Monday, August 29, 2005

Research Credit

After long, arduous nights of toiling over statutes and bills, finally there is something to show for it! My prof even thanked me on the website!

click here for proof!

NOTE: scroll past all the codes.

See the Probate and Property codes...they took forever.

Friday, August 26, 2005

I Am

We call upon God many times in our lives to be what we need Him to be. Nicole Nordeman listed some of his roles in her song, "I Am": Elbow-healer, super-hero...heartache healer, secret keeper, best friend...shepard, savior, pasteur-maker...creator, life-sustainer, comforter, healer, redeemer, Lord and King, beginner and the end. We call Him to be all these things, and He says, "I Am."

Between two thieves, hope was born from suffering. By grace, we can call God, "Abba, Father." When we suffer in our lives, God is right there with us. There is no reason for us to fear, because our debt is paid. Finite and powerless though we are, Christ's strength, that same strength that led him to the cross to die for us, is there to guide us through life's troubling times.

In Genesis 12:1-9, Abram left his home on faith. He allowed the Lord to guide him; by faith, he knew God would prepare a place for him and bless his new home. God calls us to walk by faith. The desire to please Him, does; following that desire, we must go down the path even though we do not know where it leads. Faith is not always comfortable.

But, when we walk that path, narrow though it is, God walks with us. So, when life is uncertain, scary, troubling...when we think we can't go on, that it is just impossible for us to make it, and we say, "God, where are you? Why aren't you here with me...going with me through this?", He will say, "I Am."

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Research

So, I just started as a Research Assistant for one of my prof's, and I have discovered something rather profound: our state government is goofy. They make the silliest mistakes...and the strangest revisions to laws.

For example, the House and Senate will pass bills with different wording! Um, didn't we learn about the good ol' conference committee in like, 5th grade government?? They are suppose to pass the same bill!! Section 761 on Removal in the Probate Code has TWO versions from the House and one from the Senate, with different days for time of removal! Insane. Wasn't anyone paying attention? No, not even the governor, who signed all three bills.

I guess this is why some people call legislative units Money Business.

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Another Year...

There is nothing like a birthday to get you to reflect about where you are in life and what you have learned. Upon turning 23, I thought of three things that I've learned in my life.

1. We always remain children inside. Yesterday, I took down the poster I have of a penguin. Not because I don't like penguins anymore, but because I don't think a 23 year old in law school should have a poster of a penguin on her wall. However, I did not put the poster in a box...I hung it on the wall in my closet. It is out of general view, much like the child-like preferences I have retained, but anyone who is close enough to me to go inside my closet will see it and know a little bit more about me. Having that poster says I still lick my fingers, chew gum and blow bubbles, and like to walk through puddles. But having it inside my closet says that I can act and dress professionally when required, have learned and am still learning to keep my mouth shut when needed, and pay my bills on time...for the most part.

2. This may or may not sound profound, but the second thing I learned: family matters a lot. I did not realize how much until they weren't there. My brother had to work on my birthday, and my parents called in the evening to wish me. So, for most of the day, I didn't have a lot of contact with my family, and that made me depressed. So while my friends gave me gifts and took me out, I was still sad until my parents called and my brother got home. Things don't really matter at all, people matter more, and family matters the most.

3. Lesson three: being yourself is harder than you might think. When looking around my room and assessing the "23ness" of it, I noticed how I've kept some habits from my teen years. For example, I still hang meaningful tokens in random places...like a funky neckless from India on my vanity, and a key-chain mouse with my alma mater logo on it on my floor lamp switch. I don't know how many 23 year olds do such thing, but I decided I didn't care because those things mean something to me. And when people see my room, I want them to know I am a colorful person with lots of interests. Wherever they look...my bookshelf, my desk, my bathroom sink...I want color and life, pieces of who I was and who I am. Hence, my masquerade ball masks from prom stayed, so did my art-postcards from the Kimbell. And the cute little whiskered friend from undergrad remains put...proudly displayed for all to see.