was pretty fun....an evening to get all dressed up! pretty in pink!!!

at the end of the spring semester i finished on up with a 4.0 for the semester and made the presidents list for the 1st time of my college career.

mid may i was able to travel with mom to NJ for the 1st time in order to secure a place to live and tour the rutgers campus. what an awesome time. we were able to see ragtime at the state theatre while there.

i was able to take 3 classes during summer school which also brought 3 more A's.

i was able to spend a good deal of the summer with long time friend michele who i was once a camp counselor with. she is from jacksonville alabama and goes to school at judson but was in mobile for the summer. it was good to reconnect.

august brought about BIG steps and lots of fun. i was able to go to mobile for a couple days to move into cottage 2B with hutchbutt...... such fun. got to be apart of the hoe-down again....horseback riding...mechanical bull...line dancing...and coke floats! got to head out to scary pier and fairhope pier with nathan and 2 of his friends. much fun!

the end of august i was able to move to NJ....the mustang made it!!!!!!!!! mom and i got everything moved in and taken care of and then i was able to experience my 1st trip into the sleepless city of NY. we saw beauty and the beast and had some great italian food.

september brought the rememberance of the attack on our nation which allowed me the opportunity to attend the memorial service at ground zero on 9/11 with juan. a unique experience.....very moving.

the next couple of months brought many more great experiences.....a solo trip into the city to see RENT, a trip in with jack to see the blue man group, a trip in with chad, hannah, chuck and shane to do the touristy stuff (statue of liberty, ground zero, batterey park, central park...etc) a second trip in with jack to go to the met and go around times square some more. a trip to the catskills of new york for a campus ministries retreat with the baptist convention of new york..which was where i met the westpoint cadets. a trip to west point to see fosse and visit with jack after his surgerywhich gave me the opportunity to be introduced to some great new (to me) music....i was able to rekindle my creative side...thanks to a new inspiration. i began to express myself through my writing and art again....and it feels great! and then.......

home for thanksgiving! which my dad says was the best thanksgiving our family has had in 30 years (granted i wasnt alive for 10 of those but at least you know it was good) it became official that i am a bridesmaid in kaite-bug's wedding....ordered my dress on saturday after thanksgiving! i was able to spend a couple days with perhaps one of the most amazing, intriguing, and wonderful people i have EVER met at the end of my thanksgiving holiday.

i have had the chance to work at a GREAT chick-fil-a unit with a GREAT boss and GREAT co-workers. i love my job. perhaps the best store i have worked in. we were also able to deliver to regis and kelly.

today was the 1st snow of the season here in NJ......as of right now i think its about 6 or 8 inches here in basking ridge!!!!

AND GET THIS>>>> the year isnt over.....check out what is on docket for the upcoming month:

a trip to the meadowlands to see the army/navy game with jack followed by a trip into the city to see the real santa....then to westpoint to take jack home.

my parents come to visit on the 18th and we get to see the lion king, les mis and the radio city christmas spectacular featuring the rockettes and have dinner at the water club.

i get to spend christmas in colorado for a few days of fun and skiing with someone special.

i get to experience new years eve in auburn..and bring in the new year right.

WHAT A GREAT YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!
i feel so fortunate to be able to have experienced it!
:: BAlbretsen 6:21:00 PM [+] ::
...

you know...i am really excited about this idea of spending christmas in colorado with someone i so greatly enjoy being with. i hate that it is having to be this freaking difficult to accomplish (no thanks to you delta) but at least its all working out. im very excited. what a year this has been! 4 great months in NJ with NYC a hop skip and a jump away. how about that....great weekend trips to the sleepless city...shows...shopping...etc. then....getting to see the real santa on 34th street at macy's and travelling to colorado....man. things are AWESOME. i feel so blessed to have been able to experience these few months. how many people can say that they have experienced this magnitude of great things in the time period that i have?! WOW! so anyway... i just had to mention how wonderful life is treating me, God is awesome and i am extremely happy!
:: BAlbretsen 12:54:00 AM [+] ::
...

I HATE DELTA!!!!!!! DELTA SCREWS PEOPLE OVER!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! ALL I WANT IS TO FREAKING GET TO COLORADO!!!!!!!! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!?!?!?!? COME ON!!!!!!!!!!
:: BAlbretsen 11:54:00 PM [+] ::
...

WHAT AN AMAZING WEEKEND! my week was less than eventful for the most part but on saturday the wind picked up and everything was stirred up! but how great the wind felt on my face and blowing through my hair. there are no words that can even began to describe how wonderful it all was. so many instances when all i could do was to breathe in soooo deeply, a full and filling cleansing breath. with hopes of breathing in the moment..taking in the experience. savouring it all and hoping to make it last longer....it ended way too soon. I started missing you the moment your hands left mine.....wow....the honest fool....wow...never have i had that type of breathtaking experience.deep and freeing. heart skipping a beat. words so powerful and thoughts so meaningful...i continue to be amazed. a longing sensation....and i dont know how to express it. anticipation mounts for the next encounter. and i smile. i want so badly to be able to better express all of this. i want so badly to be able to empty all of this from my head and into some type of rational synthesis that would do more justice...however.... this is beyond all of that. it just has to run its course and.....happen. but to be quite honest...that is one of the things that i like the most about the situation in which i find myself. nothing is forced, nothing takes an over abundant effort. things happen and it works. it fits like something taylor made. its easy and even when its tough...it works. its patience. and understanding... no BS. just openness, honesty, and trust. its a solid base. things revealed and bridges crossed, possibly in a much sooner time frame than ordinary. the stimulation and the inspiration. its new, exciting and i can not begin to explain how amazing that is..on so many levels. i just sit and reflect on it all.... and smile.
:: BAlbretsen 6:24:00 PM [+] ::
...

i swear there will be a TON more on here once i am back to NJ and have access to a computer that runs faster than a man with no legs. (cause this one would surly lose that race.) but anyway....all i can say is thank you and WOW...a thousand times WOW!!!!!!!
:: BAlbretsen 8:55:00 PM [+] ::
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