Things you should know

I thought I'd make a silly post about "The more you know" about driving in Tallahassee.

Since movie to Florida, it has come to my attention that drivers here, are above the rules and common courtesies of the road. Yes, they don't need to follow any of them. Also, there are just some odd quirks about the place too. For example:

Did you know that almost every parking lot here are made of up aisles that are both up and down at the same time. Now, we have some of these aisles back in Indiana, but that means they make them extra wide so that two lanes of traffic can drive through them. Not here. Nope, they're skinny as heck.

Also, if you're in Tally, you don't follow the slower traffic keep right rule. (and I'm not even talking about letting the speeders go in the left lane). No, Tallahassee rules dictate that everyone should go at least 5-10 under the speed limit in every single lane.

Things like going at the green light and stopping at the red light are completely optional.

So is pulling up at the green light if you're in the turn lane and have to yield. You should just stay behind the line and completely wait so that no one in the lane gets through the green. Weird!

U turns are completely normal. In fact, the roads are made so that you cannot see any businesses that you need to get to and that makes turning is nearly impossible. This means the constant U turn by the whole of the population becomes actually necessary. (Now that explains why they're poor drivers!)

The streets here are in a wheel/spoke system going around the city and at diagonals and not a grid. Giving directions is nearly impossible. The fact that the streets have several different names based on where they run through town, also makes this difficult.

You have a GPS? Forget it working in Tallahassee. Tally is like a GPS black hole. I've gotten mostly used to the fact that getting around just isn't going to be easy. The way I fix this is that I just don't get out much. haha.

Pray for those....that persecute you.

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44

This is definitely part of the Word of God that I need to start living out.

I get being hurt by those that are obvious "enemies" but it truly rips me apart to be persecuted, treated poorly by, and hated by people that are family or that are part of the family of God.

So, I am going to obey God and start praying for them. Not praying that they'll change but praying for success in their lives, health, blessings, and happiness. I'm guessing this is the key to me not turning into one of those people that I find myself being hurt by.

It sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? Praying for someone. I don't consider it a true prayer though if I can't be sincere so this is going to take some work, and effort and probably a lot of tears. If it means I walk through this and am found as a "good and faithful servant" then that is what I want to do.

I can do this. It's not only the right thing, it's necessary for me to be who God wants me to be. Never would I have thought I'd feel like these people would become someone who felt like an enemy. Never in a million years.

Sick in Paradise

Here we are in Panama City Beach, "vacationing" with my parents and I feel like crud. Feverish, chills, headache, neck ache. Then someone mentions meningitis and I freak out. I have all the symptoms. One night, I had my kids pray for me, last night, my dad. He said he sensed in his spirit that there wasn't a sense of urgency so I trusted that and we stayed another night. Still, I'm in the hotel room while they're enjoying another day at the pool. James headed back to work last night.

This really stinks. It literally is beautiful here. Octavian said last night "Wasn't that a beautiful sunset, mom?" I replied, "It sure was. God is a great artist, isn't He, and He gives us a new sunset every night".

I just keep praying that I break free from what is infecting my body. I want to enjoy the rest of my parent's visit here.